Model your full operating cost per mile for a Class 8 tractor. Enter your fuel economy, driver wage, insurance, maintenance, and truck payment. The calculator outputs a CPM breakdown and a minimum breakeven rate, pre-filled with the current EIA national diesel average.
EIA diesel pre-fill: $5.608/gal (week of 2026-04-13)
EIA national avg: $5.608/gal
BLS nat. mean: $24.54/hr
Typical liability + cargo: $15k–$25k/yr
Principal + interest only — excludes insurance
Permits, tolls, ELD subscription, etc.
ATRI benchmark: $0.16–$0.22/mi for Class 8
Total cost per mile
$1.951
130,000 annual miles · $253,570/yr total cost
Breakeven rate = total CPM × 1.15 (15% margin).
Benchmarks (ATRI 2023): Total CPM for large TL carriers averages $2.20–$2.50. Owner-operators without truck payment typically run $1.60–$1.90 CPM. Fuel at 7.5 mpg and $3.80/gal = $0.507/mi. Driver wages at the BLS national mean = $0.39–$0.49/mi depending on hours driven. Use the breakeven rate above as a floor when quoting spot loads.
This tool models the total operating cost per mile for a single Class 8 power unit. Enter your weekly mileage, fuel economy in mpg, current diesel price, driver hourly wage and hours per week, annual insurance premium, monthly truck payment, and per-mile maintenance estimate. The calculator divides all annual fixed costs by annual miles driven to produce a per-mile equivalent, then stacks them with variable costs for a complete picture. The breakeven rate adds a 15% margin target above total CPM—loads priced below that number are margin-negative. Use the fuel efficiency page to benchmark your mpg against similar equipment, and the driver wages page to see state-level pay benchmarks for your operating region.
Driver cost input
Driver Wages by State →
BLS mean and median wages for heavy truck drivers in all 50 states.
Fuel cost input
Fuel Efficiency by Truck →
Real-world MPG ranges for every major Class 6–8 make, model, and spec combination.
According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) operational cost survey, large truckload carriers average $2.20–$2.50 per mile in total operating cost. Owner-operators without a truck payment typically run $1.60–$1.90/mi. The largest variables are driver wages (35–40% of total CPM), fuel efficiency, and whether the truck is owned outright or financed.
Total cost per mile equals the sum of all annual operating costs divided by total annual miles driven. Major cost categories are: fuel (gallons per year × diesel price), driver wages (hourly rate × annual hours), insurance (annual premium), maintenance and tires (a per-mile variable), truck payment (monthly payment × 12), and other fixed costs like permits and ELD subscriptions. The calculator above computes each category independently so you can see which line items dominate your cost structure.
A modern GHG21 sleeper (Freightliner Cascadia, Kenworth T680, Peterbilt 579) averages 7.5–9.5 mpg on long-haul highway routes with predictive cruise control enabled. The Volvo VNL 860 with D13TC turbo compound technology leads the segment at 8.0–10.5 mpg. Older GHG17 trucks (2017–2020 model year) typically average 6.5–8.5 mpg. Use 7.5 mpg as a conservative baseline for a mixed-route fleet.
The breakeven rate is the minimum revenue per mile needed to cover all operating costs. The calculator uses total CPM × 1.15 as a simple 15% margin target. A carrier with $2.00 CPM needs to average at least $2.30/mi in revenue to stay profitable before fixed overhead and taxes. Spot rates below your breakeven signal a load that destroys margin — accept it only if idling is worse.
Commercial truck insurance (primary auto liability + cargo) for long-haul OTR carriers typically runs $12,000–$22,000 per power unit per year, depending on driver history, commodities hauled, safety score, and lanes operated. New entrants with limited safety data often pay $18,000–$25,000+ in the current hard insurance market. The calculator defaults to $18,000/yr as a mid-range estimate.
ATRI benchmarks maintenance and tire costs at $0.16–$0.22 per mile for typical Class 8 truckload operations. Tire costs alone run $0.05–$0.08/mi on a standard 18-wheel configuration. A truck under 500,000 miles with a service contract will sit near the low end; a high-mileage post-warranty truck climbing toward overhaul will approach $0.30/mi. The calculator defaults to $0.18/mi.