Owner-operator cost per mile calculator

    Knowing your true cost per mile is what separates a profitable owner-operator from one who's hauling freight at a loss without realizing it. This calculator splits your costs into fixed (truck payment, insurance, permits, ELD, phone and other overhead) and variable (fuel, maintenance, tires) per mile, then shows your break-even rate and, if you add a target profit, the minimum rate you should accept.

    Enter your numbers

    Monthly fixed costs

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    $
    $
    $
    $
    $

    Variable costs per mile

    $
    $
    $

    Volume & profit target

    $

    Fixed cost per mile

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    Variable cost per mile

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    Total cost per mile (break-even)

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    Minimum rate per mile

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    How it's calculated

    Fixed cost per mile = (truck payment + insurance + permits/IFTA/IRP/UCR + ELD + phone + other) ÷ miles per month
Fuel cost per mile = fuel price ÷ miles per gallon
Variable cost per mile = fuel cost per mile + maintenance per mile + tires per mile
Total cost per mile (break-even rate) = fixed cost per mile + variable cost per mile
Minimum rate per mile = total cost per mile + target profit per mile

    Frequently asked questions

    Your monthly share of IFTA, IRP plates, UCR registration, and any other recurring permit or licensing cost for the truck.

    Break-even just covers your costs with no profit left over. The minimum rate adds your target profit per mile on top, so it's the rate below which you're working for free or losing money.

    Not directly — this calculator uses total miles per month as you enter them. If you run a lot of deadhead miles, your loaded-mile cost per mile will be higher than this result, since those miles still cost money but don't generate direct load revenue.

    Fuel is usually the single largest variable cost. A small drop in MPG raises your fuel cost per mile directly, so it's worth using your actual tracked average rather than a rough guess.

    Yes — fuel prices and insurance in particular change often enough that it's worth recalculating every time a major cost shifts, rather than relying on a number from months ago.

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