Owner operators
Know what your truck needs to earn. Work through startup costs, rates, cash flow, empty miles, and the decision to add another truck.
PRACTICAL HELP. REAL-WORLD WORK.
One truck.
Or thousands.
Know your numbers.
Practical consulting for carriers running one truck or thousands. Get help with costs, operations, business plans, and the next stage of growth. Business tools and consulting for contractors, restaurants, and other business owners are here too.
Built around your operation.Focused on your next step.
THE WORK AHEADMC / FIELD NOTES
A good plan
should earn
its place.
should earn
its place.
YOUR NEXT MOVE
01Know your costs.
02Fix what slows you down.
03Put a plan to work.
MADE FOR PEOPLE WHO RUN THE WORKSmall businesses+Owner operators & fleets+Contractors+Restaurants
COMPANY APPAREL & CREW GEAR
Your name. On the job.
Snapback, fitted and stretch-fit hats, pearl snap shirts, tees, hoodies, jackets, and more for your crew. Build your mix and get a quote before you order.
CARRIERS OF EVERY SIZE
Different fleet sizes.
Different problems.
A plan that fits.
A single truck and a fleet of thousands need different kinds of support. Start with the problem, the numbers you have, and the result you need. We agree on a manageable project before work starts.
Growing fleets
Keep growth from outrunning the operation. Review costs by truck or lane, maintenance budgets, utilization, cash needs, and consistent procedures.
Large fleets
Focus on a defined business problem across trucks, lanes, terminals, or departments. Review reporting, cost allocation, operating processes, and improvement priorities with your team.
Projects can start with one truck, one lane, one terminal, or one department. Scope, data needs, deliverables, timing, and price are agreed before paid work starts.
01 / CONSULTING SERVICES
Let’s work on
what’s holding you back.
Starting something new or sorting out what’s already running? Get help with the decisions, details, and numbers.
01
Get a clearer view
Business consulting
Find the gaps between the work you put in and the results you take home.
- Cost, pricing, and operating profit reviews
- Workflow, staffing, and inventory planning
- Practical spreadsheets and operating procedures
What we work toward
A focused review, clear priorities, and an action plan built around your business.
Quoted to your scope
02
Start with a plan
Trucking company setup
Work through the business decisions and paperwork before putting a truck to work.
- Startup budget and operating model
- USDOT and operating authority application guidance
- Insurance, registration, and recordkeeping coordination
What we work toward
A setup roadmap, document checklist, and support with the steps agreed in your quote.
Quoted to your scope
03
One truck or thousands
Carrier and fleet consulting
Get a clearer picture of costs, performance, and the decisions affecting your operation.
- Cost and margin reviews by truck, lane, or fleet
- Fuel, idle, detention, empty miles, and downtime reviews
- Operating procedures, reporting, and growth planning
What we work toward
An agreed review of your operation, practical priorities, and recommendations matched to your fleet, available data, and project scope.
Quoted to your scope
BUSINESS PLAN WRITING
You bring the business. I write the plan.
Starting, growing, or preparing a funding request? Fill out the free client intake form and email it to consult.cupcake@gmail.com. I’ll review your information and quote the writing work. We agree on scope, price, timing and revisions before work starts.
The intake is free. Custom business plan writing is a paid service. A plan supports your funding request; it does not guarantee approval.
By quoteGet the free intake form
Trucking setup support is tailored to your operation and state. Government fees, insurance, and outside provider charges are separate. Filing assistance is agreed in writing; approvals and operating authority are issued by the relevant agencies. FMCSA registration resources ↗
NEW / HOURLY PAY & FREIGHT RATE CALCULATOR
Pay by the hour. Price by the mile.
Put your driver hours, detention, operating costs, and revenue to work. See the hourly wage your freight supports and the rate needed to protect your profit.
SMALL DETAILS. BIG DIFFERENCE.
Empty miles
still cost money.
A rate can look good until you count every mile. Try a simple check for one truck or a comparable group of trucks, using costs and miles for the same period.
Try your numbersQUICK COST CHECK
Cost per total mile$1.40
Cost per loaded mile$1.65
Illustrative costs only. A fleet average can hide differences between trucks and lanes. Include every expense you want covered; profit is not included. Your entries stay in this page.
FLEET OPERATIONS TOOLS & REVIEWS
Every idle hour
has a cost.
Find out why.
Fuel, idle, detention, and rates all affect what stays in your business. Put the operating details beside the numbers before deciding what needs to change.
FLEET FUEL & IDLE ANALYZER
The percentage is only the start.
Separate total idle from documented operating needs and the remaining hours worth investigating. Record climate control, equipment use, regeneration, traffic, and other required idle alongside loading, unloading, detention, layovers, and rest.
