This Is Why You're Here
Why Owner-Operators Come to Us Instead of Their Bank
You just got your authority and need $15K for insurance deposits, ELD setup, and operating capital. Banks don’t lend to carriers with zero revenue history.
Your transmission is slipping at 400K miles. Rebuild is $8K, replacement is $14K. You make $4,200/week but the shop wants half upfront before they’ll start.
Factoring is eating 4% of every load — that’s $40K/year on $1M in freight. You want to switch to a line of credit but don’t know if you qualify with 9 months of operating history.
Your DOT annual inspection flagged brake drums and a cracked frame rail — $11K in mandatory repairs. You can’t haul until it’s fixed and you’ve got a $6,200 load booked for Thursday that you’ll lose if the truck isn’t rolling.
You want to buy your truck from the lease company — buyout is $42K and they want a decision in 10 days. You’re currently paying $2,800/month to lease. Financing the buyout drops your payment to $1,100/month but your bank won’t touch a 2018 Peterbilt with 600K miles.
Was paying $3,200/month factoring fees. Basecamp matched me with a $100K line of credit at a great rate. Saved me thousands the first year and I keep 100% of my freight.
Darnell W., Owner-Operator, Nashville, TN
Owner-Operator Financing
Get Your Owner-Operator Business Funded in 60 Seconds
Slide the calculator to see your estimated approval range. Then answer 3 quick questions to lock it in. No documents needed. Soft-pull pre-qual.
See What You Could Qualify For
Slide to your average monthly bank deposits.
Estimated Approval Range
Based on 100-150% of monthly revenue
Soft-pull pre-qual · No obligation · Estimate only
Built for Your Business
Why Owner-Operator Businesses Choose Basecamp
Factoring Is Eating Your Margins
You're paying 3-5% per load to a factor because nobody told you a credit line exists. On $80K/month in freight, that's $30K-$48K a year. We fix that.
Fresh Authority, Zero History — Still Funded
Banks want 2 years. You've been running 8 months. We approve based on your deposits and load consistency, not how long your MC has been active.
One Truck Means One Breakdown Away
Your entire income depends on one rig. A $14K transmission replacement can't wait 6 weeks for bank approval. We fund emergency repairs in 24 hours so you're not parked.
Solo Revenue Scares Banks — Not Us
Banks see one truck and one driver and call it risk. We see consistent deposits and a CDL holder who runs 11,000 miles a month. That's a fundable business.
Bobby's Take
Bobby's Playbook for Owner-Operator
Most owner-operators walking into a bank for a $65K used tractor have only ever seen one type of underwriting — the kind that wants two years of corporate W-2s and a co-signer. Banks evaluate owner-operators like they're buying a personal pickup, then wonder why a 1099 income history with broker checks doesn't fit their model. Here's what specialist owner-operator lenders actually look at — and how to position your transaction so the right specialists see it first.
Three things determine whether an owner-operator transaction closes: monthly settlement statements over consecutive months, your authority status (your own MC versus leased onto a carrier), and whether your truck's value supports the loan. Not your personal FICO. Not whether you have a partner on the title. Specialist owner-operator lenders care about whether your monthly settlements support a $1,100-$1,800/month payment — and whether the rig will keep working long enough to retire the note.
The biggest mistake owner-operators make: shopping equipment without first knowing what they pre-qualify for. They find a $75K used Peterbilt, hand the dealer their bank statements, and accept whatever in-house financing the dealer offers — typically several points above what a specialist lender would offer for the same profile. The fix: pre-qualify for a soft offer first, then walk into the dealer with terms in your pocket. Specialist lenders ask about your settlement pattern and time in seat. Dealer F&I just wants the paperwork signed.
second-tractor revenue forfeited while saving for a cash down payment
Where this gets interesting at scale: an owner-operator going from one truck to two doesn't need ONE loan. They need an equipment loan for the new tractor + a working capital line for fuel cards and insurance during the ramp + maybe a factoring agreement for the new authority's first 90 days of net-45 broker pays. Three products, three lenders, one application — that's how owner-operators graduate to small fleets without draining their personal reserves.
The owner-operators who graduate to fleets fastest aren't the ones who waited for perfect credit or a 30% down payment. They're the ones who got the second tractor under contract while their first was still throwing off strong settlements. Every month spent saving for a perfect down payment is $6,000-$10,000 in revenue the second truck would have grossed. Run the numbers in 60 seconds — see what 70+ specialist lenders will offer your owner-operator business this week.
Bottom line:
Owner-operators don't graduate to fleets by saving harder. They graduate by structuring the second truck before the first one stops printing settlements — because dealer F&I doesn't read 1099 income, but specialist lenders do.
