Truck & Farm Transport Facility Ladder 2025: Grow from Fuel Card to LOC, WCL & Invoice Finance

Truck and farm transport facility ladder for grain and livestock operators – Switchboard Finance

Truckies · Ag Haulage · Cashflow System

Truck & Farm Transport Facility Ladder 2025

Plenty of operators start with whatever credit the bank or fuel company will give them – card here, overdraft there – and only realise later that the limits don’t match their work.

This facility ladder helps truckies and farmers running trucks on an ABN to step up from “random limits” to a simple, structured mix of facilities that grows with your Cashflow.

🚛 For 1–5 rig operators doing grain, livestock or mixed farm haulage.

🪜 Clear ladder from basic fuel credit to full cashflow system.

📊 Visual tables and bars so you can see limits at a glance.

Talk to a Broker Check Eligibility

Step 1: Mark where you sit today on the facility ladder

First job is to list what you actually use now – fuel cards, overdraft, maybe a small limit tucked into the farm account – and what each one is meant to cover.

A quick table like this turns “bit of credit everywhere” into something you can actually adjust instead of just reacting.

Facility type	Typical limit	Main job	Common problem
Fuel cards	$5k–$20k	Diesel only	No help for tyres or repairs
Overdraft	$10k–$50k	Day-to-day smoothing	Always sitting near max
Single truck loan	Per truck	Repayments only	No buffer around breakdowns

Real example: A grain and sheep operator near Wagga had three fuel cards and a small overdraft. Once they wrote it all down, they could see those limits were built for one truck, not the two-rig setup they were actually running.

Step 2: Build a 3-stage facility ladder for trucks & ag haulage

Instead of grabbing whatever’s offered, you move up in stages: start with a clean weekly bucket, then layer on a small Working Capital facility, then add Invoice Finance if slow-paying clients justify it.

Each stage has a job, a rough limit range and a simple rule so you don’t jump too far too fast.

Stage	Main facility mix	Rough limit	Best for
Stage 1	Fuel cards + basic buffer	$10k–$40k	1 truck, mostly local work
Stage 2	Fuel cards + small WCL	$40k–$100k	1–2 trucks, mixed farm & contract
Stage 3	LOC + WCL + Invoice facility	$100k–$300k	2–5 trucks, regular contract runs

Real example: A NSW mixed farmer hauling grain and cattle stepped from Stage 1 to Stage 2 when they added a second truck. Stage 3 only kicked in once they had a regular contract that made an invoice facility worth it.

Step 3: Keep limits inside a safe band vs revenue

The ladder works best when limits grow roughly with what your trucks actually bill, not with how confident you feel after a big season.

A simple bar view like this helps you see if facilities are in a healthy band or starting to lean too hard on future work.

Annual revenue

100%

Truck loans

40%

LOC + WCL

20%

Invoice facility

10%

Real example: A Victorian operator with three trucks was sitting near 40% of revenue in short-term facilities alone. Working with their broker to map bars vs revenue and Business Line of Credit limits, they restructured into a clearer mix of truck loans plus smaller, better-aimed limits and stopped the constant squeeze.

Step 4: Plug the ladder into your trucks, hubs & long-term plan

The facility ladder sits beside your truck plan, not instead of it. Your rigs, balloons and replacement timing live in guides like the staggered fleet replacement plan, the truck replacement cycle, the farm haulage upgrade ladder and the fleet finance explainer.

The ladder here is about which facilities sit under that plan: LOC for swings, Working Capital Loans for upgrades, Invoice Finance for slow payers, all feeding through your truck & farm cashflow map.

• Use the Truckie Hub to line up your rigs, balloons and fleet timing.
• Use the Business Owners Finance Hub to size your LOC, WCL and Invoice facilities.
• Keep your core truck loans on Low Doc Asset Finance or Low Doc Vehicle Finance, then bolt cashflow tools on top through the Business Loans hub.

Real example: A QLD grain and cattle operator used this ladder plus the Truckie Cashflow System and Business Cashflow System guides to move from “maxed overdraft” to a clean mix of truck loans, LOC, WCL and a small invoice facility tied to one key client.

Common questions about the transport facility ladder

How big should my limits be compared to my Borrowing Capacity? +

There’s no single magic percentage, but most operators sit more comfortably when short-term facilities are sized to cover real swings, not every possible bad week. A broker can help you match limits to your work and the levels lenders see as healthy for your profile.

What sort of trading history do lenders like before I move up a stage? +

Many lender matrices start to open up once you have consistent numbers over at least one season. A solid year that fits their 6–12 Months Trading guidelines often makes the next step on the ladder much easier to approve.

Can I still get a quick decision if I’m changing my facilities around? +

Yes – as long as the story and numbers are clear. Packaging your ladder in one application, with clean bank data and a simple map of what each tool is for, is exactly how we aim for Fast Approval instead of a slow back-and-forth.

Will adding more facilities hurt my Credit Score? +

Problems usually come from messy usage and missed payments, not from having tools that are properly sized and used. Keeping facilities inside your revenue band and paying on time is what protects your credit profile as you grow.

How often do lenders review and re-test my facilities? +

Many truck and ag operators see some level of review each year, especially on larger limits. Good records make Loan Servicing checks much smoother, and a clear ladder helps show that every limit has a job and an exit plan.

General information only. For personalised advice on your transport business and tax position, speak with your accountant, your broker and refer to official guidance at business.gov.au.