Author

Sara Vance

Fleet Growth Advisor · 12+ years in trucking

Sara Vance advises fleet owners scaling from a single truck through their first 25 power units. She has personally built two fleets from one truck to 18+ trucks and writes Bonafide's hiring, retention, and capital-strategy playbooks.

Expertise

Fleet scaling 1→25 trucks
Hiring & retention
Factoring & cash flow
Insurance

Credentials

• 12 years in carrier operations
• Built two fleets from 1 to 18 trucks

Articles by Sara Vance

Owner-Operator Monthly Expenses (Real 2026 Numbers)Itemized 2026 monthly spend for a U.S. owner-operator at 10–12k miles — fuel, truck payment, insurance, maintenance reserve, permits, factor fees.
Owner-Operator Cost Per Mile: The Real FormulaThe real 2026 U.S. owner-operator cost-per-mile formula ($1.85–$2.10 all-in), how to calculate it right, and mistakes that make CPM look low.
How to Scale from 1 Truck to 5 TrucksThe cash-flow, hiring, and dispatch moves that take an owner-operator from 1 truck to 5 in 18–36 months without burnout or a failed audit.
Driver Retention Strategies That Actually Work2026 U.S. driver retention playbook — pay matters, but home time, Friday settlements, modern trucks, and human dispatch after 6 p.m. drive tenure.
Cost of Starting a Trucking Company in 2026: Complete Startup Cost BreakdownThe complete 2026 breakdown of what it costs to start a U.S. trucking company — from LLC formation and MC authority to insurance, equipment, ELDs, IFTA, IRP, and 60–90 days of working capital. Three real budget examples ($18K, $55K, and $180K), the hidden costs most new carriers miss, and how to survive year one.