// INPUTS
Fixed costs for the window ($)
Variable costs for the window ($)
Miles
// YOUR NUMBERS
A run paying between your floor and full CPM still contributes to fixed costs — fine when the truck would sit, corrosive as a steady diet.
Track this automatically from real settlementsHow this calculator works
Cost per mile = total operating costs ÷ total miles. The calculator splits costs the way operators should think about them: fixed costs (truck payments, insurance, permits, overhead) accrue whether the wheels turn or not, while variable costs (driver pay, fuel, maintenance, tolls) follow every mile. Use 4–8 weeks of real settlement, fuel, payroll, and maintenance data so one-off repairs don't distort the result — and recompute monthly, because fuel and maintenance drift.
The full method, with a worksheet and how to use CPM for run acceptance and keep/sell decisions, is in the guide: Linehaul cost per mile: how to calculate yours.
Frequently asked questions
What costs should I include in cost per mile?
Everything the business pays: driver wages and payroll costs, fuel net of surcharge recovery, truck payments or depreciation, maintenance and tires, insurance, permits and tolls, and overhead like software and admin. If the business pays it, a mile carries it.
What is a good cost per mile for linehaul?
There is no universal benchmark — CPM moves with region, wages, equipment age, and fuel. What matters is knowing your own number, keeping it current monthly, and knowing your variable-only floor for run-acceptance decisions.
Why compute variable-only CPM separately?
Variable-only CPM is your absolute floor: a run paying below it loses cash on every mile. Runs between the floor and full CPM still contribute to fixed costs, which can make sense when the truck would otherwise sit idle.
How many weeks of data should I use?
Four to eight weeks smooths out one-off repairs and fuel swings without going stale. Recompute monthly — a stale CPM is a wrong CPM.