How rate per mile is calculated
Rate per mile is the total pay for a load divided by every mile you drive to haul it. That means loaded miles plus deadhead, the empty miles from wherever you are to the shipper. Brokers like to quote the rate against loaded miles only because it looks better. Your truck burns fuel on all of them.
Rate per mile = rate ÷ (loaded miles + deadhead miles)
Why the gross number lies to you
A good rate per mile is a start, not an answer. It is gross pay. Before any of it is yours, a few things come off the top:
- Deadhead. A load 200 miles away pays nothing for those 200 miles.
- Fuel. Usually your biggest cost per load, and it scales with total miles, not loaded miles.
- Dispatch and factoring fees. They come out as a percentage of the gross, so they grow with the rate.
- Tolls. Small on most lanes, painful on a few.
And after all that, the truck payment, insurance and maintenance still have to get paid out of what is left.
A worked example
A broker offers $1,500 for a 500-mile run. You are 200 miles from the shipper. Your truck gets 6.5 mpg, diesel is $3.85 a gallon, your dispatcher takes 10%, factoring takes 3%, and there is $20 in tolls. Here is what HaulSave's calculator does with it:
- Rate
- $1,500
- Total miles
- 700 (500 loaded + 200 deadhead)
- Rate per mile
- $2.14/mi
- Fuel (6.5 mpg at $3.85/gal)
- − $414.62
- Dispatch (10%)
- − $150
- Factoring (3%)
- − $45
- Tolls
- − $20
- Net profit
- $870.38
- Net per mile
- $1.24/mi
On loaded miles alone that load looks like $3.00/mi. Count the deadhead and the real rate per mile is $2.14/mi, and those empty miles cost you $118.47 in fuel on their own. After fees you keep $870.38, or $1.24/mi net. That still has to cover your truck payment, insurance and maintenance before you see a dime of profit.
What a good rate per mile looks like
There is no single number. Flatbed pays differently from dry van, Q4 pays differently from February, and a dedicated lane pays differently from the spot board. The number that matters is your own floor: add up your monthly fixed costs, divide by the miles you run in a month, and add your fuel and fees per mile. Anything under that loses money no matter how it is quoted.
For current benchmarks by trailer type and season, read what a good rate per mile looks like in 2026.
When to walk away from a load
- The net per mile does not cover your fixed costs per mile. You are paying to haul it.
- Deadhead is more than about a fifth of the trip and the rate does not make up for it.
- It drops you in a dead market where the next load means another long empty run.
- The shipper is known for holding trucks and the load has no detention pay.
- A cheaper-looking load closer to you would actually leave more money after fuel.
Saying no is free. Hauling a load that loses money costs you a day and a tank of fuel.
Questions drivers ask
How do you calculate rate per mile?
Divide the total rate by every mile the load makes you drive: loaded miles plus deadhead miles. A $1,500 load with 500 loaded miles and 200 deadhead miles pays $2.14/mi, not the $3.00/mi you get from loaded miles alone.
Should deadhead miles count in rate per mile?
Yes. You burn fuel, wear tires and spend hours on deadhead the same as on loaded miles. Leaving them out makes a short, far-away load look better than it is.
What is the difference between rate per mile and net per mile?
Rate per mile is the gross pay spread over your miles. Net per mile is what is left after fuel, dispatch and factoring fees, tolls and driver pay. Two loads with the same rate per mile can leave very different money in your account.
What is a good rate per mile for an owner-operator?
It depends on your equipment, lanes and season, but the real floor is your own cost to run a mile plus the profit you need. A rate that clears your costs with room to spare is good. One that only covers fuel is not.
Is this rate per mile calculator free?
Yes. The calculator on this page is free with no sign-up. The full HaulSave calculator, which uses your own truck's MPG, fuel price, fees and tolls, is free for your first 5 loads with no card required. Pro plans start at $19.99/month.
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