Checking a specific load? Use the Canadian Load Profitability Calculator to see net profit per load.
Pinning down your cost per km? Use the Canadian Owner-Operator Cost Per KM Calculator for your all-in cost per kilometre.
How a semi-truck loan payment is calculated
Financing a truck starts with the amount financed — your purchase price minus any down payment and trade-in, plus any tax or fees you choose to roll into the loan. The calculator then applies a standard loan amortization using the interest rate and term you enter to find the monthly payment, the total of all payments over the term, and the total interest you pay.
Because a truck only earns when it rolls, the tool also shows the revenue you need just to cover the note — per month, per week, and (if you enter your expected monthly kilometres) per kilometre. That last figure is the share of every kilometre's rate that goes to the truck payment alone. It is not your break-even rate: it leaves out fuel, maintenance, insurance, and every other operating cost. For the full operating break-even rate, use the Break-Even Rate Calculator linked above.
| Figure | Formula |
|---|---|
| Tax / fees added | purchase price × tax/fees % |
| Amount financed | price − down payment − trade-in + tax/fees |
| Monthly rate | annual interest rate ÷ 12 |
| Monthly payment (interest > 0) | financed × r ÷ (1 − (1 + r)−n) |
| Monthly payment (0% interest) | amount financed ÷ number of months |
| Total of payments | monthly payment × number of months |
| Total interest | total of payments − amount financed |
| Revenue needed per month | = the monthly payment |
| Revenue needed per week | monthly payment × 12 ÷ 52 |
| Revenue per km (note only) | monthly payment ÷ expected monthly km |
Where r is the monthly interest rate and n is the number of months. Try a larger down payment, a different term, or a different rate to see how the monthly payment and total interest move. A longer term lowers the monthly payment but raises the total interest you pay over the life of the loan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Financing a truck in Canada?
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