Welcome to Durrett Recovery!
Reliable Towing & Auto Transport Across Virginia.
Maybe you're just starting to wonder if towing or auto transport could be a business for you.
Maybe you've already started researching trucks, trailers, insurance, registrations, and everything else that comes with getting set up.
Maybe the truck is sitting in the driveway and your biggest question now is:
Where do I actually find the work?
Or maybe you've already built the business—and now you're trying to figure out how to keep it from taking over your entire life.
We've been through those stages too.
After years of building and running Durrett Recovery and moving thousands of vehicles, we've learned that starting a towing or auto transport business isn't one decision.
It's a series of them.
What do I need?
What can I legally do with my setup?
What is this actually going to cost?
How do I find legitimate work?
How do I keep the business running once I find it?
And eventually:
How do I build this business without giving every hour of my life back to it?
That's why we created these resources.
Not to promise you an easy business.
Not to tell you there's only one way to build one.
And definitely not to tell you that buying a guide will guarantee your success.
We created them to give you something we wish every new business owner had more of:
A clearer place to start.
Start Where You Are
You don't need every resource on this page to take your next step.
Find the stage that sounds most like where you are right now and begin there.
THE ROADMAP
START SMART
Free Starter Resources
↓
GET SET UP
Beginner's Guide to Non-CDL Towing & Auto Transport
↓
FIND THE WORK
From Setup to First Load
↓
BUILD IT TO SUPPORT YOUR LIFE
We Didn't Build a Business Just to Work All the Time
Start smart. Stay legal. Find work. Build with confidence.
1. START SMART
Free Towing & Auto Transport Starter Resources
I'm interested in this business, but I'm not sure where to begin.
Before you buy a truck, spend thousands of dollars on equipment, register a business, or start worrying about where your first load will come from, it helps to understand what you're actually getting into.
That's why we created our free starter resources.
They're simple tools designed to help you begin thinking through the practical side of towing and auto transport before you make bigger decisions.
Start With:
Auto Transport Starter Checklist
A simple starting point for thinking through the pieces involved in getting ready to haul vehicles—from your business and equipment to the things you'll want to research before looking for your first load.
GET THE FREE STARTER CHECKLIST →
Non-CDL Trip Inspection Sheet
A practical inspection resource to help you think through your truck, trailer, equipment, and road-readiness before you leave the driveway.
GET THE FREE INSPECTION SHEET →
This is a good place to start if:
You're exploring towing or auto transport.
You're still researching trucks and trailers.
You're trying to understand what you don't know yet.
You're not ready for a full guide.
Or you simply want a basic resource before taking the next step.
Not sure if this business is for you? Start free.
START WITH THE FREE RESOURCES →
2. GET SET UP
Beginner's Guide to Non-CDL Towing & Auto Transport
I'm ready to get serious, but I'm overwhelmed by everything I need to figure out.
Once you've decided you want to explore this business more seriously, the questions multiply pretty quickly.
Truck or truck and trailer?
What weight ratings matter?
When does CDL territory begin?
What registrations and business requirements should I be researching?
What equipment will I need?
What expenses should I expect?
What should I understand before I start spending money?
We created the Beginner's Guide to Non-CDL Towing & Auto Transport to help organize those questions into something much easier to work through.
This isn't about handing you a cookie-cutter business and telling you to copy ours.
It's about helping you understand the pieces well enough to make better decisions for your operation.
FROM:
I'm interested in getting started with towing or vehicle transport, but I'm overwhelmed by trucks, trailers, weights, regulations, costs, and everything I need to figure out.
TO:
I understand the major pieces I need to research, the questions I need to ask, and the next steps I can take toward building a legal, practical operation.
This Guide Is For You If:
- You're considering starting a non-CDL towing or auto transport business.
- You're researching trucks, trailers, equipment, and weight ratings.
- You're trying to understand startup costs and business requirements.
- You want to know what questions to ask before spending a lot of money.
