Free tool · for owner-operators & truckers

Cost-per-Mile Calculator

Plenty of owner-operators can quote the price of diesel to the penny but have never pinned down what their truck costs per mile — the one number that's the floor under every load. This free calculator builds it from your real costs: enter your fixed costs, fuel and MPG, miles, and the pay you want, and it returns your break-even and all-in cost-per-mile. Use it right here in your browser, or download the spreadsheet to keep.

Annual miles you run

Loaded + empty — fewer miles raises your cost-per-mileAverage fuel price ($/gal)

Your real average paid, not the sign priceAverage MPG

Your true average over all milesAnnual fixed costs ($)

Truck payment, insurance, plates, permits, ELD — for the yearOther variable cost ($/mile)

Maintenance, tires, tolls, and DEF — besides fuelYour target annual pay ($)

The wage you need — build it in, don't hope for it

Fuel cost / mile$0.615

Fixed cost / mile$0.373

Variable cost / mile (incl. fuel)$0.845

Pay / mile$0.591

Break-even cost / mile$1.218

All-in cost / mile$1.809

The rate you must average to cover everything and pay yourself

Break-even keeps the truck running; all-in also pays you the wage you set. A rate below break-even loses money on the spot. Pre-filled with an example — replace it with your own numbers. (Illustrative — not licensed financial, accounting, legal, or tax advice.)

Take it with you — free, no signup

Direct download. No email, no account — just the files.

Download the spreadsheet calculator Excel, Google Sheets & LibreOffice · ~8 KB Download the quick-start guide (PDF) PDF · cost-per-mile, explained

What it does

Works out your cost per mile from your fixed costs, fuel price and MPG, annual miles, and the pay you want.
Shows both your break-even (what keeps the truck running) and your all-in rate (the rate that also pays you).
Makes empty miles visible — run fewer miles and every fixed-cost cent per mile climbs.
Runs entirely in your browser — nothing is sent anywhere, and nothing is saved.

Own it, don't rent it

Want the whole operation, not just the number?

This free tool does one calculation. The full workbook runs the whole operation — a cost-per-mile tab that feeds every load, a Fuel & IFTA log, a per-load profit log, a settlement log, and a dashboard, in one connected spreadsheet (Excel, Google Sheets, or LibreOffice) plus four guides.

Get The Owner-Operator Trucking Ops Workbook · $24.95 See what's inside →

A one-time purchase you keep and reuse on every load — the structured workbook between a blank spreadsheet and a rented monthly trucking app.

A business reference, not licensed tax, accounting, legal, or DOT-compliance advice. Every figure is illustrative — your own numbers and your local rules make it real. Free to use; please don't resell or redistribute.