Prime Mover Finance for Linehaul Operators

You own the prime mover from the day finance settles, while your lender holds a mortgage over it as security until the loan is repaid. It's the most requested structure for GST-registered transport operators, since you can typically claim the GST back on the purchase price straight away and depreciation runs through your own business. Prime movers over 1 tonne payload are exempt from the ATO car limit, so the full purchase price is generally deductible. Best for GST-registered operators wanting full ownership from day one, with terms from 1 to 7 years.

With hire purchase, the lender owns the prime mover for the life of the agreement and you make fixed repayments to use it, with ownership transferring to you once the final payment clears. It suits owner-operators who want the certainty of a fixed repayment structure, and the GST is spread across your payments rather than claimed as one lump sum upfront. Terms are flexible.

Under a finance lease, your lender retains legal title to the prime mover for the term of the lease while you use it on the road, making regular lease payments that are typically fully tax deductible. At the end of the term you can make an offer to buy the prime mover, refinance the residual, or hand it back. Best for operators preferring an off-balance-sheet structure, with flexible terms.

An operating lease means you pay to use the prime mover for an agreed term, and your lender carries the risk of its residual value, not you. It suits fleet operators who like to keep their prime movers current, since bundled servicing, tyres and registration are often included and you simply hand the unit back and roll into a newer one when the term ends. Terms typically run 3 to 5 years.

With an unsecured business loan, funds are assessed against your business's trading position rather than security over the prime mover itself, so you can move quickly on a private sale or older prime mover a traditional lender might decline. Best for fast settlement or older prime movers, with a shorter, flexible term.

Yes. Seasonal and skip-month structures are common for operators whose income runs against harvest, produce or project cycles. The lender panel includes options that build repayments around how your freight actually flows.

Yes. Refinance can lower your rate or restructure a balloon, and sale-and-leaseback frees up equity in prime movers you own outright to fund the next unit.

Yes. A balloon or residual lowers your monthly repayment by deferring part of the value to the end of the term. We structure it to suit your replacement cycle so it does not catch you out.

Prime movers over one tonne payload are exempt from the ATO car limit, so the full value can generally be depreciated, and a chattel mortgage lets you claim the GST upfront. Consult your accountant to confirm your position.

Pre-approval typically comes back inside a business day. Settlement happens once you have signed contracts and any final lender conditions are met. Specialist transport lenders read freight income and contracts directly, so they move faster than major banks.

Yes. Specialist lenders can assess on your head-contract, the asset and your industry experience rather than requiring years of trading, which is how many first-time owner-operators get pre-approved.

Yes. A conditional pre-approval lets you quote the work and commit to the prime mover knowing the finance is in place, then settle once the contract is signed.

An active ABN, recent BAS or bank statements, the prime mover details, and any freight or head-contract agreement. We will tell you exactly what your lender match needs after a quick call.