6 Best Zero Down Lease Purchase Trucking Companies
A country with 50 states and different time zones, the United States covers a considerable landmass. Logistics and freight management are essential for moving raw commodities from producers to retail customers. Trucking plays a crucial role in the transportation process. However, there is always a shortage of drivers in the trucking industry. The Covid-19 pandemic worsened matters since it seriously disrupted supply chains across the United States. Trucking businesses use financial incentives to entice more drivers to address the driver shortage. A significant step in that direction is the zero-down lease purchase option. This scheme is beneficial for forging a long-term relationship between the employer and the driver.
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What is a Lease Purchase Program?
Every person driving a truck dreams of owning one someday. The lease purchase program can turn this dream into a reality, where a truck driver can become an owner-operator. The trucking company retains the title in a lease-purchase scheme, but the driver is the actual owner. The driver leases the truck from the company with zero or minimal down payment. Toward the end of the lease, the driver can buy it outright from the company for a minimal cost.
Benefits of a Lease Purchase Program
Easy Finance
Instead of shelling out over $40,000 for a brand-new truck, you can own one at a much lower price. With down payments between $10,000 to $14,000, it becomes easier to raise the initial capital. Additionally, since the lease purchase transaction is through a carrier, drivers do not need to set up their lines of credit.
Ease of Administration
It is always beneficial to partner with a reputed company. The benefits accrued are manifolds like tracking hours of service (HOS) and managing your loads. Since leased owner-operators continue to operate under the IFTA licenselicence of their carrier, some will have the company handle their IFTA reporting and taxes.
Choice of Operator and Vehicle
You can choose the hauling type you want to undertake and the kind of vehicle you want to buy since it will be a new venture. You can choose a used truck available for a lower price or a brand-new truck that will save you maintenance costs. It is always beneficial to partner with a carrier who will provide you with enough loads.
Additional Benefits
The lease purchase program many times covers maintenance and service. Some operators may partially or fully cover preventative maintenance costs, performance reports, and driver training. In cases where the leasing company does not cover these costs, you need to be prepared to pay to avail of these benefits.
Ready Permits
Getting permits for your lease-purchased truck is easier as the carrier can get all the requisite regulatory licenses to set your wheels rolling.
Points to consider before entering Lease Purchase Trucking
Monthly Outgoing
The first thing to look out for will be the monthly outgoing and frequency of payments to be made to the carrier. There should be no ambiguity in the amount and terms of payment. Do not sign any contract or document unless completely satisfied with the terms and conditions. In many contracts, the initial payment schedules are unusually low, and a large chunk is recovered as a final bullet payment. You have to be cautious on that front, as you may be looking at paying a big bullet payment at the end of the lease, which may prove to be too much for you.
Tenure of Lease
The primary point when deciding to opt for lease purchase trucking is to understand the length of the lease. In addition to knowing the monthly installment, whether it will remain constant or subject to change, it is critical to know the tenure of the lease as there may be clauses that prevent you from exiting the lease whenever you want. Certain leases levy penalties on early pay-offs. The lease period ranges between one to four years. On completion of the lease, you can have the option of purchasing the truck.
Awareness of Coverage
Being aware of the terms of your lease purchase is necessary, as you are the owner-operator of the truck. As an incentive, many carriers offer to cover some of your expenses. In addition to truck warranty which is a necessity, carriers offer License and permit fees, Federal Highway Use Tax (FHUT), Qualcomm fees, trailer fees, and cargo insurance fees. Any kind of coverage is welcome as it translates to savings for you in the future.
The Operator
You must research the operator and their lease purchase program. There should be a healthy work culture in the organization. Though you may be the owner-operator of your truck, you still are an employee till such time of the lease. There is a thin line that you need to tread carefully. Make sure the carrier will have work for you to complete and that you will have the money to pay the bills.
Six Best Zero-Down Lease Purchase Trucking Companies
There are many operators offering lease purchase facilities. Following is the list of the six best zero-down lease purchase trucking companies. The objective is to give an insight into the various features offered by these companies and how you can benefit from them.
J B Hunt
By contracting with J B Hunt, owner-operators can avail of the following perks:
The Arkansas-based J B Hunt Company operates a fleet of more than 21,000 trucks. With their company-owned assets and third-party carriers, J B Hunt has a sizeable network and capacity to deliver goods. With mileage and percentage-based compensation plans, drivers can maximize their profits as owner-operators. Owner-operators who work under a contract with J B Hunt do not encounter forced dispatch, providing them total control over their own company. The J B Hunt DRIVE app gives access to drivers to load board, fuel programs, instant communication with the coordinator, and much more.
- Insurance and fuel rate discounts.
- Discounts at preferred service centers on service work and up to 35% discount on Goodyear tires.
- Eligibility for voluntary third-party health programs, including prescription, vision, and dental insurance.
- Offering the latest equipment in the industry.
- Driver referral incentives.
- Access to third-party equipment leasing providers to help buy or lease trucking equipment according to your needs.
