Trucking cost per mile calculator
Your monthly fixed costs spread over monthly miles, plus variable costs: the lowest rate per mile you can haul for.
Filled with example values — replace them with your own numbers.
- Cost per mile (break-even rate)
- $1.23/mi
- Minimum rate for 15% margin
- $1,448.24 · $1.61/mi loaded
- Fixed cost per mile
- $0.44/mi · $4,410.00/mo
- Variable cost per mile
- $0.79/mi (fuel $0.60/mi)
- Break-even for this load (1,000 mi)
- $1,231.00 · $1.37/mi loaded
How it is calculated
- Fixed cost per mile = monthly fixed costs ÷ monthly miles.
- Fuel cost per mile = diesel price ÷ MPG.
- Variable cost per mile = fuel + maintenance and tires + driver pay + tolls ÷ monthly miles.
- Total cost per mile (break-even rate) = fixed + variable cost per mile.
- Break-even for a load = total cost per mile × (loaded + deadhead miles).
- Minimum rate for a margin = break-even for the load ÷ (1 − margin).
Use the same period for every number: a month of payments with a month of miles. For a single load’s numbers after fuel, try the rate per mile calculator; for what a driver costs per mile, the driver pay calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is cost per mile in trucking?
It is everything it costs to run the truck in a period divided by all the miles driven in that period, loaded and empty. It is also your break-even rate: a load that pays less per total mile loses money.
What is the difference between fixed and variable costs?
Fixed costs, such as truck and trailer payments, insurance and permits, stay the same however much you drive. Variable costs, such as fuel, maintenance, tires, per-mile driver pay and tolls, grow with every mile. Driving more miles spreads the fixed costs thinner, so fixed cost per mile goes down.
How do I calculate the break-even rate for a load?
Multiply your cost per mile by the load's loaded miles plus the deadhead to reach it. Divide that by the loaded miles to get the rate per loaded mile you need to break even.
How is the minimum rate for a target margin calculated?
Break-even cost ÷ (1 − margin). Margin is profit as a share of the rate, so a load costing $1,000 needs $1,176.47 for a 15% margin.
freightline keeps your cost per mile current
Loads, fuel-card imports, expenses and driver settlements land in one place, and the dashboard shows revenue, costs and cost per mile from your real numbers. Try it on your own trucks free for 30 days, no credit card.
Start free trial