Trucking Factoring Guide

Guides

Fuel Advances and Fuel Cards From Factoring Companies: Costs, Limits and the Catch

By The Trucking Factoring Guide editorial team · How we check
Published October 26, 2026 · Fact-checked October 26, 2026

Disclosure: We don't currently earn money from any company mentioned on this page, and links to companies go to their official sites with no tracking. We may earn referral fees from some companies in the future; if we do, we'll label those links and update this notice. Payments will never change what we write, and when a fact comes from a company's own website, we say so.

Fuel is the bill that can't wait for a broker's 30-day terms. Factoring companies know it, so most now bundle a fuel card and offer fuel advances on loads you haven't delivered yet. They can help a lot when cash is tight. They also come with fees, limits, and a tie between your fuel and your factor. Everything below comes from each company's own site and was checked on October 26, 2026.

Two different things

Fuel advances: what's published

Company Advance size Fee Source
OTR Solutions Up to 50% of the linehaul, before delivery; deducted from the final payment $15 to the OTR Fuel Card; $24 by Comchek OTR FAQs
Porter Freight Funding "Fuel advances up to 50% of the load" Not published Porter fuel card page
C.H. Robinson (broker) "Up to 60%" cash advance on a shipment's payment, available right after pickup Not stated on the page we checked C.H. Robinson Financial page

Apex, RTS, Triumph and DAT Outgo didn't publish fuel-advance terms on the pages we checked. That isn't a "no." Ask.

Questions to ask about advances: Is the fee flat or a percentage? Is it charged per advance or per load? Can it go to my bank, or only to your fuel card? What happens if the load cancels after the advance?

Fuel cards: what's published

Card Network and claimed savings (company's own figures) Fees and credit Without factoring?
OTR Fuel Card Average $0.50/gal at 3,000+ in-network locations; accepted at 8,000+ $0 in-network fees; options with no personal or business credit check, including prepaid; bundling can take up to 0.5% off OTR's factoring rate Yes
Apex TCS Fuel Card Average $0.49/gal at 2,300+ in-network truck stops $0 in-network transaction fees; no setup, monthly, annual or membership fees Not stated
Triumph Fuel Card (offered by TCS) Average 49 cents/gal, based on in-network TCS client transactions in Q3 2026; 2,000+ in-network locations No setup, membership, annual renewal or transaction fees Not stated
RTS fuel cards Average 45 cents/gal (2025) at 4,000+ stations Credit lines up to $3,200 per truck per week; one option works "regardless of credit score" (load funds by debit or credit); says bundling fuel and factoring brings "lower rates" Not stated
Porter Fuel Card (EFS) Diesel discounts at 2,500+ locations Spending limits you set Yes

How to read the savings claims. Each is the company's own average across its customers, measured its own way. Your number depends on whether in-network stops are on your lanes. A card with a smaller discount at the stops you actually use can beat a bigger average.

Quick math (illustrative): a truck running 10,000 miles a month at 6.5 mpg burns about 1,540 gallons. A real 40-cent discount on all of it is about $615 a month. On half of it, about $308. Compare that with any fee or rate difference between factors. A factoring rate 0.5% higher on $25,000 a month costs $125.

The catch: tying fuel to your factor

NASTC, a small-carrier trade group, flags this as a contract red flag: "When your fuel card depends on your factoring balance, one hiccup can shut down both cash flow and fuel access." A dispute, a chargeback or a switch to another factor can affect your fuel credit at the same moment.

Before you bundle, ask in writing:

  1. Does the card keep working, with the same limit, if I stop factoring with you?
  2. Is the credit line based on my factored invoices? What lowers it?
  3. Can you pay down a fuel balance or fee from my reserve or future invoices without asking?
  4. Is a discount on the factoring rate conditional on fuel volume?

If you'd rather keep them separate, OTR and Porter both say their cards are available without factoring with them.

FAQ

What is a fuel advance in trucking? Part of a load's pay sent before delivery so you can buy fuel. It's paid back out of that load's invoice, usually with a fee.

How much does a fuel advance cost? It varies. OTR publishes $15 to its fuel card and $24 by Comchek (checked Oct 26, 2026). Others don't publish a fee. Ask.

How much can I get as a fuel advance? OTR and Porter advertise up to 50%, and C.H. Robinson (a broker) advertises up to 60% of a shipment's payment after pickup. Approval depends on the load and the company.

Can I get a fuel card with bad credit? Some cards advertise options without a credit check or regardless of credit score, including OTR's prepaid and factoring-backed programs and an RTS option where you load your own funds.

Do I have to factor to get a factoring company's fuel card? Not always. OTR and Porter say their cards are available without factoring with them.

Related guides: Factoring contract red flags · Factoring for a new authority · Quick pay vs. factoring

Fuel cards from factoring companies

We don't earn anything from these companies today (see the disclosure at the top). Confirm every term in your written agreement.

This article is general information, not financial advice. Discounts and fees change. Check the current terms before you sign up.

Sources

All sources last verified October 26, 2026.