Trucking Business Financing: 5 Structures Operators Should Know
Brokers pay net-30 to net-90. Drivers, fuel, and insurance need to be paid this week. The financing stack for a trucking business is purpose-built to bridge that gap — and most owner-operators are using less than half of it.
Invoice factoring
Sell completed loads at 1.5–4% discount, get same-day funding. Non-recourse factoring (factor eats credit risk) prices 3–4%; recourse (you eat it) prices 1.5–2.5%. Spot vs contract factoring is the next decision — contract is cheaper but locks you in.
Fuel cards and discount programs
Comdata, EFS, and TCH cards offer 3–8 cents/gallon discounts at participating stations plus net-7 to net-14 fuel financing. Stack with a factor that integrates fuel advances against pending invoices.
Equipment financing for tractors and trailers
$120K–$180K for a new tractor at 8–12% over 60 months. Used tractors finance at 10–15% over 48 months. Lender requires CDL, 2+ years driving experience, and clean MVR for owner-operators.
Working capital for fleet expansion
When you need to add drivers, dispatch tech, or a yard. RBF or term loans work; avoid MCAs — daily debits are catastrophic when settlements are weekly.
Insurance premium financing
Annual commercial truck insurance runs $12K–$20K per tractor. Premium financing spreads it across 9–12 monthly payments at 8–14% APR. Almost always worth doing.
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