- You prefer practical information from people who actually work in the industry.
What This Guide Is Designed to Help You Do
Understand the basic pieces of a non-CDL towing or auto transport setup.
Think through equipment and business decisions before making major purchases.
Identify areas where you'll need to verify state, federal, insurance, licensing, or other requirements for your particular operation.
Create a clearer plan for what comes next.
You don't need to know everything before you begin.
But you should know enough to make informed decisions about what you're building.
EXPLORE THE BEGINNER'S GUIDE →
3. FIND THE WORK
From Setup to First Load: Finding Work in Towing & Auto Transport
The truck is ready. The business is set up. Now what?
This is where a lot of new operators get stuck.
They spend months researching.
They buy the equipment.
They handle the paperwork.
They get insurance.
They get everything sitting in the driveway.
And then comes the question nobody can avoid:
Where does the work actually come from?
That's why we created From Setup to First Load.
This guide picks up where the beginner guide leaves off and focuses on the next part of the road:
Finding legitimate opportunities and beginning to put your setup to work.
FROM:
I have my truck and I'm ready to work—but I don't know where to find loads, who to contact, what opportunities are legitimate, or how people actually get started hauling vehicles.
TO:
I understand where towing and auto transport work can come from, how to begin looking for legitimate opportunities, and the practical steps I can take toward finding my first loads and building working relationships.
This Guide Is For You If:
- Your business is already set up or close to it.
- Your equipment is ready or you're preparing to purchase it.
- You're trying to understand where loads come from.
- You want to learn more about brokers, auctions, dealerships, and other potential sources of work.
- You need a practical starting point for turning a setup into an operating business.
Because Getting Set Up Isn't the Finish Line
A truck doesn't create a business by sitting in the driveway.
Eventually, you have to find the people who need what you do.
That means learning where opportunities exist, how the industry works, how to communicate professionally, and how to begin building relationships that can lead to repeat work.
Finding one load is useful.
Learning how to build reliable sources of work is the bigger goal.
EXPLORE FROM SETUP TO FIRST LOAD →
BUY FROM SETUP TO FIRST LOAD →
4. BUILD IT TO SUPPORT YOUR LIFE
We Didn't Build a Business Just to Work All the Time
The business is working. But somewhere along the way, it started taking everything I had.
There's another stage of small business that doesn't get talked about nearly as much.
You got started.
You found the work.
Customers call.
Money comes in.
The business needs you.
Technically, that's what you were trying to build.
But then you realize something:
The business is running—but it's starting to run you.
We know how easily that can happen.
Especially in a small operation where one person or a husband-and-wife team is responsible for nearly everything.
The truck.
The customers.
The phone.
The scheduling.
The paperwork.
The bills.
The equipment.
The problems.
The decisions.
And all the little things nobody sees.
There will always be something else you could be doing.
Eventually, you have to decide how much of your life the business is allowed to have.
FROM:
My business takes everything I have, and I don't know how to change it.
TO:
I know what enough looks like, what I need to simplify, what I need to protect, and the next few changes I'm making to create more room for my life.
That's what We Didn't Build a Business Just to Work All the Time is about.
Not quitting.
Not becoming less ambitious.
Not pretending businesses don't require sacrifice.
It's about learning to recognize the difference between worthwhile work and endless work.
It's about deciding what actually deserves your time.
What can be simplified.
What can be built once instead of repeated forever.
What “enough” looks like.
What belongs to you to handle.
And what may need to be released instead of carried around in your head all day.
This Guide Is For You If:
- You're already running a small business.
- You're a solo operator or part of a husband-and-wife team.
- Your business follows you into evenings, weekends, and home life.
- You have trouble deciding when you've done enough for the day.
- You built your business for more independence but don't always feel very free.
- You want growth—but not at the expense of everything else that matters.
If every dollar requires another hour of your life, eventually time becomes the ceiling.
The goal isn't to stop building.
It's to build more intentionally.
