Asset finance · heavy vehicle and transport
Trucks, trailers, and the equipment that moves Australia.
Specialist finance for heavy commercial vehicles, prime movers, trailers, refrigerated transport, and earthmoving equipment. Different lender appetite, different residual structures, often longer terms. Volume-driven industry where lender relationships matter.
What it is, when it fits
Plain English, with the trade-offs.
Heavy vehicle finance is its own category, separate from light commercial. Prime movers, trailers, refrigerated transport, dump trucks, earthmoving equipment, and specialised mobile plant all have different residual value profiles, depreciation curves, and end-of-life logistics than a tradie ute. Specialist heavy-vehicle financiers (Pepper Asset Finance Heavy Vehicle, Liberty Commercial, the major-bank equipment finance arms) maintain dealer accreditation and residual-valuation expertise that generic asset financiers don't. Pricing is structurally similar to light commercial (7% to 12% p.a.) but with longer typical terms (up to 7 years), larger loan sizes ($50K to $2M+), and balloon options that align with industry trade-in patterns. Owner-driver financing carries specific lender programs that recognise documented prior PAYG driving experience even for newer ABNs. Fleet operators usually run a structured asset facility with a preferred lender for streamlined per-truck additions.
Australian prime mover and trailers at a logistics depot at dusk.
Typical scenarios
Owner-driver buying first prime mover
Why: Experienced PAYG driver, recent ABN, signed haulage contract.
Outcome: Specialist owner-driver program, $180K, 6-year term, 25% balloon at trade-in.
Established transport business adding to fleet
Why: Existing 6-truck fleet, adding prime mover plus trailer.
Outcome: Structured asset facility, per-truck addition under existing relationship.
Refrigerated transport for cold chain
Why: Specialised refrigerated trailer for cold-chain contract.
Outcome: $280K chattel mortgage, 7-year term, includes refrigeration unit financing.
Earthmoving equipment for civil contractor
Why: Civil works contractor adding excavator and skid-steer.
Outcome: Combined chattel mortgage on equipment package, dealer-coordinated settlement.
Lenders for this product
Who we work with.
- Pepper Asset Finance
- Liberty Commercial
- Westpac Asset Finance
- NAB Equipment Finance
- Bank of Queensland
- Macquarie Leasing
Lender accreditation varies; not every lender is available for every deal. We pick from the panel based on your specific situation.
How it works
From brief to settlement.
- 01
Use case and operator profile
We confirm operator background, asset, and contract picture before approaching lenders. Owner-driver vs fleet operator drives a different lender shortlist.
- 02
Specialist lender match
Heavy-vehicle specialists dominate this category. We match deal size and asset type to the right lender.
- 03
Approval and dealer coordination
Approvals usually return inside 48 hours. We coordinate dealer documentation directly through to settlement.
- 04
Settlement and ongoing review
Vehicle delivered; we follow up at 12 and 24 months for fleet-level facility renegotiation as scale grows.
Indicative pricing & terms
Ranges, not promises.
Rate range
7 to 12% p.a.
Loan size
$50K to $2M
Term
1 to 7 years, balloon options common
Security
Registered mortgage over the vehicle and equipment
Indicative only; specific pricing depends on lender, security, and your business profile.
Frequently asked
Honest answers, plain English.
New vs second-hand trucks?
Most lenders fund new and near-new (under 5 years) at standard rates. Older trucks (5 to 10 years) attract higher rates or shorter terms. Trucks over 10 years are usually outside conventional financier appetite; specialist used-equipment lenders fill the gap.
Operator qualifications and licensing?
Lenders generally don't verify operator qualifications, but a licensed heavy-vehicle operator profile improves owner-driver program eligibility. Insurance carriers care more about qualifications than lenders do.
Fuel card facilities?
Most major banks offer fuel card facilities alongside heavy vehicle finance, often at preferential rates for fleet operators. We can introduce alongside truck finance for streamlined banking.
End-of-life and disposal?
Heavy vehicles trade through established secondary markets; major-bank lenders often handle trade-in coordination directly with their preferred dealers. Plan disposal around the balloon timing if you're running a balloon structure.
Insurance considerations?
Comprehensive insurance is mandatory; lenders verify policies before settlement. Premiums on heavy vehicles can be material ($5K to $30K+ per truck per year) and should be modelled into total cost.
Industry seasonality?
Some transport segments are highly seasonal (agricultural haulage, holiday-period freight). Lenders sometimes structure repayments to reflect seasonal cashflow, particularly with established operators.
Related products
If this isn't quite the fit.
Next step
Twenty minutes, no obligation.
Tell us the shape of the deal and the timing. We'll send a lender shortlist for heavy vehicle and transport finance or, if it isn't the right fit, an honest signal of what is.