Trucking Cost Per Mile CalculatorOwner-Operator Cost per Mile & Minimum Rate per Mile
Cost per mile = (monthly fixed costs + variable cost per mile × miles) ÷ miles.
Know your numbers before you book the next load. Add your fixed costs, fuel, maintenance, tires, tolls and your own pay to find cost per mile, cost per loaded mile after deadhead, and the minimum rate you need to hit your profit target.
Monthly numbers
Fixed costs per month
Miles & variable costs
$4,300 fixed + $1.467 variable per mile across 10,000 miles (8,800 loaded).
Below ATRI 2025 avg ($2.336/mi)Cost per mile breakdown
Profit at different rates
| Rate / loaded mile | Monthly revenue | Monthly profit | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|
| $2.00 | $17,600 | −$1,369 | -7.8% |
| $2.25 | $19,800 | $831 | 4.2% |
| $2.50 | $22,000 | $3,031 | 13.8% |
| $2.75 | $24,200 | $5,231 | 21.6% |
| $3.00 | $26,400 | $7,431 | 28.1% |
| $3.25 | $28,600 | $9,631 | 33.7% |
| $3.50 | $30,800 | $11,831 | 38.4% |
How do you calculate trucking cost per mile?
Cost per mile = (monthly fixed costs + variable cost per mile × miles) ÷ miles. Divide by loaded miles instead to account for deadhead, then divide by (1 − profit margin) for your minimum rate. With $4,300 in monthly fixed costs, 10,000 miles, 6.5 MPG at $3.75 diesel and $0.60/mi driver pay, cost is about $1.90 per mile, $2.16 per loaded mile with 12% deadhead, and you need about $2.54 per loaded mile for a 15% margin.
Part of our Towing, Trucking & Freight calculators — for the core estimate, start with the Towing Capacity Calculator.
How to work out your cost per mile
Add fixed costs
Truck and trailer payments, insurance, permits, IFTA, ELD and other monthly costs that don’t change with miles.
Enter miles and deadhead
Total miles per month and the share driven empty.
Add variable costs
Fuel economy and diesel price, plus maintenance, tires, tolls and your own pay per mile.
Set a profit target
See the minimum rate per loaded mile you should accept.
Trucking cost per mile formula
Fuel cost per mile = diesel price ÷ MPG
Variable cost per mile = fuel + maintenance + tires + tolls + driver pay
Cost per mile = fixed per mile + variable per mile
Cost per loaded mile = total monthly cost ÷ (miles × (1 − deadhead %))
Minimum rate = cost per loaded mile ÷ (1 − target margin)
Quoting LTL shipments? The Freight Class Calculator gives density and class for each pallet.
Example: owner-operator, 10,000 miles a month
| Item | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed costs | $2,200 + $600 + $1,100 + $300 + $100 | $4,300 / month |
| Fuel | $3.75 ÷ 6.5 MPG | $0.577 / mi |
| Other variable | $0.20 + $0.05 + $0.04 + $0.60 | $0.890 / mi |
| Total monthly cost | $4,300 + $1.467 × 10,000 | $18,969 |
| Cost per mile | $18,969 ÷ 10,000 | $1.897 |
| Cost per loaded mile | $18,969 ÷ 8,800 | $2.156 |
| Rate for 15% margin | $2.156 ÷ 0.85 | $2.54 |
These match the calculator’s defaults.
How does your cost compare with the industry?
The American Transportation Research Institute’s 2025 analysis of operational costs reported an average marginal cost of $2.336 per mile for trucking fleets, a record high. Driver wages were the largest single item at about $0.82 per mile, with fuel around $0.48 per mile. Fleet averages include driver wages and benefits, so compare them with your total including your own pay.
| Cost item (ATRI 2025 average) | Per mile |
|---|---|
| Driver wages | $0.818 |
| Fuel | $0.482 |
| Truck payments | $0.28 |
| Repair & maintenance | $0.22 |
| Driver benefits | $0.210 |
| Trailer payments | $0.12 |
| Insurance | $0.11 |
| Tires | $0.05 |
| Tolls | $0.043 |
| Permits & licenses | $0.008 |
| Total | $2.336 |
How owner-operators lower cost per mile
- Cut deadhead with backhauls and lane planning.
- Improve MPG — slower cruising, idle reduction, aerodynamics and tire pressure.
- Fuel discounts through fuel cards and networks.
- Preventive maintenance to avoid costly breakdowns and downtime.
- Know your floor rate and decline loads below it.
Plan legal driving days with the Travel Time Calculator in truck mode, which follows the main FMCSA hours-of-service limits.
Related calculators
Trucking Cost Per Mile Calculator FAQs
Add your monthly fixed costs to your variable cost per mile times monthly miles, then divide by monthly miles.
It varies by equipment, lane and whether your own pay is included. ATRI’s 2025 fleet average was $2.336 per mile including driver wages and benefits.
ATRI reported an average marginal operating cost of $2.336 per mile in 2025.
You pay for empty miles but aren’t paid for them, so your cost per loaded mile is higher than your cost per total mile.
At minimum, your cost per loaded mile divided by (1 − your target profit margin). The calculator shows this as your minimum rate.
Yes. Paying yourself a per-mile wage keeps your profit figure honest and makes comparison with fleet averages fair.
Costs that don’t change with miles driven: truck and trailer payments, insurance, permits, IFTA, ELD subscriptions and similar monthly bills.
Know your minimum rate per loaded mile, reduce deadhead with backhauls, build direct shipper relationships and compare load boards. Declining loads below your floor rate protects your margin.
About the developer
Manzoor Ahmad
Web Designer & Calculator Developer · 13+ years of web development and SEO experienceI’m a professional pharmacist turned tech geek, and I designed and coded this trucking cost per mile calculator myself. The industry benchmark comes from ATRI’s 2025 operational cost data, and every cost line is editable so you can match it to your own books.
Found a number that looks wrong, or want a feature added? Tell me through my author page — corrections are fixed and re-dated.
Sources
- FleetOwner (ATRI) — ATRI report breaks down Class 8 truck operating costs
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Gasoline and diesel fuel update
- FMCSA — Hours of service
Disclaimer: Estimates depend on your inputs. Fuel prices, rates, maintenance and insurance vary widely. Not financial, tax or legal advice.
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