Calculators
Trucking Cost per Mile Calculator
Calculate a truck's operating cost per mile from fixed costs, fuel, maintenance, driver pay and miles, and the minimum rate to quote.
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- Nothing uploaded
The tool
Enter your numbers below. Results update as you type, and nothing leaves your browser.
Everything you enter stays on your own machine. Nothing is sent to us or to anyone else, which you can confirm in your browser network tab.
What people use it for
- Owner-operator rate setting
- Accepting or rejecting load offers
- Fleet budgeting
- Comparing lease and purchase options
About this tool
What the Trucking Cost per Mile Calculator does
Owner-operators and carriers must know their cost per mile to quote profitably. Fixed costs such as the truck payment and insurance are spread over annual miles; variable costs such as fuel, maintenance, tyres and driver pay accrue per mile. Deadhead miles add cost without revenue.
Formula
- Fixed per mile = annual fixed costs ÷ total miles
- Variable per mile = diesel ÷ mpg + maintenance + driver pay
- Cost per loaded mile = cost per mile ÷ (1 − deadhead)
Worked example
Using the starting values in the calculator above:
| Input | Value |
|---|---|
| Truck and trailer payments per year | $36,000 |
| Insurance per year | $14,000 |
| Permits, plates and other fixed costs per year | $6,000 |
| Total miles per year | 110,000 |
| Deadhead (empty) share | 12% |
| Fuel economy | 6.8 mpg |
| Diesel price per gallon | $3.90 |
| Maintenance and tyres per mile | $0.20 |
| Driver pay per mile | $0.60 |
| Target profit per mile | $0.25 |
| Result | Value |
|---|---|
| Cost per mile (all miles) | $1.88 |
| Minimum rate per loaded mile with profit | $2.42 |
| Cost per loaded mile | $2.14 |
| Fixed cost per mile | $0.51 |
| Variable cost per mile | $1.37 |
How to read the result
Quote on loaded miles but cost on all miles; deadhead quietly turns profitable-looking rates into losses.
Running more miles lowers fixed cost per mile, which is why idle trucks are so expensive.
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Questions
Questions about this tool
The things clients actually want to know — costs, timelines, ownership and what happens after launch.
It varies with fuel prices, equipment and pay; calculate your own rather than relying on averages.
Miles driven without a paying load, such as returning empty.
Yes, including an owner-operator's own wage.
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