Staggered Fleet Replacement Plan 2025: Spread Truck Loans & Balloons Across a Fleet
Staggered fleet replacement plan for truckies and transport operators – Switchboard Finance
Running 3–5 trucks and worried two or three loans and balloons will land in the same year? That’s when cashflow gets chopped and you end up making rushed upgrade calls.
This simple plan uses a clear Asset Finance structure so each rig has its own term, balloon and replacement year – one big truck decision at a time instead of all at once.
1. See your whole fleet on one line
Start by lining every truck up in one simple snapshot – age, loan term, balloon and a rough replacement year on a single page, not buried in contracts and emails.
Once it’s all in one view, you can tweak terms and any Balloon Payment so heavy years are spread out instead of three upgrades crashing into the same 12 months.
| Truck | Type | Current Age | Loan Term | Balloon % | Planned Replacement Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truck 1 | Prime mover | 4 years | 5 years | 30% | 2026 |
| Truck 2 | Rigid curtainsider | 2 years | 5 years | 25% | 2028 |
| Truck 3 | Prime mover | 1 year | 6 years | 20% | 2029 |
| Truck 4 | Tautliner rigid | New | 6 years | 20% | 2030 |
2. Spread the “balloon load” by year
Next, total how much payout or upgrade cost sits in each year – that’s your rough fleet “balloon load” and shows where cash will be tightest.
In this simple bar chart, a staggered plan spreads those payouts over four years instead of everything landing in one ugly spike, whether your trucks sit on a Variable Rate deal or a fixed one.
3. Turn it into a 3-step yearly habit
You don’t need spreadsheets – just a short annual check-in where you update the table and slide trucks forward or back based on kilometres and contracts.
Most 3–5 truck fleets keep it to three simple steps they can run with their broker each year.
- Step 1: Map each truck, trailer and body on one page – age, term, balloon and changeover year – using it alongside our Truck Finance Checklist.
- Step 2: Pick a realistic changeover year for each rig based on how hard it works and which contracts you want to protect.
- Step 3: When you add or refinance a truck, make sure the deal fits the timetable and doesn’t collide with another unit; if you’re new to structures, our What Is Fleet Finance guide breaks them down in plain English.
4. Match the plan to approvals and structures
The timetable works best when it lines up with how lenders see your fleet – approvals, structure and risk all pointing in the same direction.
Before you sign any new deal, run it through the plan so you’re reshaping debt around your schedule instead of just rolling trucks over.
- Use the plan before a refinance or new purchase so you’re spreading commitments, not stacking them – our how much truckies and truckers can borrow guide helps sense-check the numbers.
- Line up terms with how long you want to keep each rig and whether a Fixed Rate or more flexible setup suits your work and fuel costs.
- For low doc deals, combine the timetable with our Low Doc Truck Finance Approval Tips and fast-track fleet finance guide so approvals, balloons and buffers all play nicely.
5. Why truckies use Switchboard for this
Switchboard mostly works with ABN-strong, property-backed owner-drivers and small fleets who want a clear path from three trucks to five without wrecking cashflow on the way.
We blend low doc options from our Low Doc Asset Finance and Low Doc Vehicle Finance pages with tools in the Truckie Loan Pack and Truckie Hub so the plan turns into approvals, not just a spreadsheet.
- Structure each truck around real routes, fuel and tyre costs – not just a neat repayment number.
- Keep at least one unit on a newer deal so you’ve always got a reliable workhorse for key contracts.
- Tie everything back to tax and depreciation advice from your accountant and official ATO guidance at ato.gov.au.
