Cost per mile is the single number that tells you whether a load makes money. If you don't know yours, you're guessing. Here's how to nail it down.
Cost per mile = (Fixed + Variable + Salary) ÷ Total miles driven
Use a real period — a month is ideal — and include deadhead miles. Empty miles still cost fuel and wear, so leaving them out flatters your number.
| Category | Monthly |
|---|---|
| Fixed (payment, insurance, permits) | $4,200 |
| Variable (fuel, tires, maintenance) | $6,800 |
| Driver pay | $5,000 |
| Total | $16,000 |
| Miles driven | 8,000 |
| Cost per mile | $2.00/mi |
That $2.00 is your rate floor. Any load under it loses money before you've made a dime.
Once you know your cost per mile, every load is a yes/no in seconds. That's the basis of profit prediction — and what separates a carrier that grows from one that runs busy and broke.
TruckSpot Dispatch captures fuel and expenses automatically and shows your true cost and profit per truck, per lane, per mile — and predicts a load's margin before you accept it.
See your real cost per mile — free 14-day trial →For most owner-operators and small fleets, around $1.80–$2.20 all-in, but it varies widely with fuel, insurance and miles run. Calculate your own number instead of relying on an average.
Add fixed costs, variable costs and driver pay for a period, then divide by total miles driven. The result is your true cost per mile and your rate floor.
Yes. Use total miles including empty deadhead miles — they still cost fuel and wear. Costing only loaded miles understates your real cost per mile.