Free tool
Cost Per Mile Calculator
Enter your real numbers and watch fuel, fixed, and variable costs turn into one honest cost per mile. No signup, no wait, no Calculate button. Every change updates instantly.
Base inputs
Use a realistic monthly average, a blended fuel price across your typical stops, and a loaded-average MPG.
Your cost per mile
$0.91
per mile, all in
- Fuel
- $0.538 / $5,385 mo
- Fixed
- $0.255 / $2,550 mo
- Variable
- $0.120 / $1,200 mo
- Monthly operating cost
- $9,135
Share of total
- Fuel 59%
- Fixed 28%
- Variable 13%
Fixed monthly costs
Summed, then divided by your monthly miles. Amortize any annual fees to a monthly figure.
Principal plus interest, or lease payment.
Liability, cargo, physical damage, occupational accident.
Plates, IFTA, IRP, UCR, KYU, amortized monthly.
ELD subscription, TMS, dispatch tools.
Only if the trailer is owned or leased.
Variable per-mile costs
Enter each in dollars per mile. Toggled lines only apply when switched on.
Routine PM, oil, DEF, filters.
Amortized across tire life.
Set aside for breakdowns.
Blended average across lanes.
Add a driver wage, or pay yourself a wage, in dollars per mile.
Model the impact of a factoring rate on your cost per mile.
What this means
Break-even
Every mile has to earn at least $0.91. A load quoted below that loses money the moment you accept it.
Target margin
A common target is 20 to 30% above CPM. For you that is roughly $1.10 to $1.19 per mile, all in.
Deadhead reality
Effective break-even on paid miles is CPM divided by (1 minus deadhead percent). At 15% deadhead, that is about $1.07 per paid mile.
Where to attack costs
Fuel is your biggest lever. A 0.5 MPG improvement typically beats shopping insurance. Watch idle time, tire pressure, and lane-level fuel prices.
Email me my numbers
We will send your inputs and results in a plain, readable email so you can reference them later or share them with a partner.
Getting the numbers right
A CPM is only as honest as its inputs. A few habits keep this figure trustworthy over time.
- Pull fuel data from IFTA reports or fuel-card statements, not memory.
- Use 12-month averages for maintenance and tires so a big month does not distort your view.
- Amortize annual fees to a monthly figure before entering them.
- Re-run this every quarter and any time a major cost changes.
- Model scenarios with and without driver pay and factoring so you know each lever.
Turn CPM into cash flow
Knowing your cost per mile is half the equation. Getting paid quickly is the other half. Slow-paying brokers can force you to fund 30 to 60 days of operating costs yourself. Freight factoring advances your invoices within hours instead of weeks, so your CPM stops being a number on a screen and starts being cash in your account.
Apply today, fund tomorrow
Same-day funding on approved invoices, flat rates, and a team that answers the phone.
Applying is free and will not affect your credit score.