Richmond, VA · High demand

How to start a dump truck business in Richmond

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

Tandem hourly rate
$105–$148/hr
Insurance (single tandem)
$5,400–$10,000/yr
Market demand
High

Why Richmond pays what it pays

Distribution-center construction along I-95 and steady state-government-funded work.

Luck Stone's hauler program is the fastest path to steady aggregate work in central Virginia.

Richmond 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 Richmond

  • Granite aggregate
  • Fill dirt
  • Asphalt
  • C&D

Who's buying hauling

  • Kjellstrom + Lee
  • Hourigan
  • Branch Civil

Luck Stone and Vulcan quarries around the metro.

Insurance in this market

$5,400$10,000 per year for a single tandem with $1M primary liability, cargo, and physical damage. Most GCs in Richmond require you to name them as additional insured before your first load.

Estimate your premium →

Virginia legal steps

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

Full Virginia setup guide →

Your first 30 days in Richmond

  1. 1Form your LLC and get an EIN — see the Virginia 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 $5,400–$10,000 range and get your COI template ready
  4. 4Visit Kjellstrom + Lee 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 (Luck Stone and Vulcan quarries around the metro.) 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 Richmond

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

Enroll for $39

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