Menu
For kidsColoring pages with your business name
Shipping & logistics / Trucking Cost Per Mile Calculator

Trucking Cost Per Mile Calculator

US rates · checked 17 Oct 2026

Enter a number from 0 to 100000

Count all miles, loaded and empty.

$

Enter a number of at least 0

$

Enter a number of at least 0

$

Enter a number of at least 0

$

Enter a number from 0 to 20

Use what you actually pay. Default is the EIA weekly U.S. on-highway average for the week of 12 Oct 2026 ($6.179).

Enter a number from 1 to 30

$

Enter a number of at least 0

Your own records are best. Set aside a fixed amount each mile.

$

Enter a number of at least 0

$

Enter a number of at least 0

Leave at 0 if you're the owner-operator and pay yourself from profit.

$

Enter a number of at least 0

Cost per mile
$1.54
$2.04rate needed per mile
$15,407.69monthly cost
$0monthly cost $15,407.69
  • Fixed costs
  • Fuel
  • Maintenance
  • Tires
Fixed costs · $3,700.00 ÷ 10,000 miles$0.370
Fuel · $6.18 ÷ 6.5 mpg$0.951
Maintenance$0.180
Tires$0.040
Driver pay$0.000
Cost per mile$1.541
Target profit$0.500
Rate to charge per mile$2.041

Loads paying less than $1.54 a mile, counting empty miles, lose money. At $2.04 you clear about $5,000.00 a month.

See breakdown

How the trucking cost per mile calculation works

What each mile costs your truck, fixed plus running costs, and the rate per mile you need to hit a profit target.

  1. Spread fixed costs over your miles

    Truck payments, insurance and permits cost the same whether you drive or not. $3,700 a month over 10,000 miles is $0.37 a mile.

  2. Fuel per mile is price ÷ mpg

    $6.18 diesel at 6.5 mpg costs $0.951 a mile. Fuel is usually the largest variable cost.

  3. Add the other running costs

    Maintenance at $0.18 and tires at $0.04 bring the variable cost to $1.171 a mile. Add driver pay if you have drivers.

  4. Add your profit target to get the rate

    $1.54 cost + $0.50 profit = $2.04 a mile. Divide a load's pay by all its miles, empty miles included, to compare.

Worked example. A truck runs 10,000 miles a month with $3,700 in fixed costs, $6.18 diesel at 6.5 mpg, $0.18 maintenance and $0.04 tires per mile. It costs $1.54 a mile ($15,407.69 a month), and the rate for a $0.50 profit is $2.04 a mile.

Trucking Cost Per Mile FAQ

How do you calculate cost per mile for trucking?

Add up a month's costs and divide by the miles driven that month. Here that is fixed costs ÷ miles, plus fuel, maintenance, tires and driver pay per mile.

What is the average cost per mile for trucking?

ATRI (American Transportation Research Institute) publishes a national average each year in its Operational Costs of Trucking report, but your own figure can differ a lot. Fuel price, mpg, truck payments and miles run all move it, so enter your own numbers here instead of relying on an average.

What is a good cost per mile for an owner-operator?

It depends on the truck, the fuel price and how many miles you run. Use your own numbers, because more miles spread the fixed costs thinner and lower the figure.

How do I calculate fuel cost per mile?

Divide the price per gallon by your miles per gallon. $6.18 ÷ 6.5 mpg = about $0.95 per mile.

What rate per mile should I charge?

At least your cost per mile plus a profit margin. If it costs $1.54 a mile and you want $0.50 profit, quote $2.04 a mile or more, counting empty miles.

What is the cost per mile formula?

Cost per mile = monthly fixed costs ÷ monthly miles + variable costs per mile. With the defaults: $3,700 ÷ 10,000 = $0.37, plus $1.171 in fuel, maintenance and tires = $1.54 a mile.

Should deadhead miles be included?

Yes. Empty miles cost fuel and wear, so divide costs by all miles driven, then check each load's pay against the total miles it takes.

Sources: EIA: weekly retail on-highway diesel prices · ATRI: An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, 2025 Update

Related calculators

Fuel Surcharge CalculatorA trucking fuel surcharge per mile and per load from the diesel price, your base peg and mpg.Mileage Reimbursement CalculatorMultiply business miles by the IRS standard mileage rate to get a reimbursement or deduction.Freight Class CalculatorEstimate an LTL shipment's freight class from its size and weight with the density-based class table, then confirm it with your carrier.Vehicle Depreciation CalculatorEstimate what a car, van or truck will be worth after each year you own it, from its price and a yearly decline rate.Car Detailing Price CalculatorHow much to charge for car detailing: a price per vehicle from your interior and exterior hours, extra time for size or condition, mobile travel, products, overhead and profit.Moving Cost CalculatorQuote a moving job from crew size, hours, truck, mileage and materials, with your markup on top.Junk Removal Price CalculatorHow much to charge for a junk removal load, from crew time, miles driven, your dump fee, overhead and profit, with a price per cubic yard.Energy Cost CalculatorWhat a piece of equipment costs to run per day, month and year, from its wattage, hours of use and your electricity rate.