Start with the offer
Enter the payout you’ll receive, including any fuel surcharge. Enter the base rate your driver and dispatcher percentages apply to. If their pay excludes the surcharge, use the linehaul amount as the base.
Count the empty miles
A 500-mile load with 100 miles of deadhead puts 600 miles on the truck. At 8 MPG, that takes 75 gallons. Using an example diesel price of $4 per gallon, budget $300 for fuel. On a $1,500 payout, that leaves $1,200 before pay, maintenance, and other costs.
Read the result
Net profit is payout minus all entered costs. Net per mile divides that profit by loaded and deadhead miles together. TAKE meets your target margin, REPRICE shows a positive profit below target, and SKIP means the estimated costs consume the payout.
Common questions
Which diesel price does my route use?
The calculator starts with the EIA weekly national on-highway diesel average. Use a ZIP or permitted location for the regional benchmark, or type your own pump price. The Diesel row shows the active price. See the EIA survey.
Where do I change my truck costs?
Open Truck & pay settings to enter MPG, insurance, truck cost, maintenance, crew percentages, and target margin. Allocate fixed costs to this trip. For example, use two days of insurance on a two-day route. Your browser remembers recurring settings for up to a year.
How do I share a calculation?
Use Copy share link under Route math. Anyone with the link can see the route numbers, including the diesel price and pay assumptions. Trucker Chat is public. Use the contact form for a private question about the calculator.