The short answer
Who fits and who should expect limits
- Better fit: local and regional carriers, dump truck operators, hot-shot and box truck fleets, and companies hauling for logistics companies or shippers with steady business deposits.
- Expect limits: long-haul trucking. Many funders restrict it, so there may be fewer offers and no promise of one.
- Not a fit: an owner-operator whose loads are paid into a personal account, or a carrier with no operating authority history yet.
Factoring versus an advance
Factoring turns a delivered load into cash now. You sell the invoice owed by a logistics company or shipper, usually on net 30 to 90 terms, and receive most of it upfront. The rest, minus a fee, comes when the customer pays. Factoring needs real, undisputed invoices from business customers.
An advance or working capital loan gives a lump sum repaid daily or weekly from deposits. It fits a repair or insurance down payment that is due before the next load is invoiced.
Many carriers use both: factoring for steady cash flow, an advance only for a one-time hit. The Merchant Fund Express trucking page lays out both side by side.
Check what your business qualifies for
Merchant Fund Express reviews trucking business funding requests from $5,000 to $5,000,000. Scores from 500 are considered, and same-day decisions are common on complete files.
Check funding options with Merchant Fund ExpressIllustrative example: factoring a week of loads
Assumptions: a regional carrier delivers $30,000 of loads to three logistics companies on net 45 terms. The factoring terms assumed are a 90% advance rate and a flat 3% fee, and all three logistics companies pay in full.
| Step | Amount |
|---|---|
| Invoices sold | $30,000 |
| Cash advanced now (90%) | $27,000 |
| Factoring fee (3%) | $900 |
| Reserve released after customers pay (30,000 - 27,000 - 900) | $2,100 |
| Total received by the carrier | $29,100 |
These figures are illustrations, not offers. Real pricing, terms and amounts depend on the full file Merchant Fund Express reviews.
Compare that with waiting 45 days: the carrier pays $900 to have $27,000 for fuel and drivers this week. If a customer disputes a load, that invoice may not be eligible, so clean paperwork matters.
Repairs and insurance down payments
A $14,000 engine repair cannot wait for the next invoice cycle, and a truck that sits loses money every day. An advance or working capital loan can cover it. Insurance renewals are similar: the down payment is due on a fixed date, often larger than expected after a claim. Before borrowing, ask the insurer about installment options, which may cost less than funding the full down payment.
If you already carry an advance and payments are squeezing fuel money, read trucking MCA refinancing before adding a second one.
Funding brings customers. Is your website ready for them?
Shippers and logistics companies search a carrier's name before they tender freight, and a site that shows your lanes, equipment and authority numbers answers their first questions. Cheap Cheap Websites builds professional carrier sites from $399, and Website Care at $30/month keeps hosting, HTTPS and small updates handled while trucks are on the road.
What to prepare
- Three to four months of business bank statements.
- Owner ID and a voided business check.
- A short application.
- For factoring: rate confirmations, signed bills of lading and invoices.
- For a truck or trailer: the seller's quote or invoice, plus VIN details.
When to wait or choose differently
- If customers pay in under two weeks, factoring fees may not be worth it. Use a small reserve instead.
- If you are replacing a truck, equipment financing spreads the cost over a term matched to its life, never more than 60 months at MFE, rather than months of daily payments.
- If revenue fell because lanes dried up, fix the lanes before borrowing. Funding cannot replace freight.
Related funding guides
Cheap Cheap Websites builds websites. It does not lend or make funding decisions. Funding is offered by our funding partner, Merchant Fund Express, and every request is subject to its review and approval. Figures on this page are illustrations, not offers. Updated October 15, 2026.