Formula
How this calculator works
Rate per loaded mile is the number brokers quote, and it is the number most drivers compare loads on. Revenue per total mile is what actually happened to your week, because it counts the empty miles you ran to reach the freight.
The gap between those two figures is where a load that looks good stops looking good. This calculator shows both, side by side, with the working.
Rate per loaded mile
Revenue divided by loaded miles. The industry-standard quote, and the one to use when comparing offers on the same lane.
Revenue per total mile
Revenue divided by every mile you drove, loaded and empty. The honest figure for what the load actually earned.
Deadhead share
What proportion of your running was unpaid. The larger this is, the wider the gap between the two rates above.
total miles = loaded miles + deadhead miles rate per loaded mile = revenue ÷ loaded miles revenue per total mile = revenue ÷ total miles
Worked example
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| Revenue | $2,500 |
| Loaded miles | 900 |
| Deadhead miles | 120 |
| Total miles | 1,020 |
| Rate per loaded mile | $2.78 |
| Revenue per total mile | $2.45 |
A twelve percent deadhead share knocks 33 cents off every mile. On a full week that difference is the margin between a good week and a break-even one.
Comparing two loads properly
A load at $2.90 per loaded mile with 200 miles of deadhead can pay less than a load at $2.60 with none. The quoted rate on its own does not tell you which is better — you have to run both through total miles.
| Load A | Load B | |
|---|---|---|
| Quoted rate | $2.90 / loaded mi | $2.60 / loaded mi |
| Loaded miles | 600 | 600 |
| Deadhead to pick up | 200 | 20 |
| Revenue | $1,740 | $1,560 |
| Total miles | 800 | 620 |
| Revenue per total mile | $2.18 | $2.52 |
Load A pays more in absolute terms and quotes a higher rate, but Load B earns 34 cents more on every mile you actually drive — and gets you 180 miles closer to being reloaded.
What this calculator will not tell you
It will not tell you what to charge. Suggested rates depend on your operating cost per mile, your equipment, your lane, the season and the current market — none of which this page can see, and all of which vary enormously between operations.
Anyone publishing a universal “you should charge $X per mile” figure is guessing on your behalf. Work out your own cost per mile, and use these numbers to check whether a load clears it.
The number that matters
Revenue per total mile is the figure to run your business on. Rate per loaded mile is the figure to negotiate with.
Keeping both in view is what stops a string of high-quoting, deadhead-heavy loads from quietly costing you money.
Frequently asked questions
Should deadhead be included in the rate per mile?
Not in the rate per loaded mile, which is the standard way rates are quoted and compared. It matters enormously for revenue per total mile, which is the figure that reflects what you actually earned.
What is a good rate per mile?
That depends entirely on your operating cost per mile, your equipment, your lane and the current market. This calculator gives you your number rather than a benchmark, because a universal figure would be a guess made on your behalf.
Should I include the fuel surcharge?
Include whatever you were actually paid. If you want to see the line-haul rate on its own, enter that figure instead and note which you used so your comparisons stay consistent.
Why is my effective rate so much lower than the quoted rate?
Because deadhead miles earn nothing but still cost fuel, maintenance and driving hours. A twelve percent deadhead share knocks roughly a third off every dollar per mile.
How do I compare two loads properly?
Run both through revenue per total mile, including the deadhead needed to reach each one. A higher quoted rate with 200 miles of deadhead frequently pays less than a lower rate with none.
Does this account for my operating costs?
No. It calculates revenue. Fuel, maintenance, insurance, payments and everything else come out of that figure. Work out your own cost per mile and use these numbers to check whether a load clears it.
What counts as revenue?
The gross line-haul plus any accessorials you were actually paid for that load. Be consistent about whether you include the fuel surcharge, or your comparisons will not mean anything.
Should I calculate per load or per week?
Both are useful for different reasons. Per load tells you whether an offer is worth taking. Per week smooths out the one good trip and the one bad one, and is the better guide to how the business is actually running.
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