Best Credit Card for Truck Drivers

The best credit card for truck drivers is the American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card, Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card, Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card, or the Discover it Secured card. 

When it comes to choosing the right card for truckers, there is no one-size-fits-all/ What you personally need from a credit card will vary based on your credit card priorities, monthly budget, credit history, and other factors. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at what credit card might be best for you depending on your individual needs.

Best Credit Card for Truck Drivers Who Want Cash Back

For some truckers, one of their top priorities when deciding on a credit card is what kinds of cash back perks the card offers. 

American Express Blue Cash Preferred Card

If you’re looking for the best credit card for truck drivers with great cash back rewards, the Blue Cash Preferred card might be the one for you. 

With the Blue Cash Preferred card, you’ll get 3% unlimited cash back at all U.S. gas stations. That’s an amazing perk for truck drivers who operate their own truck or fleet, or for truck drivers whose employers allow them to be reimbursed for fuel via their personal credit cards. 

This credit card also gives you a whopping 6% cash back at all supermarkets in the U.S. with a $6,000 maximum. In addition, you’ll get unlimited 6% cash back on some streaming services like HBO or Netflix. For all other purchases, cash back is 1% with no restrictions.

For the first 12 months, the APR has a 0% purchase and balance transfer. After that, the APR varies between 12.99-23.99% based on your credit score and current interest rates.

This card also comes with a great introductory offer. If you spend at least $1,000 within the first three months, you’ll receive a $250 statement credit.

The main drawback of this card is that there is a yearly fee of $95. If you’re someone who could take advantage of those high cash back percentage rates, then this fee would likely pay for itself. If not, you might want to look for a different card.

Best Credit Card for Truck Drivers With No Fees

Wells Fargo Propel American Express Card

Looking for a credit card with no annual fee that still offers great cash back rewards? The best credit card for truck drivers that comes with no yearly expense is the Wells Fargo Propel card. 

This credit card offers unlimited 3% cash back in a variety of categories, including fuel. That makes this card another great option for truckers with their own vehicle or fleet, or employers who allow for work reimbursements for purchases on personal credit cards. 

The Wells Fargo Propel card also gives you 3% cash back for restaurants (both dining out and delivery), flights, rideshares, public transportation, hotels, and streaming services.

Like the Blue Cash Preferred card, the Propel offers a 0% purchase and balance transfer APR that’s good for 12 months. After that, the regular APR of between 13.99-25.99% kicks in.

As if all this weren’t enough, the Wells Fargo Propel card has a great sign-up bonus. If you spend at least $1,000 on qualifying purchases within the first three months, you’ll receive 20,000 bonus points. If you decide to redeem those points for cash, that equals $200.

Both the Blue Cash Preferred and the Propel generally require applicants to have credit scores ranking from good to excellent. But what about if you’re looking for the best credit card for truck drivers with low credit scores, or who have little to no credit history?

Best Credit Card for Truck Drivers with Low Credit

Discover it Secured Card

Want a great trucker credit card, but worried that your applications will be denied because your credit score is too low? You may want to consider the Discover it Secured credit card.

The Discover it Secured card is great for truckers with FICO scores in the 500s or low 600 range. The minimum credit line is $200, but this amount will vary based on how much you decide to put down for your security deposit.

Unlike many secured credit cards, the Discover it Secured card comes with no annual or hidden fees. The regular APR rate, at 22.99%, is also lower than many secured credit cards.

This card also offers higher cash back rates than most credit cards that accept users with low or average credit. You’ll be able to earn 2% cash back at both gas stations and restaurants, with a cap of $1,000 on combined purchases each quarter. All other purchases get you unlimited 1% cash back. Plus, all cashback earned in the first year will be matched.

Fuel Cards versus Credit Cards

If you are a truck driver who operates, or is interested in one day operating, a fleet of trucks, you may want to consider investing in a fuel card rather than a credit card. 

Fuel cards (sometimes called fleet cards) are essentially credit cards for small business owners who have high gas expenses as part of their company operations. These fuel cards can be distributed to your truckers in place of generic company credit cards. Many fleet cards are accepted at over 10,000 gas stations throughout America. This means that your employees won’t have trouble finding fuel while on the go, and you won’t have trouble reimbursing them.

Fleet cards make it far easier for truck operators to keep track of all fuel-related business expenses, like the amount of fuel your fleet needs each month and the average number of times each trucker has to fill up. 

Fuel cards typically give you either great discounts or cash back perks on all fuel purchases. They might also feature other discounts of interest to truck drivers and fleet owners, such as tire stores or truck rest stops. 

If you’ve been searching for the best credit card for truck drivers because you’re a fleet owner, you should consider getting a fuel card instead. Fleet cards make it far easier for small business truck operators to reimburse employees, save on fuel costs, and keep track of business expenses. 

But if you already work for a trucker company and are just looking to make smart personal financial choices, stick to our recommendations for the best credit card for truck drivers.

TDI Can Jumpstart Your Career in Trucking

When it comes to answering all your trucker questions, from the different types of CDLs to the best credit card for truck drivers, TDI has got you covered. We’ve been in the business of getting aspiring truckers ready to hit the road for over four decades, and with over 80% of our students finding jobs after graduation, we’ve proven that we’re the best in the business. Contact us today to learn more about what TDI can do for your trucking future.