Simplex Group Illinois

If you are starting a trucking business in Illinois, you will need reliable vehicles, great drivers, and the assistance of Simplex Group. SImplex Group takes care of many different kinds of compliance and administrative needs. We can help you incorporate your business, get a DOT number, find the perfect insurance package and keep impeccable records of everything you do.

At Simplex Group, we devote ourselves to your success. With 20 years in the trucking industry, we are committed to ensuring you pass your new entrant audit with no problem. We know how hard it is to start a trucking company. That is why you need a partner to help you get started and stay compliant.

Before your business can open its doors, you will need to register it as a business entity with the state of Illinois. In order to run a trucking company, you will have to register your business as an LLC, a corporation, or a partnership. We will look at your particular situation and suggest which kind of entity we think would work best for you.

The state of Illinois requires that all trucks weighing over 10,000 pounds must have a US Department of Transportation number. You will also need a DOT number if you carry hazardous waste that requires placarding. 

Once your business is registered with the state, we will apply for a DOT number for each truck using the Unified Registration System that the Federal Motor Carrier’s Safety Administration provides. The DOT application is free and you should get your DOT number right away.

One of the most important things a trucking company can provide to its employees, its clients, and the general public, is safety and security. The FMCSA requires that all trucking companies that operate trucks that weigh over 10,000 pounds and cross-state lines have at least $750,000 in coverage. If a truck hauls oil, it will need $1,000,000 of insurance.

If you are a moving truck that hauls household goods across state lines, you will need cargo insurance of $5,000 for each vehicle and $10,000 per occurrence.

You should have far more insurance than that which is required by law. We can evaluate your company’s insurance needs by looking at the size of the business, where you drive, and the type of cargo that you carry. 

In addition to liability and cargo insurance, you will need bobtail insurance for when your drivers take the truck home at night. You will need general liability insurance so you are covered if anyone injures themselves on your property and physical damage insurance to cover repairs to vehicles if one of your drivers causes an accident. 

All this may sound overwhelming, but Simplex Group can put together an insurance package that is affordable and effective. We know the worst thing about finding insurance is combing through your options. We can find the perfect insurance for your company so you can run your business in peace.

Tax preparation is one of the most complex parts of a trucking company owner’s job. You will have to pay business taxes and taxes for fuel and mileage. Our tax preparers will make sure your taxes are paid in full and on time. We will also get you all the deductions possible.

Starting a trucking company is expensive and you need some help the first year that you are in business. Instead of taking out a loan, you should consider truck factoring. A truck factoring company that we work with will buy your invoices for a reduced price. You will get your money in a hurry and there is no minimum amount of invoices you must sell.

When you hire Simplex Group we consider you a part of our family. We want to make sure our clients are well taken care of. Our fuel card will get you a discount on gas, food, and other things you need on the road.

Knowing how to load a truck is much more complicated than it sounds. You have to make sure none of the space in your truck goes to waste. You must also make sure your cargo is not packed so tight that you can’t move it. You must make sure that your cargo can be unloaded quickly. Our freight planners will make sure your truck is safely loaded for maximum profitability.

The hiring process for truckers can be quite tedious, but it is always a good idea to do background checks on your employees. However, in the trucking industry verifying employment is required by law. You must contact former employers and verify dates of employment and find out if they were on any corrective action at their previous job. 

You must ensure they have a commercial driver’s license and check their driving records for the last ten years in every state they have lived in. You should not hire them if they have a suspended license. They must agree to take a drug test, and we can arrange for drug testing services for your company. 

We will keep an electronic record of the entire hiring process for you. The FMCSA requires that you keep these records for three years. We will make sure that any documentation of records is taken care of.

Complying with the FMCSA’s rules for driver hours is one of the most important safety steps your company will take. A driver must be off duty for at least ten hours a day. They can never drive more than eleven consecutive hours during their shift. If they are sleeping in their truck that night, they must have at least seven hours in the berth.

Your driver will record their hours with an Electronic Logging Device. You must keep an electronic record for each driver to pass your new entrant audits. We will ensure those records are stored properly.

A driver must perform a complete safety check before leaving on a trip and inspect the vehicle again at the end of the day. A trucking company must keep a record of every inspection that they do. Inspections are very thorough, and the inspector should carefully check the functionality of every aspect of a truck, from the blinkers to the brakes.

If a truck needs a repair, your mechanic or the mechanic you hire will need to make a detailed report about what was done. 

Simplex Group will make sure your records are properly stored because we consider your success our success at Simplex Group.

Simplex Group is one of the most helpful companies in the trucking industry. Not only can we help you with compliance and safety, but we also help you set up your business and get it going. We can also help you with truck factoring if you should ever have a lean month.

Simplex Group has been helping small trucking companies for a long time and has outstanding rates for all our services.

We want to help make sure your company reaches its highest potential. Give us a call today.