Cleveland, OH · Steady demand

How to start a dump truck business in Cleveland

Local hourly rates, insurance costs, the general contractors and quarries actually buying hauling in Cleveland, and what the Ohio rules require before your first load.

Tandem hourly rate
$95–$135/hr
Insurance (single tandem)
$5,000–$9,500/yr
Market demand
Steady

Why Cleveland pays what it pays

Industrial redevelopment, hospital campus expansion, and ODOT bridge work.

Winter salt hauling from the Cargill mine keeps trucks earning through the January shutdown.

Cleveland dump truck rates by truck size (2026)

TruckHourlyTypical per load
Single-axle$75–$110/hr$190–$270
Tandem-axle$95–$135/hr$250–$350
Tri-axle$115–$165/hr$320–$460
Quad / super dump$135–$190/hr$390–$550

Per-load figures assume a 45–75 minute cycle. Use the cycle-time calculator to convert any per-load offer into a real hourly number before you accept it.

Materials moving in Cleveland

  • Limestone
  • Slag
  • C&D
  • Road salt (winter)

Who's buying hauling

  • Turner
  • Donley's
  • Great Lakes Construction

Osborne Concrete & Stone and Shelly Materials.

Insurance in this market

$5,000$9,500 per year for a single tandem with $1M primary liability, cargo, and physical damage. Most GCs in Cleveland require you to name them as additional insured before your first load.

Estimate your premium →

Ohio legal steps

LLC, EIN, USDOT number, state motor carrier registration, and permits are all state-level in Ohio.

Full Ohio setup guide →

Your first 30 days in Cleveland

  1. 1Form your LLC and get an EIN — see the Ohio filing costs and office
  2. 2Apply for your USDOT number (and MC authority only if you'll haul for-hire across state lines)
  3. 3Bind insurance in the $5,000–$9,500 range and get your COI template ready
  4. 4Visit Turner and two other job trailers in person with a COI, W-9, and a printed rate sheet
  5. 5Open an account with a local supplier (Osborne Concrete & Stone and Shelly Materials.) to get on their hauler call list
  6. 6Quote your first jobs at $95–$135/hr with a two-hour minimum

Get the whole playbook for Cleveland

The full course covers the LLC/USDOT/insurance sequence, the GC outreach scripts, and pricing math for every material moving in Cleveland right now.

Enroll for $39

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