FMCSA Guide
Trucking Cost Per Mile: Know Your Real Numbers
Most new owner-operators think their cost is just fuel. It's not. Your real cost per mile includes insurance, maintenance, tires, permits, loan payments, and a dozen other expenses that eat into every load. If you don't know this number, you can't tell whether a load makes money or loses it.
Calculate your cost per mile
Enter your real expenses. See your break-even rate instantly.
The formula
(Monthly Fixed Costs + Monthly Variable Costs) ÷ Monthly Miles = Cost Per Mile
For most owner-operators running one truck, the real number lands between $1.20 and $1.85 per mile. If you're booking loads below your cost per mile, you're paying to work.
Fixed costs (you pay these whether or not you drive)
| Expense | Monthly range |
|---|---|
| Truck payment | $1,500–2,500 |
| Insurance | $1,200–2,500 |
| Trailer payment | $300–800 |
| Permits & licenses | $100–250 |
| Phone & ELD | $100–200 |
| Accounting / bookkeeping | $100–300 |
| Drug & alcohol consortium | $10–20 |
| Parking / yard | $0–500 |
Typical total: $3,300–7,100/month in fixed costs. At 8,000 miles/month, that's $0.41–$0.89/mile before you buy a drop of fuel.
Variable costs (increase with every mile)
| Expense | Per mile |
|---|---|
| Fuel | $0.45–0.70 |
| Maintenance & repairs | $0.12–0.20 |
| Tires | $0.03–0.06 |
| DEF fluid | $0.01–0.02 |
| Tolls | $0.02–0.10 |
| Scale fees | $0.01 |
Typical total: $0.64–$1.09/mile in variable costs.
What most carriers forget
Deadhead miles
Miles driven empty to pick up a load. If you drive 200 miles empty to pick up a 500-mile load, your effective rate per mile drops by 29%. Factor empty miles into every load decision.
Factoring fees
If you use a factoring company to get paid faster, they take 2–5% of the invoice. On a $2,500 load, that's $50–125. This is a real cost per mile.
Detention time
Sitting at a shipper or receiver burns time you could be driving. At $50–75/hour in lost revenue, a 3-hour detention costs you more than most accessorial fees cover.
Your own pay
After all expenses, what's left is your paycheck. If you're netting $0.30/mile after costs and driving 8,000 miles/month, that's $2,400/month gross — before taxes. Know this number.
Quick benchmark
| Scenario | Cost/mile | Break-even rate |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-op, truck paid off, 10K mi/mo | $1.05–1.25 | $1.50–1.75/mi |
| Owner-op, financed truck, 8K mi/mo | $1.40–1.70 | $1.90–2.20/mi |
| New authority, low miles (5K/mo) | $1.70–2.10 | $2.30–2.60/mi |
Break-even rate includes a minimum $0.40–0.50/mile for your own compensation. Below this rate, you're losing money on the load.