True cost per mile includes fuel (your biggest variable), driver pay per mile or percentage of revenue, truck payment and insurance amortized per mile, maintenance reserve, and deadhead miles. Most carriers only calculate loaded-mile costs and miss the full picture. This calculator includes all categories.

Owner-operators typically target 10-15% net margin per load after all expenses. At current fuel prices and driver pay rates, loads under $2.00/mile net should be evaluated carefully — some won't cover fixed costs. Use the margin alert to flag loads below your threshold before you book them.

Deadhead miles are miles driven without a paying load — repositioning after a delivery or running empty to a pickup. Enter your expected deadhead as a percentage of loaded miles. A 15-20% deadhead factor is typical for most lanes; higher in rural areas. This reduces your effective revenue per total mile.

Use your actual fleet average MPG and current local diesel price. The DOE publishes weekly national diesel averages if you need a benchmark. For planning, running your model at current price + $0.30-0.50/gallon gives you a cushion for price swings.