Accepting a load without running the numbers is how owner-operators go broke slowly. The load rate looks fine. Then you factor in deadhead miles, fuel at the current diesel price, and the broker's 20% cut — and you're under your cost per mile. This guide gives you the exact calculation to run before you confirm any load.
The Only Number That Matters: Net Revenue Per Mile
Everything reduces to this formula:
If this number is above your cost per mile, the load is profitable. If it's below, you're paying to haul someone else's freight.
Step 1: Know Your Loaded Rate Per Mile
Start with the gross rate from the broker's rate confirmation. If the rate is $1,850 for a 650-mile haul, your loaded rate is:
$1,850 ÷ 650 miles = $2.85/mile (loaded)
That number alone tells you nothing. It ignores broker fees, fuel, and the empty miles you drove to the pickup.
Step 2: Factor in Deadhead Miles
Deadhead miles are the empty miles you drive to the pickup location. They cost you fuel and time but generate zero revenue. If you drove 80 empty miles to pick up that 650-mile load, your total trip is 730 miles.
Actual rate per total mile = $1,850 ÷ 730 miles = $2.53/mile
Already 12% lower than the advertised rate. This is why experienced operators keep deadhead miles under 15% of loaded miles. High deadhead percentages kill margins even on good-paying loads.
Step 3: Calculate Your Fuel Cost
Fuel is your biggest variable cost. Use this formula:
Example: 730 miles ÷ 6.5 MPG × $3.89/gallon = $437
Key variables to track:
- Your actual MPG: Average semi gets 5.5–7.5 MPG depending on truck, load weight, terrain, and driving speed. Know your real number.
- Fuel price along the route: Use GasBuddy or Trucker Path to find the cheapest diesel along your route. A $0.15/gallon difference over 730 miles saves $17. Small, but it compounds across 50+ loads a month.
- Fuel surcharges: Many shippers pay a fuel surcharge on top of the base rate. Confirm whether the rate you're quoted includes or excludes FSC.
Step 4: Subtract the Broker Commission
If you're running through a freight broker, they keep a percentage off the top — typically 15%–25%. Some post the load net of their cut; others show gross. Confirm which you're seeing.
On a $1,850 load with a 20% broker cut:
Your take: $1,850 × 0.80 = $1,480
Now your net rate per total mile drops to:
$1,480 ÷ 730 = $2.03/mile
Getting closer to reality. One more step.
Step 5: Subtract Fixed Costs Per Mile
Fixed costs are expenses you pay regardless of whether you run or sit: truck payment, insurance, permits, ELD, and phone. Divide your monthly fixed costs by your monthly miles to get a per-mile figure.
Example monthly fixed costs:
| Truck payment | $2,200 |
| Insurance (liability + cargo + PD) | $1,100 |
| Permits + UCR + IFTA | $150 |
| ELD + phone + load board | $120 |
| Monthly fixed total | $3,570 |
If you run 10,000 miles/month: $3,570 ÷ 10,000 = $0.36/mile fixed cost
Net revenue after fixed costs: $2.03 − $0.36 = $1.67/mile
Step 6: Subtract Maintenance Reserve
Every mile adds wear to tires, brakes, engine, and transmission. Most experienced operators reserve $0.10–$0.20/mile for maintenance. If you're running an older truck, reserve $0.20. Newer truck? $0.10 is reasonable.
Using $0.15/mile: $1.67 − $0.15 = $1.52/mile
Your True Profit Per Mile
On this example load:
| Gross rate | $1,850 |
| − Broker commission (20%) | −$370 |
| − Fuel (730 mi @ 6.5 mpg × $3.89) | −$437 |
| − Fixed cost allocation ($0.36 × 730 mi) | −$263 |
| − Maintenance reserve ($0.15 × 730 mi) | −$110 |
| Net profit | $670 |
| Net per total mile | $0.92/mile |
$670 profit on what looked like an $1,850 load. That's your business reality, not the broker's posted rate.
What Rate Do You Actually Need?
Work backwards from your income goal. If you want to net $8,000/month after all costs (including paying yourself), and you run 10,000 miles/month with 15% deadhead:
Required net profit per mile = $8,000 ÷ 10,000 = $0.80/mile
Required total revenue per total mile = $0.80 + $0.36 (fixed) + $0.15 (maintenance) + fuel per mile (~$0.60) = $1.91/mile minimum
Adding broker commission back: $1.91 ÷ 0.80 = $2.39/mile gross loaded rate minimum
Run this calculation for your own numbers. Write the result down. Post it on your dash. That's your walk-away number — every load that doesn't clear it costs you money.
Run It in Under 30 Seconds
Doing this math in your head while a dispatcher is waiting for a decision is how you make mistakes. RoadVault's load board lets you enter the rate, distance, and deadhead miles and instantly see your net profit before you book. You're one tap away from knowing if the load is worth taking.