Is this for long-haul fleets?

No. This page covers local and regional delivery and freight, and does not address long-haul trucking or promise funding for it.

How do I figure out how much working capital I need?

Estimate your direct costs for the period it takes customers to pay, then add a buffer for repairs. Request what the numbers support.

Can I use funding to pay drivers?

Yes, payroll is a common use, because drivers are paid on schedule and customers may not be.

What if one big customer pays late?

That is the typical reason delivery companies need working capital. Keep a record of open invoices to show the timing.

Do I need to submit tax returns?

No. About three months of business bank statements is what we ask for.

Working Capital for New York Local Trucking and Delivery

Profit on paper, cash in the bank

This page is written for local and regional delivery and freight operations. It does not address long-haul over-the-road trucking, and nothing here promises funding for any particular carrier.

A delivery business can bill steadily and still run short. The reason is timing. Costs that come due weekly or monthly, including fuel, repairs and insurance, are paid before customers pay their invoices. Working capital closes that gap. It is flexible money, not tied to one purchase, which makes it different from equipment financing, and it can be used for fuel, driver pay, tires, a deposit or a repair.

A weekly view of the cash cycle

Week	What goes out	What comes in
Week 1	Fuel, driver pay, tolls	Invoices from five weeks ago, if customers paid on time
Week 2	Fuel, driver pay, a repair	Possibly one or two payments
Week 3	Fuel, driver pay, insurance installment	Often thin
Week 4	Fuel, driver pay, truck payments	A catch-up of invoices

That pattern repeats every month. If one customer pays late, the thin weeks get thinner.

Where owners use working capital

Driver pay. Drivers expect to be paid on schedule regardless of when customers pay you.
Fuel. Diesel prices move, and a spike hits cash flow faster than rates can be adjusted.
Preventive maintenance. Skipping service saves cash today and costs more later. Funding maintenance on time is often cheaper than funding a breakdown.
Insurance down payments. Renewals can come with a large first payment.
Taking on a new customer. A new account often means fueling and staffing for weeks before the first payment arrives.

Sizing the request

The sensible way to size working capital in this industry is to measure how long it takes you to get paid. If a typical invoice is outstanding for 40 days, you need to be able to carry about 40 days of direct costs. For illustration only, not our terms: if direct costs run $25,000 a month, a 40-day gap is about $33,000. Anything above that should have a specific purpose.

A request grounded in a calculation like that is easier to explain, and easier to repay on schedule, than one based on the largest number available.

Applying

The application takes about five minutes. We ask for about three months of business bank statements and no tax returns. The credit check is soft, FICO 500+ is considered, and sole proprietors can apply. Funding runs from $25,000 to $5,000,000, and funds can arrive in as little as 24 hours. Start your application.