How this calculator works
There is one formula: add up what it cost to run the truck for a period, then divide by the miles you actually drove in that period. The result is your cost per mile, and that same number is your break-even rate per mile.
For a single load, the calculator multiplies your cost per mile by every mile that load takes — loaded miles plus deadhead — and subtracts that cost from the gross pay on the rate confirmation. What is left is an estimated profit or loss. A worked walkthrough lives in our guide on how to calculate your cost per mile, and a closer look at empty miles is in how deadhead changes what a load really pays.
Fixed costs versus variable costs
Fixed costs stay roughly the same whether you run 6,000 miles or 10,000: the truck payment or lease, insurance, plates and permits, ELD or software, and a parking or lot bill if you have one. Variable costs move with the miles: fuel, oil, maintenance and repairs, tires, tolls, scales, and lumpers you absorb. You need both. Leaving the payment out makes a cheap load look profitable. Leaving fuel out does the same thing in the other direction.
Use a period you can actually measure — last month, or the last 90 days if your numbers jump around. The more complete the expenses, the more honest the mile rate. If you only remember fuel, you do not have a cost per mile yet; you have a fuel cost per mile, which is a different (and lower) number.
Why all miles count, including deadhead
A load that pays $2.40 a loaded mile can still lose money if you deadhead 200 miles to pick it up. Your costs did not take the day off for those empty miles. This tool therefore builds cost per mile from total miles, and it adds deadhead back in when you check a load. If you want a loaded-only break-even, you would have to exclude empty miles from both the CPM and the load — and that hides the cost of getting there. We do not do that here. For a longer explanation, see how to tell if a load pays enough.
Built to use on your phone
The point of a public calculator is that you can use it when a broker is still on the line, not later at a desk. The fields are large enough to type with a thumb, and nothing is saved on our side. If you want the number to update itself from real loads and receipts instead of being retyped, that is what TruxSheet is for — log as you go, and the cost per mile is already there.
Common questions
How do I calculate cost per mile?
Add your fixed costs (truck payment, insurance, permits, and anything else that stays about the same) to your variable costs (fuel, maintenance, tires, tolls) for the same period, then divide by every mile you drove in that period — loaded and empty. Total costs ÷ total miles = cost per mile.
What is a break-even rate per mile?
It is the same number as your cost per mile when you have counted every mile. A load has to pay at least that much, across all the miles it takes you to run it, just to cover your costs. Anything above that is profit; anything below it is a loss, even if the truck stays busy.
Should I include deadhead miles?
Yes. You paid to drive those empty miles — fuel, time, and wear. Leaving them out makes your cost per mile look better than it is, and it makes a cheap load look like it pays. This calculator uses all miles for CPM, and it adds deadhead to the load you are checking.
What should I put in for a load's rate?
Use the total gross pay from the rate confirmation — the flat dollar amount — not a per-mile figure you still have to interpret. If a broker quoted you a per-mile rate, multiply it the same way they did (usually by loaded miles) to get the total, then enter that total here.
Is this my official cost per mile?
No. This is an estimate based on the numbers you type in. It is only as complete as the costs and miles you include. Taxes, unexpected repairs, and a slow month can all move the real figure. Use it to think clearly about a load, not as a formal statement of your books.
Is this calculator free, and is anything saved?
It is free and requires no account. Nothing you type is sent anywhere or stored — the arithmetic runs in your browser and disappears when you close the tab.