The trucking and transportation industry depends on timing. When parts, fuel or payments don’t arrive on time, everything downstream suffers. In recent years, instant payments have helped address part of this challenge, enabling fast and secure vendor disbursements. However, while fuel providers now receive urgent payouts, drivers often don’t — and that imbalance is becoming harder to ignore.
PYMNTS Intelligence finds that 97% of logistics companies say they must complete fuel payments in a timely manner, yet less than half apply the same urgency to driver pay. This gap reflects a lingering mindset that drivers will wait. In actuality, 93% of truckers say they would opt for instant disbursements if offered, and many say it’s a key factor in choosing where to work.
Instant payments are already on the rise in the vendor landscape. Nearly 48% of transportation firms use them for ad hoc vendor payouts, with many willing to pay fees for the speed. Among businesses with frequent urgent payment needs, full-fee instant payments occur twice as often compared to those with fewer urgency demands.
Drivers are also willing to pay for speed. Roughly 37% say they would be very or extremely willing to pay a fee for instant earnings, citing access to fuel money, fewer banking delays and peace of mind. That level of preference — stronger than the general population — suggests the industry is overdue for a shift.
To meet the moment, companies must modernize internal systems, simplify payment flows and embed instant payout options wherever possible. Real-time rails such as the RTP® network and the FedNow® Service offer the infrastructure to make this happen.
Truckers don’t just want to get paid faster — they need it. Companies that deliver will gain efficiency and loyalty in an industry where both are in short supply.
