Enter trip and cost details
Use the fields below to calculate total trip cost, cost per mile, break-even pricing, and target-rate guidance.
Example data table
These sample rows show how different lane conditions can change total cost and per-mile pricing.
| Lane | Loaded Miles | Empty Miles | Total Cost | Cost per Total Mile | Cost per Loaded Mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regional Dry Van | 420 | 60 | $1,245.00 | $2.5938 | $2.9643 |
| Short-Haul Reefer | 180 | 35 | $698.00 | $3.2465 | $3.8778 |
| Long-Haul Flatbed | 860 | 110 | $2,594.00 | $2.6742 | $3.0163 |
Formula used
Total Miles = Loaded Miles + Empty Miles
Total Trip Cost = Fuel + Driver Wages + Tolls + Maintenance + Insurance + Permits + Depreciation or Lease + Administrative Overhead + Miscellaneous Cost
Cost per Total Mile = Total Trip Cost ÷ Total Miles
Cost per Loaded Mile = Total Trip Cost ÷ Loaded Miles
Deadhead Ratio (%) = (Empty Miles ÷ Total Miles) × 100
Profit Amount = Freight Revenue − Total Trip Cost
Profit Margin (%) = (Profit Amount ÷ Freight Revenue) × 100
Target Revenue per Trip = Total Trip Cost ÷ (1 − Target Margin % as decimal)
Target Rate per Loaded Mile = Target Revenue per Trip ÷ Loaded Miles
How to use this calculator
- Enter a route or lane name if you want labeled exports.
- Add loaded miles and empty miles to reflect the full trip distance.
- Fill in every meaningful cost head, including fuel, wages, tolls, maintenance, insurance, and overhead.
- Optionally enter freight revenue to measure trip profit and operating margin.
- Enter a target margin percentage if you want a recommended trip revenue and loaded-mile rate.
- Click Calculate Freight Cost to display the result block above the form.
- Use the CSV button for spreadsheet analysis or the PDF button for a shareable summary.
Frequently asked questions
1) What does freight cost per mile measure?
It measures how much a trip costs for each mile traveled. It can be shown across all miles or only loaded miles, depending on how you want to price freight and evaluate route profitability.
2) Why should I include empty miles?
Empty miles reduce efficiency because they add distance without direct revenue. Including them gives a more realistic cost per total mile and helps reveal how deadhead affects route margins.
3) What is the difference between cost per total mile and cost per loaded mile?
Cost per total mile spreads cost across every mile traveled. Cost per loaded mile spreads the same trip cost across revenue miles only, which is often more useful for quoting customers.
4) Which costs should be treated as fixed allocated costs?
Insurance, permits, lease payments, depreciation, and office overhead are commonly allocated fixed costs. They may not change much by trip, but they still belong in lane pricing decisions.
5) Can this calculator help with quoting freight rates?
Yes. It estimates break-even pricing and target rates when you add a desired profit margin. That makes it useful for setting lane rates before accepting a shipment.
6) What happens if freight revenue is left blank?
The calculator still returns total trip cost and per-mile cost metrics. Profit, margin, and revenue-based indicators will simply show values based on zero revenue input.
7) Why is my cost per loaded mile higher than cost per total mile?
Because the same total trip cost is divided by fewer miles. Loaded-mile pricing ignores empty miles in the denominator, so the per-mile number is usually higher.
8) Is this useful for owner-operators and fleet managers?
Yes. Owner-operators can test lane profitability, while fleet managers can compare routes, quote consistently, and monitor how fuel, wages, and deadhead affect margins.