Tough times for nation’s road warriors
Australia’s small to medium transport operators are under growing financial pressure as rising costs, tighter margins and tougher enforcement from creditors and the ATO combine to push more businesses to the brink, according to leading invoice financing specialists Earlypay.
ASIC data shows insolvencies in the sector are climbing, reflecting an industry characterised by intense competition, low barriers to entry and a heavier reliance on lower-paid subcontractors.
Smaller transport operators are particularly exposed as costs rise and cash flow slows.
Earlypay Chief Operating Officer Paul Murray said many transport businesses are currently operating with little room for error.
“The transport sector has been hit by a combination of rising input costs and tightening liquidity,” Murray said.
“Operators are carrying higher insurance, fuel and maintenance expenses, while cashflow is being squeezed by slower customer payments and stricter ATO compliance activity,” Mr Murray said.
“For an industry that’s often asset-light, even small disruptions can trigger defaults that quickly spiral.”
“Margins are wafer-thin, costs keep rising, and when customers take longer to pay, there’s not much buffer left,” he said.
“Once a fuel supplier or the ATO raises a flag, it can be hard for these businesses to recover because they don’t have the assets or cash flow flexibility of larger operators.”
Corporate insolvency specialist Neil Mitchell, director of B&T Advisory, said his firm has seen a notable increase in transport restructures, administrations and liquidations over the past 18 months.
“Larger players are ensuring it’s a race to the bottom on price, which is squeezing smaller operators already under stress,” Mr Mitchell said. “
“Smaller operators are being undercut or they’ve been locked into tight contracts with thin margins while wages and other costs rise.
“With this in mind, they are prioritising finance repayments on their fleet over tax payments, for example, and their ATO debts creep up.”
Moreover, Murray said key suppliers such as fuel and replacement parts companies are quick to withdraw credit if payments are late, and unfortunately, this debt spiral eventually ensures the numbers just don’t stack up.
To help operators manage these risks, Murray said Earlypay has overhauled and relaunched its debtor protection offering, which sits alongside its invoice finance facilities.
Under the refreshed product, clients can nominate specific debtors – or their entire ledger – and request a protection limit.
Where Earlypay approves cover, invoices issued while that protection is in place are insured up to the agreed limit in the event of a formal insolvency or, in extreme cases, protracted default where undisputed invoices remain unpaid for an extended period.
“It’s all about peace of mind,” Mr Murray said.
“Instead of getting a surprise call from an administrator and wondering how to fund next week’s payroll, operators can continue to draw on their invoice finance facility while we work through the recovery process.
“In an environment where thin margins, rising costs and slower payments are the norm, that safety net can be the difference between surviving and shutting the doors,” Murray said.
