Trucker Cost Per Mile Calculator
Know your real cost per mile in 60 seconds. Decompose fixed vs variable. Decide which loads make money and which don't.
- Free & no signup
- Fixed + variable split
- Updates live
- Owner-op & fleet
- Mobile-friendly
Total cost per mile
$1.25
- Fixed CPM
- $0.31
- Variable CPM
- $0.94
- Total fixed
- $3,100.00
- Total variable
- $9,350.00
- Total cost (period)
- $12,450.00
Rule of thumb: if your CPM is above $1.80, examine fuel, maintenance, or unproductive deadhead. Bookable freight averages $2.10–$2.40/mile in 2026.
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Why this calculator matters
Stop running broke loads
Hard data on what you can actually accept. CPM × 1.30 is your minimum bookable rate.
Find the leak
Fixed CPM too high? You need more miles. Variable CPM too high? You need cheaper fuel and tighter PM.
Negotiate from numbers
Show a broker a CPM card with a 25% margin and they take you seriously.
Decide on truck #2
Plug a hypothetical second truck's payment in. See if your CPM holds or breaks.
Who it's for
- Owner-operator running for-hire freight
- Small fleet (2–10 trucks)
- Anyone deciding which loads to accept on the spot market
FAQ
- What's a good cost per mile in 2026?
- Owner-operator with own authority: $1.60–$1.95/mile is the lean range. Above $2.10/mile means you're losing money on most non-spot freight. Small fleet (3–10 trucks): $1.75–$2.05/mile typical.
- What's the difference between fixed and variable costs?
- Fixed: same every month regardless of miles (truck payment, insurance, permits). Variable: scale with miles (fuel, maintenance, tolls, scales). Fixed CPM drops as you run more miles; variable CPM stays roughly flat.
- Should I include my driver pay?
- If you pay yourself, decide upfront whether to include it. Most owner-operators report CPM EXCLUDING owner take-home, then back into a livable load rate after. Fleets must include driver pay.
- Should this include factoring fees?
- Yes. Add monthly factoring fees to permits-and-fees or as a separate line. A 3% factoring fee on $40k revenue = $1,200/month — meaningful in your CPM.
- How often should I recompute CPM?
- Monthly. Fuel, maintenance, and miles vary enough that a quarterly snapshot misses problems. Track monthly to catch a slipping margin before it becomes a cash crunch.
- Why is my CPM so much higher than my friend's?
- Most common reasons: lower miles (fixed CPM balloons), older truck (maintenance), higher insurance (new MC, MVR issues), or longer deadhead. Decompose fixed vs variable to find the leak.
- What rate per mile do I need to charge?
- CPM × 1.30 minimum to break even with margin for taxes and slow weeks. So a $1.85 CPM operator needs $2.40+/mile bookable freight. Below that and you're subsidizing the broker.
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