- Estimate idle fuel use and cost with your own rates
- Compare raw and adjusted idle percentages
- Review weekly, monthly, and driver or unit summaries
One Excel workbook · 7 tabs · 500 daily entries · 50 driver or unit summary slots. Instructions included inside the workbook. Larger fleet projects are scoped separately.
01Record the hours
02Document the reason
03Review the cost
WORK DIRECTLY WITH MICHEAL
Bring the records.
Let’s work through them.
Fuel and idle reviews, detention and standby cost analysis, rate conversions, revenue and expense reviews, and break-even planning. Agree on the records, work, and price before we begin.
Starting your operation?
The $29 Trucking Startup Kit brings together startup budgeting, cost per mile, load review, cash planning, and the original FOPT rate workbook. The FOPT workbook is also available free on FOPT’s website.
Compare the trucking toolsThe analyzer is a separate purchase. Consulting is quoted separately from downloads.
02 / THE TOOL SHOP
Less guesswork.
More getting it done.
Editable Excel workbooks, plain-language guides, and printable forms. Practical tools you can put to work in your own business. Choose the Fleet Fuel & Idle Analyzer for operating reviews or the Trucking Startup Kit for startup planning. Larger fleet reviews are quoted to your operation.
Fleet Fuel & Idle Analyzer
Put operating context behind your idle percentage and fuel costs.
Trucking Startup Kit
Plan startup costs, review loads, and keep the next steps in view.
Restaurant Operations Kit
A better handle on prep, ordering, food costs, and waste.
Contractor Estimating Kit
Know the costs behind the number on your estimate.
Small Business Money Kit
Keep monthly profit, unpaid invoices, and pricing in view.
Checkout and downloads are handled by Payhip. Digital files only. Intended for desktop Excel; other spreadsheet apps have not been verified. Internal business use; resale of blank templates is not included.
03 / HOW WE WORK
Plain talk.
A clear scope.
A useful next step.
Work directly with Micheal Cobb on the questions that matter to your operation. Start with the problem you need to solve.
01
Tell me what’s going on.
Share where your business stands, what you’re trying to do, and what keeps getting in the way.
02
Agree on the work.
We define the scope, deliverables, price, and timing before consulting work begins.
03
Put the plan to use.
Get practical recommendations, tools, or setup guidance matched to the agreed scope.
A FEW STRAIGHT ANSWERS
Before we talk.
Do you work with carriers running thousands of trucks?
Yes. Carrier consulting is available for one-truck operators through fleets of 1,000 or more trucks. We define the problem, data, team involvement, and deliverables first. Large-fleet work can focus on a truck group, lane, terminal, department, or a broader review agreed in the quote.
Does the Startup Kit manage a large fleet?
No. The downloadable kit is a startup planning workbook and guide, with the original FOPT rate conversion sheet. It does not replace dispatch, accounting, maintenance, or fleet management software. Fleet consulting is a separate service quoted to the work.
Does the idle analyzer connect to my ELD?
No. Enter records from your telematics, fuel, dispatch, and other sources. Allocate actual idle hours once to documented reasons. Temperature and detention provide context; they do not automatically explain every hour. Remaining idle needs review and does not establish driver fault. Fuel and cost outputs are estimates based on your inputs.
How much does consulting cost?
Consulting is quoted after we understand your needs. You’ll receive an agreed scope and price before paid work begins. Submitting a request does not create a paid engagement.
Can you help if I’m just starting a trucking company?
Yes. Setup support starts with your intended operation, budget, and registration needs. The quote identifies the application guidance, document preparation, and provider coordination included. You retain control of your accounts and approve submissions.
What comes with the digital tools?
The Fleet Fuel & Idle Analyzer is an Excel workbook with built-in instructions, 500 daily entries, and 50 driver or unit summary slots. The startup, restaurant, contractor, and money kits include an editable Excel workbook and a PDF guide. The Trucking Startup Kit also includes the original FOPT rate conversion workbook as a separate companion download. Buy and download your kit through Payhip. Check the product details for the worksheets and forms included.
Do you write business plans for funding requests?
Yes. I write the plan based on your business, goals and supporting information. Download the free fillable intake form and email your completed copy to consult.cupcake@gmail.com. The writing service is paid and quoted after review; scope, price, timing and revisions are agreed before work starts. Funding approval remains the funder’s decision.
Are the services legal, tax, or insurance advice?
These services focus on business planning, operations, and administrative guidance. Legal representation, tax filings, insurance placement, and agency approval are outside the consulting offer.
LET’S GET TO WORK
What’s your
next move?
Tell me your fleet size, the part of the operation you want to improve, and what you need help with. For other businesses, tell me what you run. We’ll start there.
MC↗Micheal CobbCobb Business & Carrier Consulting
consult.cupcake@gmail.com A request starts a conversation. It isn’t a booking, purchase, or commitment to paid work.