Your Unused Credit Lines May Not Be Helping Your Business Credit Scores

If you run a trucking business – whether as an owner-operator, small fleet manager, or driver – you’ve probably heard that keeping unused credit lines helps your score.  When it comes to your personal credit scores, that is usually true, but business credit scores work differently. To get the maximum boost to your business credit scores, you need to show on-time payments. 

Here’s what you need to know so you can focus on what actually grows your business. 

Why Business Credit Works Differently 

For personal credit, credit utilization is a big factor. If you have more credit available than you’re using, you look safer to lenders. That’s why people aim to keep their utilization under 30% and why “trophy” credit lines exist, even if they never get used.

In business credit, unused lines usually matter less than they do in personal credit. What typically carries the most weight is your payment history. That said, depending on the type of card, utilization can still play a role. 

At AtoB, our card functions more like a charge card than a consumer credit card. If you request a $10,000 line, it’s because you’re planning to spend close to that on fuel, repairs, or operating expenses. 

For many business charge cards, as long as you pay on time, your reported utilization often stays very low, sometimes close to 0%. You still get credit for positive payment history but you're not penalized for carrying a balance the way you might be in consumer credit. In other cases, when a balance is temporarily outstanding, utilization may show up in the calculation until it’s paid.  

Owner-operators: You don’t need to pad your limit just to look good. Building business credit comes from using what you have and paying consistently.

Small fleets: Think of credit as fuel for your operations rather than just a number. If you’re running $20,000 a week, that’s the amount we’ll extend to keep your business moving. Extra credit likely won’t have a huge impact on your score but consistent use and repayment will. 

Drivers: Your credit line is a business tool to keep your wheels turning and your cash flow steady. As your operation grows, your access to credit grows too.

Chasing oversized or unused lines usually doesn’t help your score. What matters most is showing steady, responsible use of your credit, borrowing and paying on time. That’s the behavior credit bureaus reward. 

A Customer-Driven Shift: Multi-Bureau Reporting

We’ve heard the same thing from fleets across the country: you want more visibility and a fairer way to build credit. We listened. That’s why AtoB is partnering with Hansa to expand reporting to multiple business credit bureaus, including Dun & Bradstreet (D&B).

This shift was driven by you, our customers. By reporting to more bureaus, your hard work and positive payment history will be recognized more widely.

As Hansa’s leadership put it:

“We’re thrilled to partner with AtoB on this initiative. Together, we’re helping businesses in trucking and beyond get the credit recognition they deserve. This kind of multi-bureau reporting is a monumental step forward for fairer, more transparent access to credit.” -- Henry Magun, Founder of Hansa

For an owner-operator, that visibility could mean qualifying for a truck loan at a better rate. For a fleet, it could mean negotiating stronger merchant or vendor relationships. For a driver just getting started, it’s the first step toward being recognized in the industry. 

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What This Means for You 

• Ask for the line that matches your needs. Don’t chase inflated limits - align credit with your actual fuel and operating expenses.
• Build consistency. Using your line and paying it down reliably is what drives your business credit forward.

At AtoB, our mission is simple: to help fleets and drivers grow with confidence. Credit should be a tool, not a barrier. We’re here to make business credit clearer, fairer and more useful for the people who keep America moving. 

If your business needs more credit to grow, make the ask. We’ll work with you to find the right solution, because at AtoB, we’re not just a provider, we’re your partner.