Build the work. Live the life. Remember what matters.
EXPLORE THE BUSINESS & LIFE GUIDE →
BUY THE BUSINESS & LIFE GUIDE →
Which Guide Is Right for Me?
I'm only exploring the idea.
Start with the Free Starter Resources.
I want to understand how to set up a non-CDL operation.
Start with the Beginner's Guide to Non-CDL Towing & Auto Transport.
I'm set up—or close—and need to figure out where the work comes from.
Start with From Setup to First Load.
I'm already running a business and need it to stop taking over my life.
Start with We Didn't Build a Business Just to Work All the Time.
EXPLORE THE BUSINESS & LIFE GUIDE →
I want the whole path.
That's exactly what the bundle is for.
GET THE COMPLETE BUNDLE →
🚚 Want the Complete Roadmap?
The Towing & Auto Transport Business Bundle
From figuring out where to start to building a business that supports your life.
If you're serious about building a small towing or auto transport operation and want the complete collection, we've bundled our three paid guides together at a lower price than purchasing each one separately.
The Bundle Includes:
1. Beginner's Guide to Non-CDL Towing & Auto Transport
Understand the setup, equipment, numbers, requirements, and questions you need to work through before you begin.
2. From Setup to First Load
Learn where legitimate work can come from and how to begin moving from a completed setup to an operating business.
3. We Didn't Build a Business Just to Work All the Time
Learn how to simplify, define enough, protect what matters, and build a business that supports your life instead of consuming it.
PLUS: Start with our free towing and auto transport resources as you work your way through the collection.
One Collection. Three Stages of Building the Business.
Get set up.
Find the work.
Build it to last.
$77
Bundle Price: $64
You Save: $13
GET THE COMPLETE BUNDLE →
Already have one of the guides? No problem. Every guide is still available separately throughout this page.
Why We Created These Guides
Built From Real Experience
We're Wayne and Brenda Durrett, the husband-and-wife team behind Durrett Recovery and Axles & Acres.
Durrett Recovery is our family-owned towing and auto transport company in Virginia. We move more than 4,000 vehicles a year, and the work we share in these resources comes from years of actually running the business—not simply researching the industry.
Wayne's experience is largely on the road and around the equipment.
Driving.
Loading.
Towing.
Troubleshooting.
Working with customers, auctions, dealers, and other people throughout the industry.
Figuring out what to do when the day doesn't go according to plan.
Brenda's experience has largely been behind the scenes.
Customers.
Scheduling.
Paperwork.
Bills.
Systems.
Business decisions.
Keeping things organized.
And figuring out how to make the business work behind the truck so the truck can keep moving.
Over the years, we've learned something pretty simple:
The truck has to move. But the business behind the truck has to work too.
And we've also learned that building the business isn't the only thing that matters.
We're husband and wife before we're business partners.
We have a home.
A family.
A little piece of land.
A life outside the trucks.
And like a lot of small business owners, we've had to learn that building independence isn't only about creating work of your own.
It's learning how to actually live some of the life that work was supposed to help you build.
That's why this collection doesn't end with finding your first load.
The complete road, as we've experienced it, looks more like this:
Get started.
Get set up.
Find the work.
Learn the business.
Build something sustainable.
And don't lose the life you're building it for.
That's the experience behind these guides.
What These Guides Are—and What They Aren't
These guides are built from our own experience operating a towing and auto transport business.
They're meant to help you understand the questions to ask, the areas to research, the decisions you'll need to make, and practical lessons we've learned along the way.
They are not a guarantee of income, loads, customers, business success, legal compliance, licensing approval, insurance eligibility, or any particular business outcome.
Towing and auto transport requirements can vary depending on your vehicle and equipment, weight ratings, type of operation, location, state, insurance, interstate or intrastate activity, and other circumstances.
Laws, regulations, fees, platforms, companies, and industry requirements can also change.
Always verify current requirements directly with the appropriate federal, state, and local agencies, insurance professionals, and other qualified professionals for your individual operation.
