New York City, NY · Very high demand

How to start a dump truck business in New York City

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

Tandem hourly rate
$155–$225/hr
Insurance (single tandem)
$11,000–$19,000/yr
Market demand
Very high

Why New York City pays what it pays

Perpetual demolition, excavation, and infrastructure work across the five boroughs.

NYC DEP registration and borough routing rules make this the hardest market to enter — and the highest-paying once you're in.

New York City dump truck rates by truck size (2026)

TruckHourlyTypical per load
Single-axle$125–$180/hr$310–$450
Tandem-axle$155–$225/hr$400–$590
Tri-axle$190–$275/hr$530–$770
Quad / super dump$215–$315/hr$640–$920

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 New York City

  • C&D debris
  • Excavated rock & soil
  • Contaminated soil
  • Aggregate

Who's buying hauling

  • Turner
  • Tishman
  • Structure Tone
  • Skanska USA

Transfer stations in the Bronx, Brooklyn, and Queens matter more than pits here.

Insurance in this market

$11,000$19,000 per year for a single tandem with $1M primary liability, cargo, and physical damage. Most GCs in New York City require you to name them as additional insured before your first load.

Estimate your premium →

New York legal steps

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

Full New York setup guide →

Your first 30 days in New York City

  1. 1Form your LLC and get an EIN — see the New York 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 $11,000–$19,000 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 (Transfer stations in the Bronx) to get on their hauler call list
  6. 6Quote your first jobs at $155–$225/hr with a two-hour minimum

Get the whole playbook for New York City

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

Enroll for $39

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