- Up to $0.50 per gallon off the diesel pump price (Fuel savings vary based on location and market conditions)
- Roadside assistance discounts through roadsidemasters.com.
Contact Details
Phone number: 1-800-423-6892
Website: https://www.jbhunt.com/
Nova Lines
Founded in 2012, headquartered in Chicago, & operating in 48 states, flatbed trucking company Nova Lines is a renowned name in the trucking business. Nova lines stipulate at least 1.5 years of CDL-A experience and three months or more of flatbed experience, all within the past three years to be an owner-operator with them. The “Pathway to Ownership” program helps you choose how to own your truck company. The trucks are high quality without hidden costs and with a comprehensive support system. There is a provision to switch plans if the existing plan does not work for you.
Nova lines offer the facility of renting or leasing a trailer starting at $250 weekly. They also induct trailers into the fleet manufactured in the last ten years. The walk-away leases enable you to own the truck at $1 at the end of the lease.
Following are some of the additional features of lease purchase:
- Customized weekly home time whereby you can come home every week, every three weeks, or every 4 to 6 weeks.
- Lease flexibility ranges from 3 to 5 years, depending on the age of the equipment.
- Extended warranty for all lease purchase trucks.
- The majority fleet is 2019-2021 Freightliner Cascadia, with features like automatic transmission, grille guards, securement equipment, etc.
- Top-of-line maintained trucks & trailers.
- Gross weekly revenue starts @ $5700.
- Referral bonus of $750.
Contact Details
Phone number: 844-695-6682
Website: https://novalines.com/
Prime Inc
In the entire North America, Prime Inc. offers flatbed, tanker, and refrigerated trucking services. The carrier offers a CDL training program to help ambitious truck drivers launch their careers. The trucks have state-of-the-art technology. All vehicles have a 1500-watt inverter and an auxiliary power unit to enable drivers to operate on the road safely. Prime offers logistical services such as freight brokerage in addition to its freight-hauling operations.
The Advance Fleet Program of Prime Inc reaches out to small to big-size trucking companies and helps them overcome their difficulties and achieve growth. Prime Inc offers standard and purchases leasing alternatives for people who want to lease or buy trucks.
Standard Lease
A standard lease is a good option for professional drivers to start. The program’s features are listed below.
The basic lease does not involve any down payment or upfront cost. You have to return the truck to Success Leasing after the leasing period.
- Payments start at $985 per week, fixed for a flatbed truck for a 4-year lease.
- The OEM warranty and the Success Drive Train Warranty apply to all trucks. The success drive train warranty offers protection for drive line repairs until the completion of the lease.
- Under the loaner truck program, successful leasing will provide a replacement truck at no additional cost for the continuity of operations.
- To keep your truck in top condition, you will have complete access to the Prime Inc. network of stores, services, and prices.
Purchase lease
The purchase lease program enables you to purchase a new or used truck from a vast inventory of Freightliner, Peterbilt, and International truck models. Following are the features of the purchase lease program.
- No credit check is required to begin the lease purchase program of success leasing.
- The lease term can be either 3 or 4 years.
- Weekly truck payment is estimated to be approximately $1,000 for four years & $1,300 for three years.
- $14,000 down payment for a new truck.
- With a minimum down payment of $8,000, you can lower the down payment based on specific criteria.
Contact Details
Phone number: 1-800-321-4552
Website: https://www.primeinc.com/
Schneider
With over 85 years of customer service experience in shipping and logistics, Schneider is a recognized and respected name in the industry. There are various options for owner-operators looking to purchase trucks through Schneider.
- Purchase used trucks of varying conditions and prices from their used semi-trucks inventory.
- Owner-operators who continue their lease with Schneider can buy or rent their vehicle from a local dealership, subject to conditions.
- Arrangement with SFI Trucks and Financing will let you rent a brand-new or lightly used truck.
Schneider offers a choice of lease programs like All-in Revenue or Percent Revenue. You can pick the option that best matches your needs.
- All-in Revenue Choice Lease Program – With this program, freight owner-operators can evaluate and choose all-inclusive rates, eliminating the need to factor in fuel surcharges or other extras.
- Percent of Revenue – Owner-operators using the percent of revenue choice lease program choose loads with a 65% linehaul revenue. Additionally, they collect 100% of the fuel cost and accessory fees per load.
Other programs like Solo Van Truckload and Team Van Truckload generate high revenues. The yearly revenue averages from $285,000–$295,000 for Solo Van Truckload and from $315,000 to $320,000 for Team Van Truckload.
Some additional features of the lease program
- Owner-operators opting for the All-In Revenue Choice Lease Program gives them unique access to loads, like committed loads, spot cargo, and rapid freight.
- Schneider’s purchase power program enables you to enjoy annual savings, on fuel, maintenance, tires, and more.
Contact Details
Phone number: 800-558-1179
Website: https://schneider.com/
KSM Carrier Group
KSM Carrier Group is a cutting-edge transportation group that specializes in temperature-controlled and dry van freight. The team consists of transportation sector professionals, experienced drivers, and dependable vehicles. Highly skilled drivers make the KSM fleet the safest on the road in all weather and circumstances.
