Nashville, TN · Very high demand

How to start a dump truck business in Nashville

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

Tandem hourly rate
$105–$148/hr
Insurance (single tandem)
$5,200–$9,800/yr
Market demand
Very high

Why Nashville pays what it pays

Explosive commercial and residential growth across Davidson, Williamson, and Rutherford counties.

Shallow limestone means blast-rock hauling from residential sites is a steady side market here.

Nashville dump truck rates by truck size (2026)

TruckHourlyTypical per load
Single-axle$85–$120/hr$210–$300
Tandem-axle$105–$150/hr$270–$380
Tri-axle$130–$180/hr$360–$500
Quad / super dump$145–$205/hr$430–$610

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 Nashville

  • Limestone aggregate
  • Rock excavation spoils
  • Fill dirt
  • Asphalt

Who's buying hauling

  • Brasfield & Gorrie
  • Turner
  • Rogers Group

Rogers Group and Vulcan quarries throughout Middle Tennessee.

Insurance in this market

$5,200$9,800 per year for a single tandem with $1M primary liability, cargo, and physical damage. Most GCs in Nashville require you to name them as additional insured before your first load.

Estimate your premium →

Tennessee legal steps

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

Full Tennessee setup guide →

Your first 30 days in Nashville

  1. 1Form your LLC and get an EIN — see the Tennessee 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 $5,200–$9,800 range and get your COI template ready
  4. 4Visit Brasfield & Gorrie 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 (Rogers Group and Vulcan quarries throughout Middle Tennessee.) to get on their hauler call list
  6. 6Quote your first jobs at $105–$148/hr with a two-hour minimum

Get the whole playbook for Nashville

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

Enroll for $39

Other Tennessee markets

Every city guide