Should you take this load?
Two calculators owner-operators actually use: the all-in rate on the load in front of you, and the cost per mile that tells you whether it clears. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Enter the load in front of you. The all-in rate is what it actually pays once deadhead is counted, and the verdict uses your own cost per mile.
Per loaded mile
$3.08
All-in per mile
$2.67
Total miles
900
This load clears your costs
You need at least $2054 on this load to break even, which is $2.28 per total mile after the dispatch fee.
This tool does arithmetic on the numbers you enter. It does not pull live market data. Everything runs in your browser and nothing is transmitted.
Getting an honest number
The inputs that trip people up, and what to do about them.
Want the full method rather than just the tool? Our cost per mile guide walks through the whole calculation with a worked example.
Total load pay divided by loaded miles plus the deadhead needed to reach the pickup. It is the only figure that shows what a load truly pays. A load can look strong per loaded mile and be poor once deadhead is counted.
Total miles, including deadhead. Your costs accrue on empty miles too, so dividing by loaded miles only understates your true cost and makes cheap freight look acceptable.
A common planning figure for a used tractor is 12 to 18 cents per mile covering routine maintenance and tyres. Newer equipment under warranty may run lower and high-mileage trucks often need more. Set it aside weekly into a separate account.
Because if you do not pay yourself inside the model, every rate looks acceptable and you discover at tax time that you worked for nothing. Treating driver pay as a cost rather than as leftover profit is what makes the break-even number real.
No. It does arithmetic on the numbers you enter and does not pull market data. For live rates on your specific lanes, send us your MC number and we will pull them for you at no charge.
Your next load is already on the board
Send us your MC number and we will pull real rates on your lanes, free, before you commit to anything.
No contract. No setup fee. Cancel with 14 days notice.