Sacramento, CA · High demand

How to start a dump truck business in Sacramento

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

Tandem hourly rate
$125–$170/hr
Insurance (single tandem)
$8,500–$15,000/yr
Market demand
High

Why Sacramento pays what it pays

Valley residential growth, levee and flood-control work, and state infrastructure spending.

Teichert is both the biggest supplier and a major contractor — getting on their hauler list changes your year.

Sacramento dump truck rates by truck size (2026)

TruckHourlyTypical per load
Single-axle$100–$135/hr$250–$340
Tandem-axle$125–$170/hr$330–$440
Tri-axle$155–$205/hr$430–$580
Quad / super dump$175–$240/hr$510–$700

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 Sacramento

  • Aggregate
  • Levee fill
  • Asphalt
  • Agricultural soil

Who's buying hauling

  • Teichert
  • Granite Construction
  • Otto Construction

Teichert Materials dominates the region's aggregate.

Insurance in this market

$8,500$15,000 per year for a single tandem with $1M primary liability, cargo, and physical damage. Most GCs in Sacramento require you to name them as additional insured before your first load.

Estimate your premium →

California legal steps

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

Full California setup guide →

Your first 30 days in Sacramento

  1. 1Form your LLC and get an EIN — see the California 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 $8,500–$15,000 range and get your COI template ready
  4. 4Visit Teichert 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 (Teichert Materials dominates the region's aggregate.) to get on their hauler call list
  6. 6Quote your first jobs at $125–$170/hr with a two-hour minimum

Get the whole playbook for Sacramento

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

Enroll for $39

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