Dry Van Cost Per Mile Calculator: Break-Even Rate in Seconds

Dry Van Cost Per Mile Calculator

Your dry van cost per mile is every dollar the truck and trailer cost you in a month divided by the miles you run. This calculator adds fixed costs, fuel, maintenance and tires, then grosses up for the dispatch fee and empty miles to show the lowest rate per loaded mile that covers your costs and your pay.

Updated October 2026. Runs in your browser; nothing you type is sent to us.

What your cost per mile result means

Your cost per mile is what it costs to run the truck and trailer for one mile, loaded or empty: fixed costs spread over your miles, plus fuel, maintenance and tires. The bar shows how much of it is fixed, fuel and running costs.
Break-even, all miles is what you need to gross per mile driven to cover those costs after the dispatch fee.
Break-even, loaded miles is the same thing per paid mile. It's higher because empty miles earn nothing. This is the number to compare with a load's rate per loaded mile.
With your pay adds the take-home you entered. This is your real floor: the lowest rate per loaded mile that pays the truck and you.
Monthly gross needed is what the truck has to bring in each month at that rate and mileage.

How cost per mile is calculated

fixed per month      = truck + trailer + insurance + other fixed
fixed per mile       = fixed per month / total miles per month
fuel per mile        = diesel price / mpg
variable per mile    = fuel per mile + maintenance per mile + tires per mile
cost per mile        = fixed per mile + variable per mile
break-even all miles = cost per mile / (1 - dispatch fee %)
break-even loaded    = break-even all miles / (1 - empty share)
with your pay        = (cost per mile + your pay / total miles) / (1 - dispatch fee %)
                       then / (1 - empty share) for loaded miles

Assumptions

Example defaults (payments, insurance, diesel, mpg, maintenance, tires, pay) are placeholders, not market data. Replace every one with your own numbers.
The dispatch fee options come from our pricing: our single-truck rate, our fleet rate, or none. We charge only on loads you haul, so in a month with fewer loads the fee is lower too.
Tolls, lumpers and scale tickets vary by load, so they're left to the load profit calculator.
Taxes like the heavy vehicle use tax and quarterly estimates aren't included; add a monthly amount for them under "Other fixed" if you want them in the floor.
ATRI's average is shown for context only. It's a fleet survey that includes driver wages and benefits, so an owner-operator's number will look different.

Using your cost per mile before accepting a load

Set your floor once a month. Enter real numbers from last month and note your loaded break-even with pay.
Compare every load to it. A load's linehaul per loaded mile, minus any deadhead to reach it, has to beat that floor. Check current market levels on our dry van rates guide so you know when the market itself is below your floor.
Watch the miles input. Fewer miles in a month raise your fixed cost per mile. A week of home time costs you more than the lost revenue.
Attack empty miles. Moving from 15 to 10 percent empty lowers the loaded rate you need without changing a single cost.
Revisit after big changes: a new truck payment, an insurance renewal, a fuel price swing.

Knowing your number is half the job. The other half is finding dry van loads above it, week after week. That's what our dry van dispatch service does: you give us your minimum, and we negotiate every load to beat it. Browse all our free dry van calculators.

Cost per mile calculator FAQ

What is a good cost per mile for a dry van owner-operator?

There isn't one number that fits every truck. It depends on your payments, insurance, fuel economy and how many miles you run. What matters is knowing yours, so you can turn down loads that pay less than it. For context, ATRI's 2025 industry average was $2.336 per mile, but that includes driver wages and fleet overhead.

Should I divide by loaded miles or total miles?

Cost per mile uses total miles, because the truck burns fuel and wears tires on empty miles too. The break-even per loaded mile then divides by the share of miles that are loaded, since only loaded miles get paid. That's why cutting deadhead lowers the rate you need.

Why does my pay go into the calculation?

Because a truck that only covers its costs pays you nothing. Put the monthly amount you want to take home in 'Your pay per month' to get a target rate. Set it to zero to see pure break-even.

How is this different from the load profit calculator?

This one works out your costs and floor rate for a whole month. The load profit calculator takes one load and tells you what it leaves after fuel, fees and dock time. Use this one to set your minimum, and the load calculator to check each load against it.

Where do I find my maintenance and tire cost per mile?

From your records: add up repairs, preventive maintenance and tires for the last six to twelve months and divide by the miles in the same period. If you're new and have no history, use an estimate, then replace it as your records build.

Results are estimates for planning, not financial, tax or legal advice. Check every load's rate confirmation before you accept it.

Four answers. A dispatcher calls you back.