Load Profitability Calculator
Determine the true profit on any load by accounting for fuel, operating costs, and deadhead miles before you accept the haul.
Results
Visualization
How It Works
Every load looks profitable on the rate confirmation. Most are not. The honest profit number subtracts fuel at your real MPG, every deadhead mile to the shipper, fixed cost share for the day, and any accessorial drag — lumpers, detention, scale tickets. ATRI 2025 pegs marginal cost per mile at $1.83 for owner-operators, including driver compensation. A $2,800 line haul on 800 loaded miles with 100 deadhead doesn't net $2,800 minus fuel — it nets the rate minus 900 miles of total cost. Run the math before the dispatch call, not after the settlement.
The Formula
Worked Example
Broker calls with a Memphis→Houston dry van: $2,800 line haul, 645 PCMiler miles, current truck sits in Nashville (208 deadhead). Diesel at the Pilot in Lebanon shows $4.28; truck logged 6.7 MPG last 30 days. Fuel CPM = $4.28/6.7 = $0.639. Other CPM from last quarter's books = $0.58. Total miles 853 x $1.219 = $1,040. Net = $2,800 - $1,040 = $1,760, margin 62.9%, profit per total mile $2.06. Same load sourced 30 miles from current location: $2,500 rate with 30 deadhead. Total miles 675 x $1.219 = $823. Net = $1,677. The lower-rate load is $83 thinner but frees 14 hours of clock time.
Practical Tips
- Compute fuel CPM with last 30 days of pump receipts divided by actual gallons, not the truck's display average. Display MPG runs 0.3-0.5 MPG optimistic on most ELDs.
- Add a $50-$75 per hour penalty for any shipper or receiver flagged for chronic detention on FreightWaves Carrier411 or your load board's facility ratings. A four-hour delay = $200-$300 off the profit line.
- DAT spot 2026 averages: dry van $2.18, reefer $2.42, flatbed $2.66 per loaded mile. If a load comes in 15%+ below that and the lane has options, pass. Brokers post bait at low rates to fish for desperate carriers.
- Factor lumper fees as a cash drag, not an expense. A $250 lumper paid Friday and reimbursed in 28 days at 3% factoring costs you $7.50 plus opportunity cost. Get reimbursement on the rate con or don't book.
- Run two profit numbers per load: variable-only (this calculator) and fully loaded (variable + daily fixed cost share). Daily fixed cost = monthly fixed / 22 working days. At $5,500/month that's $250/day off the variable margin.
- Build a 'walk-away rate' per lane and refuse to chase below it. A documented Memphis→Atlanta minimum of $1.85/mi keeps brokers honest and saves time on dead-end calls.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's a fair profit margin on variable costs in 2026?
Variable-cost margins (this calculator) of 55-70% are typical for healthy owner-operators on solid lanes. Once you fold in fixed cost share — truck payment, insurance, permits — the true net margin lands at 18-28%. Below 50% on the variable line means the load probably loses money after fixed costs.
Why does my settlement show less than this calculator predicts?
Settlements deduct factoring (1-3% recourse, 3-5% non-recourse), dispatch percentage (5-10%), fuel advance fees ($5-$15 per draw), permits, and ELD fees. A $1,765 calculated profit becomes roughly $1,500-$1,580 net after a typical owner-operator stack of factoring 2.5% + dispatch 8%.
Should fixed costs go in 'Other Cost Per Mile'?
Yes if you want all-in profit, no if you want load-vs-load comparison. For decisions between two competing loads, leave fixed costs out — they don't change between them. For 'should I run this lane' decisions, divide monthly fixed costs by typical monthly miles and add to the per-mile number.
How do I price detention into this calculator?
Estimate hourly cost at $55-$75 (driver wage opportunity + truck idling) and multiply by predicted hours over two free hours standard. A facility known for 5-hour wait times: 3 billable hours x $65 = $195 to add to the load cost line. If the broker won't book detention pay upfront, treat it as expense.
When is a load profitable on rate but unprofitable on time?
Whenever HOS clock burn, slow detention, or layovers prevent the next load. A $2,000 load that consumes 18 driving hours plus a 10-hour reset is worth less than a $1,500 load running 9 hours that frees you for a Monday morning pickup. Track loads per week, not just dollars per load.
How much should accessorial fees affect my booking decision?
Accessorials are a tell. If a shipper requires hand unload, lumpers, multiple stops, or scale tickets, add 8-12% to the operating cost line. A $2.20/mi load to a Walmart DC at $250 lumper plus 4 hours detention bleeds back to $1.85/mi after the dust settles.
Why is my deadhead percentage hurting profit more than rates?
Deadhead miles burn fuel and CPM with zero offsetting revenue. A 15% deadhead on a $2.40 loaded RPM creates $2.04 effective RPM. A 25% deadhead drops the same load to $1.80. ATRI 2025 found owner-ops with deadhead under 12% earned 22-30% more annual profit than peers running 18%+ deadhead at identical loaded rates.