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Profit per mile worksheet

Box Truck Profit Calculator

Estimate loaded revenue, deadhead drag, fuel, maintenance, insurance, truck payment, dispatch fees, factoring fees, net profit per mile, and break-even revenue before booking a lane.

Default break-even revenue

$7,916

Based on 5,200 loaded miles at $2.25 per loaded mile.

Profit worksheet

Choose operating mode

The toggle updates authority-sensitive costs; every input remains editable.

Live break-even
Miles and revenue
mi

Paid miles you expect to run before deadhead is added.

%

Empty miles as a percent of loaded miles.

$

Average gross rate before dispatch, factoring, fuel, and fixed costs.

Variable costs
$

Use your local diesel price or a conservative lane average.

mpg

Box trucks often vary widely by weight, idling, and city miles.

$

Cash set aside per all mile for tires, brakes, liftgate, oil, and repairs.

Fixed costs and fees
$

Loan, lease, or rental payment assigned to the truck.

$

Own-authority coverage usually carries more fixed monthly cost.

$

ELD, routing, compliance, load boards, and admin subscriptions.

%

Percent of gross loaded revenue paid to a dispatcher, if used.

%

Percent held back for invoice advances or collections.

Cost-per-mile math

Read the result as a lane test, not a guarantee

A box truck can show positive gross revenue and still miss owner pay once unpaid miles, fuel, repairs, fixed costs, and receivables fees are included. Replace the defaults with quotes, actual fuel prices, and lane history before buying equipment for a route.

All-mile revenue

Loaded revenue divided by loaded miles plus deadhead miles, so empty repositioning is not hidden.

Cost per all mile

Fuel, maintenance, truck payment, insurance, software, dispatch, and factoring divided by total miles.

Break-even rate

Monthly costs divided by planned loaded miles after fee percentages are added back to the target.

Variable cost ranges to pressure-test

Fuel and maintenance are shown per all mile because loaded-only math can understate the real cost of deadhead.

Fuel

Per-mile fuel estimate driven by diesel price, MPG, idling, and deadhead.

Low$0.45/mi

Base$0.62/mi

High$0.85/mi

Maintenance reserve

Cash set aside for tires, brakes, liftgate, oil, and unscheduled repairs.

Low$0.12/mi

Base$0.22/mi

High$0.40/mi

Fixed monthly costs in the break-even target

Truck payment, insurance, and software must be covered even when miles or rates come in below plan.

Monthly insurance

New ventures, higher limits, financed trucks, and metro garaging can raise this quickly.

Low$650

Base$1,100

High$1,800

Break-even guidance

Use the target rate before accepting low-margin freight

If the required loaded-mile rate is near or above the loads you can actually book, the plan needs lower fixed costs, better loaded-mile density, fewer fees, or more operating cash before launch.

Startup budget Check truck down payment, deposits, gear, repairs, and operating cash. Startup cost guide Review one-time costs that become fixed monthly pressure. Insurance cost guide Price coverage inputs before relying on the monthly premium. Launch checklist Confirm authority, equipment, load access, fuel, and cash steps.

Box truck profit calculator FAQ

What is a good profit per mile for a box truck?

There is no universal target because rates, deadhead, fuel, insurance, and truck payments vary. Use the calculator to compare net profit per all mile after every fixed and variable cost, then decide whether the result leaves enough owner pay and reserve.

Should I calculate profit on loaded miles or all miles?

Use both, but treat all-mile profit as the safer planning number. Loaded-mile revenue can look strong while unpaid deadhead miles consume fuel, maintenance, and driver time.

How does deadhead affect box truck profit?

Deadhead lowers revenue per all mile because the same gross load revenue is spread across more miles. It also adds fuel and maintenance costs, so even a small deadhead change can move the break-even rate.

Why include factoring and dispatch fees?

Those fees usually come out of gross load revenue. Adding them to the worksheet keeps the break-even revenue from overstating take-home profit before owner pay.