Free Trucking Cost Per Mile Calculator
Find out what every mile really costs you, what you earn on each mile and the lowest rate you can accept. Enter your fuel, truck, insurance, driver and maintenance costs and get a report you can download as a PDF.
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How cost per mile is calculated
Cost per mile is the total cost of running one truck for a month, divided by the miles it drove. The calculator does the three steps below as you type.
Enter the miles you drove and what you spent in the month: fuel, maintenance and tires, truck payment, insurance, permits and anything else, plus your driver pay per mile. The calculator divides each monthly total by your miles to get a cost per mile for each one.
The total is your cost per mile. It is also your break-even rate, the lowest price per mile you can accept without losing money.
Revenue per mile minus cost per mile is your profit per mile. Multiply by your monthly miles for monthly profit, or divide by revenue per mile for your margin.
What goes into your cost per mile
Fuel
Usually one of the two biggest costs. Enter your total fuel spend for the month from your fuel card or bank statement. Better MPG, less idling and smarter routes all lower it.
Driver pay
Enter what you pay your driver per mile. If you drive the truck yourself, leave it at zero, but remember to pay yourself from the profit.
Truck payment or lease
A fixed monthly cost, so it costs less per mile the more miles you run.
Insurance
Another fixed monthly cost. Your safety record and violations affect what you pay at renewal.
Maintenance and tires
Enter what you spent in the month on repairs, service and tires, even if it swings from month to month. Averaging a few months gives a steadier number.
Permits, fees and other
IFTA, UCR, plates and permits, plus ELD, tolls, phone and parking. Small per mile, but easy to forget.
What is a normal cost per mile?
ATRI, the American Transportation Research Institute, reported an average marginal cost of $2.336 per mile in 2025, and $1.854 per mile without fuel. Costs rose in every major category, with the biggest jumps in tolls, repair and maintenance, driver benefits and tires. Use that as a reference point, not a target: your lanes, equipment and driver setup decide your own number.
Know your number before you book
A load that pays less than your cost per mile loses money, even if it feels busy. Check the rate against your break-even before you accept.
Use real miles, including empty ones
Deadhead costs the same as loaded miles. Count every mile the truck drives and compare it with total revenue.
Avoid costs that add no miles
Fines, out-of-service orders, expired permits and unplanned breakdowns cost money while the truck sits. Tracking permits, driver files, inspections and maintenance in one place helps prevent them.
Source: ATRI, An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking (2026 update).
Trucking Cost Per Mile FAQs
Quick answers about cost per mile, break-even rates and profit.
More free tools for truckers
IFTA Calculator
Work out your quarterly IFTA fuel tax by state with current rates, then download a PDF report. Fuel tax is one of the costs behind every mile.
Open the IFTA calculatorDOT Inspection Alerts
Violations and out-of-service orders add real cost to every mile. Get an email whenever FMCSA posts a roadside inspection for your USDOT number.
Get free inspection alertsLower Your Cost Per Mile With Fewer Surprises
Digital Permit Book keeps permits, driver files, inspections and maintenance records in one app, so expired documents and missed service do not turn into fines and downtime.