Benefits of working with the KSM group as an owner-operator include the following:
- Make your schedule and arrangements for loads.
- Daily Dispatch (operations and emergency breakdown support)
- Free ELD device.
- Free Prepass device with toll discounts of up to 30%
- Free DOT Inspection funded by the business (after six months)
- Free IFTA monthly tax return preparation fee.
- Renting newer trailers.
- In case of emergency (breakdown), a backup truck, including a towing hook.
The lease rental program is designed to fit your needs and includes the following:
- New Peterbilt 579s, KW T680s, and Internationals are available.
- The truck will be repaired or replaced within 8 hours of breakdown.
- No financial trouble, as maintenance is covered.
- Pay Rate: 74% to 82% of total revenue.
- Insurance for liability, cargo, and trailer expenses.
- Trucks available on loan.
- Company-funded trailer maintenance.
- 30% discount on tolls.
- Monthly fuel rebate.
- Occupational accident protection.
Contact Details
Phone number: 312-690-3019
Website: https://ksmcarriergroup.com/
PGT Trucking
Since 1981, PGT has been a leader in the transportation industry, offering top-notch flatbed transport services. The operator offers services from Canada to Mexico and guarantees the security of shipments abroad. PGT offers one of the best lease-buy plans available in the market. With no down payment and no balloon payment, PGT’s market-leading Lease Purchase Program offers flexible financing choices. A fleet manager is deputed to each lease purchase operator to assist with freight selection.
Following are some of the features of the PGT trucking lease purchase program:
- Industry-leading pay with 75% of line haul revenue and 100% fuel surcharge.
- Tires and parts at discounted rates.
- Freight choices flexibility.
- PrePass at a discount.
- Roadside safety incentive.
- Health services are offered through the UTBA.
- $5k in referral rewards for competent hired drivers.
- Trip advances, gasoline cards, and fuel reductions.
- State fuel and road taxes are filed on your behalf.
Additionally, the fleet has the best equipment. International LT Series trucks for 2018, 2019 & 2020 are available. There are over 30 terminal locations across the United States. Available dedicated, regional, OTR, and local runs. For experienced drivers, orientation and training take place in Blairsville, Pennsylvania, for up to one week.
Contact Details
Phone number: 724-728-3500
Website: https://www.pgttrucking.com/
When you invest efforts to be an owner-operator of a lease purchase truck, it is necessary to safeguard your investment. A fleet tracker installed in your truck is the best way to ensure that. With the market flooded with companies selling fleet trackers, you need to be careful in choosing the right product for your truck. Matrack fleet trackers are the best answer to protect your trucks.
Matrack devices have been tested & proven in fleets across the United States. Following are some features of the various fleet tracking devices offered by Matrack.
- Matrack XT-2469 OBD
The XT-2469 OBD is a real-Time GPS fleet tracker which is easy to install. It is a diagnostic and monitoring gadget that can track your vehicle’s speed and location.
Product Features:
- Customized alerts with several configurations. Alert options are available for low battery, speeding, and ignition.
- Geofencing for defining a virtual perimeter. Each account can have as many as ten geofences.
- Real-time tracking & travel logs offer details of location, battery life, engine status, speed, direction, etc.
- IFTA fuel tax reports for regulatory fuel tax reporting.
- Configuration of maintenance alerts when your vehicle is due for maintenance.
- Matrack XT-2169 Hardwire
The XT-2169 Hardwire has been designed, for fleet and transportation. The tiny GPS fleet tracker’s direct battery connection and wealth of features make it simple to attach to the vehicle. It can monitor the vehicle’s speed, position, and idle periods.
Product Features:
- Dispatch manager system designed to map jobs into the Matrack GPS tracking platform. This makes the allocation of jobs and the mapping of routes easier.
- IFTA fuel tax reports for regulatory fuel tax reporting.
- The arrival tracking system allows in-transit delivery tracking.
- Matracks tie up with Blink Roadside Assistance with discounted pricing for the fastest emergency services.
- Customized alerts.
- Matrack MA-HW Silver
With unique increased fail-safe capabilities, the MA-HW Silver GPS Solutions device serves as a telematics system and asset tracking tool. The hardware can be set to, give updates as frequently as once every minute or every 12 hours. The MA-HW SILVER is waterproof and tamperproof.
Product Features
- Virtual ignition mode- In the event of a power outage, this mode activates an internal battery connected to a particular motion sensor to keep providing tracking updates based on vehicle movement.
- Aggressive Tracking Mode – The prevention and recovery of stolen property is the objective of tracking mode. If your assets are stolen or disappear tracking mode can enhance tracking frequency.
- IFTA fuel tax reports for regulatory fuel tax reporting.
- Real-time tracking and travel logs.
- Geofencing.
- Maintenance alerts.
Conclusion
A lease purchase is a great way to make your dreams a reality. However, it is necessary to research the carrier with who you want to do business. Partnering with the right company will help your business do well and prosper. We hope this article will help you with options while considering your business partner.
