Transport Cost Calculator

Plan material hauling with clear breakdowns and smart defaults. Adjust distance, payload, speeds, and fees. Save printable reports and shareable spreadsheets quickly for teams.

Enter Transport Details

Quick starting points for common hauling vehicles.
Exports use the same currency symbol.
Route distance from source to site.
Number of delivery runs to complete.
Used for ton-km cost reporting.
Affects ton-km metric; distance always includes return.
Only used when return is partially loaded.
Lower values increase fuel consumption.
Use current rate for better accuracy.
Includes expected traffic and route conditions.
Adds handling time to driver hours.
Includes overtime or shift premiums if needed.
Scaled across all travel legs automatically.
Tyres, service, wear, and minor repairs.
Dispatch, permits, rental, or daily allocation.
Handling charges, yard fees, waiting penalties.
Office support, scheduling, supervision allocation.
Covers variability in access, delays, and risk.
Applied after overhead and contingency.

Example Data Table

Scenario Distance (km) Trips Fuel (km/L) Fuel Price Driver Rate Estimated Total
Sand delivery, urban route 12 8 3.2 320 900 Varies by fees and time
Blocks hauling, mixed traffic 25 5 6.5 320 800 Varies by tolls and overhead
Aggregate to remote site 55 3 2.4 320 1100 Varies by maintenance and speed
Use the calculator above to generate exact totals and exports for your rates.

Formula Used

Distance
  • Total distance (km) = (One-way distance × Trips) + Return distance
  • Return distance defaults to the same length as outbound travel.
Fuel and Time
  • Fuel used (L) = Total distance ÷ Fuel efficiency
  • Fuel cost = Fuel used × Fuel price
  • Travel time (hours) = Total distance ÷ Average speed
  • Driver time = Travel time + (Load/Unload time per trip × Trips)
Costs
  • Direct subtotal = Fuel + Driver + Maintenance + Tolls + Fixed per-trip + Other fees
  • Overhead = Direct subtotal × Overhead%
  • Contingency = Direct subtotal × Contingency%
  • Tax = (Direct subtotal + Overhead + Contingency) × Tax%
  • Total cost = Direct subtotal + Overhead + Contingency + Tax
Performance Metrics
  • Cost per km = Total cost ÷ Total distance
  • Cost per trip = Total cost ÷ Trips
  • Cost per ton-km = Total cost ÷ (Payload tons × Loaded distance)

How to Use This Calculator

  1. Select a vehicle preset to auto-fill realistic defaults.
  2. Enter one-way distance and the number of delivery trips.
  3. Set fuel efficiency, fuel price, and average travel speed.
  4. Add load/unload time to reflect onsite handling delays.
  5. Include tolls, maintenance per km, and fixed per-trip charges.
  6. Apply overhead, contingency, and tax to match your estimating policy.
  7. Press calculate to view results, then download CSV or PDF.

Transport Cost Planning Guide

1) Why transport cost matters in construction

Hauling often sits between procurement and productivity. When transport is underpriced, site teams face late deliveries, idle labor, and rushed re-orders. A structured estimate turns transport into a controllable line item, improving bid accuracy and protecting margin.

2) Inputs that shape a realistic estimate

Start with one-way distance and the number of delivery trips. Add payload per trip for ton-kilometer reporting. Choose a return mode (empty, loaded, or partial) to reflect backhaul opportunities. These three inputs define the operating workload before any pricing is applied.

3) Fuel cost drivers and reference ranges

Fuel is typically the largest variable cost. Real-world efficiency can range from about 2–3 km/L for heavy dump trucks to 6–10 km/L for lighter trucks, depending on traffic, grade, and load. This calculator converts total distance into liters and multiplies by your fuel price.

4) Time, speed, and driver labor

Driver time is travel time plus load/unload time per trip. Urban deliveries may average 35–55 km/h, while constrained site access can reduce effective speed. Handling time commonly ranges from 15–45 minutes per trip. Pricing driver time by an hourly rate keeps delay risk visible.

5) Maintenance, wear, and fixed per-trip charges

Maintenance per kilometer covers tyres, service intervals, and wear from rough access roads. Many estimators add a fixed dispatch or rental charge per trip to capture mobilization and admin effort. Separating these elements helps compare “more trips with smaller loads” versus “fewer trips with larger loads.”

6) Tolls, permits, and other project fees

Tolls are frequently priced per one-way leg. Permits, yard fees, waiting penalties, and special handling are best entered as a lump sum so they remain traceable. Logging these as explicit fees supports invoice review and avoids missing recurring charges during long phases.

7) Overhead, contingency, and tax application

After direct costs are summed, overhead allocates planning and supervision effort. Contingency helps cover access restrictions, queueing, weather disruption, and price volatility. Tax is then applied on the taxable base. Keeping percentages separate makes your estimating policy consistent across projects.

8) Reading the outputs for smarter decisions

Use total cost for budgeting and cost per trip for procurement comparisons. Cost per kilometer highlights route efficiency and helps evaluate alternate suppliers. Cost per ton-km is useful when payload varies and backhauls exist, allowing fair comparisons between vehicle choices and logistics strategies.

FAQs

1) Should I include return distance even when returning empty?

Yes. The vehicle still travels back and consumes fuel, time, and maintenance. Select “Return empty” to keep ton-km conservative while still counting total kilometers for cost.

2) How do I estimate load and unload time?

Use an average from recent deliveries. Include queueing, security checks, loading equipment availability, and unloading delays at the site. If unsure, start with 30 minutes per trip and adjust.

3) What maintenance value per kilometer is reasonable?

It depends on vehicle age, tyres, and road conditions. Use your historical maintenance spending divided by kilometers traveled. For rough access roads, increase the rate to reflect higher wear and repairs.

4) When does cost per ton-km become most useful?

Use it when payload changes across options or when comparing different vehicle classes. It normalizes cost by delivered tonnage and distance, helping evaluate backhaul benefits and loading strategies.

5) How should I treat tolls in the calculator?

Enter tolls per one-way trip. The calculator scales them across all travel legs, matching the number of outbound and return movements included in total distance.

6) Do overhead and contingency apply to all projects?

Usually. Overhead covers planning and support effort, while contingency protects against variability. For short, controlled routes you might reduce contingency; for congested or remote routes, increase it.

7) Can I use the exports for bids and invoices?

Yes. Download CSV for spreadsheets and estimates, and PDF for quick sharing. Always verify rates, trip counts, and the tax policy used before submitting documents.

Accurate transport estimates keep projects on time, on-budget always.

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Important Note: All the Calculators listed in this site are for educational purpose only and we do not guarentee the accuracy of results. Please do consult with other sources as well.