Bobby Friel
Founder, Basecamp Funding
What You're Up Against
The Real Challenges Owner-Operators Face
Pricing Transparency
What Owner-Operator Funding Actually Costs
Rates and terms depend on credit, revenue, time in business, and lender. Every business is unique — see what 70+ lenders will offer you in 60 seconds. Soft-pull pre-qual.
These are industry averages. Your actual rate depends on your revenue, credit profile, and time in business — it could be lower. Run your specific numbers in 30 seconds.
Calculate Your Real Cost →Tax Strategy
Section 179 Breakdown for Owner-Operators
Finance the equipment. Keep your cash. Take the deduction. Your used day cab costs $48,750 after taxes and you never touched your reserves.
Bobby Friel
Founder, Basecamp Funding
How It Works
From Application to Funded in 5 Steps
No paperwork avalanche. No bank lobby. No guessing.
60-Second Intake
Tell us about your operation, truck count, and monthly deposits. No load history upload yet.
Soft Credit Screen
We screen options with no impact on your FICO or your authority's commercial credit.
Trucking-Specialty Lenders Compete
70+ lenders who fund OTR, owner-operators, hotshot, and fleets review your file in parallel.
One Specialist, Multiple Term Sheets
Your funding specialist walks through equipment finance, working capital, and factoring alternatives.
Choose Your Offer, Sign, Get Funded
E-signature. Funds hit in time to fuel up, repair the rig, or onboard the next truck.
Owner-Operator Capital Uses
What Owner-Operator Businesses Use Funding For
Truck & Trailer Purchase
Semis, reefers, flatbeds, box trucks, trailers. Finance your next unit without a massive down payment.
Fuel & Operating Costs
Diesel, DEF, tolls, permits, lumper fees. Bridge the gap between delivery and payment.
Fleet Expansion
Add trucks, hire drivers, take on bigger contracts. Scale without draining your reserves.
Maintenance & Repairs
Engine rebuilds, tires, DOT inspections, breakdowns. Keep your trucks on the road, not in the shop.
Insurance & Permits
Liability, cargo, physical damage, MC authority, IFTA. Cover the costs that never stop.
Driver Hiring & Payroll
CDL drivers, owner-operator settlements, office staff. Fund payroll while you wait on broker payments.
Full Transparency
What Kills Your Qualification (And What Doesn't)
Most lenders won't tell you this upfront. We will.
✅ These Won't Stop You
These Can Be Deal-Breakers
Need commercial insurance for your owner-operator business?
Trucking insurance runs $12K-$25K per truck per year. InsuranceService365.com covers trucking companies across 29 states — liability, cargo, physical damage, authority compliance.
Don't Wait Until You Need Funding to Get Funded
Brokers pay net-30/45/60. Fuel is COD. Insurance is monthly. The operators who scale pre-qualified BEFORE the broker payment stretched to net-60. By the time you're scrambling for fuel money, your numbers look stressed; before, they look fundable. Pre-qualify when the loads are steady.
Ready?
See What Your Owner-Operator Business Qualifies For
Slide the calculator, answer 3 questions, and a specialist pulls your options within the hour.
See What You Could Qualify For
Slide to your average monthly bank deposits.
Estimated Approval Range
Based on 100-150% of monthly revenue
Soft-pull pre-qual · No obligation · Estimate only
Other Trucking Companies Specialties We Fund
Click any specialty for tailored financing options.
Recommended Products
Recommended Funding for Owner-Operator Businesses
Working Capital
Cover fuel, repairs, and insurance while waiting on brokers to pay.
Learn More →Equipment Financing
Finance trucks, trailers, and fleet additions — asset-backed rates.
Learn More →Business Line of Credit
Revolving access for fuel, maintenance, and operating expenses.
Learn More →Invoice Factoring
Get paid on loads today instead of waiting 30-45 days.
Learn More →FAQs
Owner-Operator Business Loan FAQs
Owner-Operator Truck Loans & Financing — $10K to $500K+
You left the mega-carrier to build something yours. And now you're paying $3,200/month to a factoring company that takes 4% of every single load. On $80K/month in freight, that's $38K a year — gone. A $100K credit line costs a fraction of what you're paying in factoring fees. You'd save thousands year one. But nobody told you that because your factor doesn't want you to leave.
Here's what we do for owner-operators every day. Your transmission is slipping at 400K miles and the rebuild is $8K — funded in 24 hours. You need $15K for insurance deposits and ELD setup on a fresh authority — done. You want to finance a $95K Cascadia instead of leasing at $2,800/month — we'll get you to $1,926/month and you own the truck. One application. No hard pull. We fund on your deposits, not your tax returns.
Stop Watching Loads Pass You By. Get Your Owner-Operator Operation Funded Today.
60 seconds. Soft-pull pre-qual. No obligation.
See What You Qualify For →Soft-pull pre-qual · Free to check · Nationwide