STARTUP COSTS

What it takes
to open the doors.

Add it up before you buy the truck.

List the one-time costs, the monthly bills and what each call brings in. See the cash you need to start and how many calls a month cover your fixed costs.

Your numbers.

USD · US units

Example numbers—not industry averages or typical results. Replace them with your own.

01 Getting started (one time)

Truck cash outlay ($)

The price if you pay in full, or the down payment if you finance. Put any monthly payment below.

Equipment and tools ($)

Dollies, chains, straps, lockout kit, jump pack, cones and safety gear.

Lights, lettering and upfit ($)

Registration, licenses and permits ($)

Business registration, a USDOT number where it applies, and state or local towing permits. Fees vary by state and city.

Insurance down payment ($)

Dispatch software, phone and office setup ($)

Yard or storage lot deposit ($)

Launch marketing and website ($)

02 Running the business (monthly)

Insurance ($/month)

Yard or storage rent ($/month)

Software, phones and utilities ($/month)

Truck payment ($/month)

Enter 0 if you pay cash for the truck. This is only a business cost assumption.

Other fixed costs ($/month)

Accounting, renewals and similar. Exclude fuel, pay and maintenance, which belong in the running cost per call below.

Months of fixed costs to hold in reserve

03 Each call

Average revenue per call ($)

Running cost per call ($)

Fuel, operator pay, maintenance and per-call fees. TowProfit can work this out.

YOUR SCENARIO

What it takes to open.

Cash to open the doors: $109,100.00
One-time startup costs: $101,000.00
Monthly fixed costs: $2,700.00
Reserve for 3 months of fixed costs: $8,100.00
What each call adds before fixed costs: $95.00
Calls per month to cover fixed costs: 28.4 calls

Example figures are placeholders, not typical costs. Your state, insurer, equipment and market decide the real numbers.

Calculations use unrounded inputs. Displayed results are rounded.

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How the numbers work.

One-time startup costs = truck cash outlay + equipment + upfit + registration and permits + insurance down payment + setup + yard deposit + launch marketing.

Monthly fixed costs = insurance + yard rent + software and phones + truck payment + other fixed costs. Reserve = monthly fixed costs × months held in reserve. Cash to open the doors = one-time costs + reserve.

What each call adds = average revenue per call − running cost per call. Calls per month to cover fixed costs = monthly fixed costs ÷ what each call adds; it is not applicable when a call adds nothing.

Every figure is your own assumption; the examples are placeholders, not typical costs. Break-even here covers the business's fixed costs, not the owner's pay unless you entered it. The model excludes income tax, depreciation, financing terms and anything you have not entered. Licensing, insurance and permit requirements vary by state and city; confirm them before you commit.

Your entered assumptions

Truck cash outlay ($): 80000
Equipment and tools ($): 7500
Lights, lettering and upfit ($): 3000
Registration, licenses and permits ($): 1500
Insurance down payment ($): 4000
Dispatch software, phone and office setup ($): 1500
Yard or storage lot deposit ($): 2000
Launch marketing and website ($): 1500
Insurance ($/month): 1000
Yard or storage rent ($/month): 800
Software, phones and utilities ($/month): 300
Truck payment ($/month): 0
Other fixed costs ($/month): 600
Months of fixed costs to hold in reserve: 3
Average revenue per call ($): 175
Running cost per call ($): 80

For the truck line: what used trucks are listed for.

Median asking prices in TowValue’s current sample, collected Sep 23, 2026. These are advertised prices, not sale prices, and a specific truck’s year, chassis, body and condition move it a long way from the median.

Equipment	Median asking	Priced listings
Rollback	$64,950	58
Light wrecker	$49,800	19
Medium wrecker	$44,000	8
Heavy wrecker	$152,400	14

See used tow truck prices by type or estimate a specific truck.