Our goal isn't to make every decision for you.
It's to help you make your own decisions with a clearer understanding of what you need to consider.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy all three paid guides?
No.
Each guide was created to stand on its own. Start with the resource that matches the problem you're trying to solve right now.
If you want the complete collection, the bundle gives you all three paid guides at a discounted price.
I'm brand new. Where should I start?
Start with the free resources.
They'll help you begin thinking through the basics without spending anything.
When you're ready to go deeper into setup, equipment, requirements, and the business itself, move into the Beginner's Guide to Non-CDL Towing & Auto Transport.
I already have my truck and business. Do I need the beginner guide?
Maybe not.
If you already understand your setup and requirements and your primary question is where to find work, From Setup to First Load may be the better starting point.
That's why we encourage you to buy based on where you are, not simply buy everything because it's available.
Are these guides only for people in Virginia?
Our experience comes from operating Durrett Recovery in Virginia, but many of the business questions, planning considerations, industry concepts, and lessons can be useful to people elsewhere.
However, regulations and requirements vary by location and operation.
You'll need to verify what applies specifically to you.
Will these guides tell me exactly what truck or trailer to buy?
The guides can help you understand factors you'll need to consider, but we don't believe there's one setup that's right for everyone.
Your equipment decisions should be based on the work you intend to perform, weight ratings, legal requirements, budget, insurance, business model, and other factors specific to your operation.
Will From Setup to First Load guarantee that I find work?
No.
We can show you what we've learned about where opportunities can come from and ways to approach finding work, but no guide can guarantee loads, customers, contracts, or income.
You'll still have to do the work of building your own business and relationships.
Is We Didn't Build a Business Just to Work All the Time only for towing companies?
No.
We wrote it from our experience as small business owners, but the principles apply much more broadly—especially to solo operators, couples in business together, home-based businesses, and owners who feel like their business has begun taking over too much of their life.
Are these physical books?
These are digital guides designed for convenient access after purchase.
ALL GUIDES ARE INSTANT DOWNLOADS
Can I purchase the guides separately?
Absolutely.
The bundle is simply there for someone who wants the complete collection and would rather purchase everything together.
Still Not Sure Where to Start?
Here's the simplest way we can put it:
If you're thinking about it...
Start free.
If you're trying to build it...
Get the Beginner's Guide.
If you're ready to work...
Get From Setup to First Load.
If you've built it and it's taking over your life...
Get We Didn't Build a Business Just to Work All the Time.
If you want the complete path...
Get the bundle.
You don't have to figure out the whole road today.
Just figure out the next step.
START WITH THE FREE RESOURCES →
SHOP THE GUIDES INDIVIDUALLY →
GET THE COMPLETE BUNDLE →
Keep Learning Along the Way
The guides are only one part of what we share.
Through Life on the Axles, we continue to share towing and auto transport lessons, equipment and tools we use, honest reviews, road videos, practical resources, and stories from years of doing this work.
If you're building your own operation, you're welcome to follow along.
EXPLORE TOW EQUIPMENT & TOOLS →
From Durrett Recovery to Axles & Acres
Eventually, we learned that the lessons from running a towing company weren't only about towing.
They were about business.
Marriage.
Responsibility.
Faith.
Starting over.
Building independence.
Knowing when to work.
Knowing when to stop.
And learning how to enjoy some of the life we'd worked so hard to build.
That's what eventually became Axles & Acres—the place where we share more of the stories and lessons from the road, the land, and the ordinary life we're building between the two.
We hope something from our life helps you with yours.
Build the work. Live the life. Remember what matters. 🌾
Disclosures
Durrett Recovery LLC. Please see all our policies and disclosures below in the footer section.
Affiliate Disclosure: Pages and blog posts may contain affiliate links. If you choose to purchase through these links, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only share what we personally use and trust.
Thank you for supporting Axles & Acres × Durrett Recovery.