FleetFirst Leasing LLC has officially launched as an independent lease-to-own provider, joining CloudTrucks’ Road to Independence program to offer professional drivers a pathway to business ownership amid increasing costs in the trucking industry.
The transition from company driver to independent owner-operator has become challenging due to rising truck and trailer payments and operational expenses. FleetFirst aims to address this by providing a simple, transparent, and achievable route to ownership.
Operated independently but associated with CloudTrucks, FleetFirst focuses on lease-to-own opportunities exclusively for drivers within the CloudTrucks network. This integration is designed to provide stability while facilitating independence.
Tobenna Arodiogbu, CEO of CloudTrucks, stated, “FleetFirst gives company drivers a fair, achievable path to ownership.” He further noted that “Too many skilled drivers remain stuck as company drivers because the path to ownership feels out of reach. FleetFirst is about changing that by giving drivers a fair, achievable way to become true owner-operators and build long-term success on their own terms.”
The addition of FleetFirst strengthens the Road to Independence program, which now includes Rush Truck Centers for equipment provision and Pathway Leasing for lease management and driver support. HEC Leasing, a founding partner, continues to offer its lease-to-own opportunities, providing late-model tractors, in-house financing, and same-day credit approval.
Mandy Morris, CPA, President of HEC Leasing, commented, “We’re proud to continue our partnership with CloudTrucks through the Road to Independence program. By providing late-model tractors, in-house financing, and same-day credit approval, we’re helping more drivers — whether first-time or seasoned owner-operators — get into reliable equipment quickly and start earning from day one.”
CloudTrucks, founded in 2019, is a technology provider that supports trucking entrepreneurs by streamlining administrative tasks. The company has facilitated over $320 million in payments to truck drivers across the United States and has secured investments from firms including Craft Ventures, Menlo Ventures, and Tiger Global. FleetFirst, launched in 2025, is dedicated to assisting company drivers in their transition to ownership through transparent lease-to-own options.
