True cost per mile
Calculate your all-in trucking cost per mile from fixed costs, fuel, maintenance, tires, tolls/scales and other operating costs.
Planning aid only. Always verify state and federal rules, permits, vehicle/tire ratings, route restrictions, carrier tariffs and certified scale weights when they apply.
How to calculate trucking cost per mile
True trucking cost per mile is the sum of fixed cost per mile, fuel cost per mile, and all other variable costs per mile. Use all miles driven, including deadhead, because the truck still consumes time, fuel and equipment life when it is empty.
Worked example using the calculator defaults
Illustrative example only — replace every input with your own truck and lane costs.
| Cost component | Input | Cost per mile |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed costs | $6,500/month ÷ 10,000 all miles | $0.650/mi |
| Fuel | $5.454/gal ÷ 6.5 MPG | $0.839/mi |
| DEF + maintenance + tires + road fees + labor + other | $0.03 + $0.22 + $0.06 + $0.08 + $0.55 + $0.10 | $1.040/mi |
| True operating cost | $0.650 + $0.839 + $1.040 | $2.529/mi |
| Monthly operating cost | $2.529 × 10,000 miles | $25,291 |
Fuel cost per mile by MPG and diesel price
These are example price inputs, not current market averages. Fuel cost per mile = diesel price ÷ MPG.
| Diesel price | 5.5 MPG | 6.5 MPG | 7.5 MPG | 8.5 MPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $3.50/gal | $0.636/mi | $0.538/mi | $0.467/mi | $0.412/mi |
| $4.00/gal | $0.727/mi | $0.615/mi | $0.533/mi | $0.471/mi |
| $4.50/gal | $0.818/mi | $0.692/mi | $0.600/mi | $0.529/mi |
| $5.00/gal | $0.909/mi | $0.769/mi | $0.667/mi | $0.588/mi |
How monthly miles change fixed cost per mile
Example with $6,500 in monthly fixed costs. More miles spread the same fixed cost over a larger distance, but they can also increase variable costs.
| All miles per month | Fixed cost per mile |
|---|---|
| 6,000 mi | $1.083/mi |
| 8,000 mi | $0.813/mi |
| 10,000 mi | $0.650/mi |
| 12,000 mi | $0.542/mi |
| 15,000 mi | $0.433/mi |
Common questions
Should deadhead miles be included in cost per mile?
Yes. Use all miles driven, loaded and empty. Deadhead still creates fuel, labor, maintenance, tire and equipment costs.
How do I calculate fuel cost per mile?
Divide diesel price per U.S. gallon by the truck's average MPG. For example, $4.00 per gallon ÷ 6.5 MPG = about $0.615 per mile.
Is cost per mile the same as freight rate per mile?
No. Cost per mile is your operating break-even before the profit target. A selling or freight rate normally needs to cover cost plus the margin and trip-specific charges you require.
Why does fixed cost per mile change when monthly mileage changes?
Fixed monthly costs are divided by all monthly miles. The same fixed bill spread across fewer miles produces a higher fixed cost per mile.
Method: the examples use the same all-mile operating-cost logic as the U.S. calculator. All values are illustrative planning inputs, not industry averages or tax/accounting advice.
Last verified: 2026-08-31
How to calculate true trucking cost per mile
- Divide monthly fixed costs by all miles driven, including deadhead, to get the fixed-cost share per mile.
- Fuel cost per mile = diesel price per gallon ÷ MPG. Add maintenance, tires, DEF, tolls/scales, driver cost and other variable costs per mile.
- Your break-even cost per mile is not automatically your selling rate; profit, taxes and your commercial target may need to be added separately.