Offered a load or a lease as a percentage of the freight instead of cents per mile? Enter the split, the load's linehaul rate, and the flat per-mile offer to see which pays more — and the exact load rate where percentage starts to win.
Estimate only. The percentage is applied to the linehaul rate you enter — confirm whether your split is on linehaul only or on gross including fuel surcharge, since that changes the comparison. Break-even linehaul = fixed per-mile ÷ split.
Whichever pay structure you take, it only works if it clears your own cost per mile. TruckMargin Pro saves your truck's numbers and checks any load or offer in seconds — $9/mo founding rate.
See Pro →The trap with comparing a percentage split to a per-mile rate is that they're quoted in different units, so you can't eyeball them. The fix is to put both in dollars per mile. A percentage deal pays you your split of the load's linehaul revenue, which per mile is simply split × linehaul rate per mile. Line that up against the flat cents-per-mile offer and the winner is obvious — for that load. The catch is that a percentage moves with the rate, so the answer flips depending on how good the freight is.
There's one rate where the two are exactly equal — the break-even linehaul rate. It's your fixed per-mile offer divided by your split: break-even = per-mile ÷ split. Above that linehaul rate the percentage pays more; below it the flat per-mile pays more. Against a $1.60/mile flat offer, here's the linehaul a load must beat for each split to come out ahead:
| Percentage split | vs $1.40/mi flat | vs $1.60/mi flat | vs $1.80/mi flat |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60% | $2.33/mi | $2.67/mi | $3.00/mi |
| 65% | $2.15/mi | $2.46/mi | $2.77/mi |
| 70% | $2.00/mi | $2.29/mi | $2.57/mi |
| 75% | $1.87/mi | $2.13/mi | $2.40/mi |
| 80% | $1.75/mi | $2.00/mi | $2.25/mi |
Read it as: the load's linehaul must beat the number in the cell for that percentage split to out-earn the flat per-mile rate. Break-even = flat per-mile ÷ split.
Percentage pay is mainly a leased-owner-operator arrangement — company drivers are usually paid per mile, and only some flatbed and specialized drivers see a percentage. Representative 2026 ranges (confirm your own contract; these are industry norms, not guarantees):
| Arrangement | Typical split of linehaul |
|---|---|
| O/O leased on, owns tractor (carrier trailer) | ~65–72% |
| O/O leased on, owns tractor + trailer | ~70–78% |
| Split quoted on linehaul only (FSC separate) | Higher headline % |
| Split quoted on gross incl. fuel surcharge | Lower headline % |
| Company driver percentage (flatbed/specialized) | ~25–30% |
A 68%-of-linehaul deal and a 62%-of-gross deal can pay very differently. Always ask which revenue base the percentage is calculated on before you compare — it's the single most common way an offer looks better than it is.
Percentage rewards a strong market and good lanes and hurts in a soft one; a fixed per-mile is predictable and floor-protected. If you run high-value freight or expect firm rates, a good split can out-earn per-mile handily. If you value a plannable paycheck, or the market is soft, the per-mile often wins outright — and always wins below the break-even rate above. Whatever you take, measure it against your own cost per mile: a pay number only matters relative to what the truck costs to run. If you're weighing the bigger picture, our owner-operator vs. company driver calculator and take-home pay calculator put real dollars on it.
It depends on the rate. Percentage pays split × linehaul rate, so it beats a flat per-mile only above the break-even (per-mile ÷ split). At 70% vs a $1.60/mi flat, percentage wins only when the load's linehaul beats about $2.29/mi. Strong market → percentage usually wins; soft market → per-mile is safer and often higher.
Multiply the split (as a decimal) by the load's linehaul rate per mile. 70% on a $2.50/mi linehaul = 0.70 × $2.50 = $1.75/mi. For a whole load, take your percentage of the linehaul revenue and divide by miles run.
Owning the tractor, commonly ~65–72% of linehaul; owning the trailer too can reach ~70–78%. Linehaul-only splits run higher than of-gross splits that already include the fuel surcharge — confirm which base applies.
Not always. Some carriers pay the split on linehaul only and pass fuel surcharge through separately; others quote a percentage of gross that bundles it in. Ask exactly what revenue the split is calculated on before comparing offers.
Predictability. A fixed per-mile is known before you take the load and can't be dragged down by a soft market or a cheap load. Percentage rises and falls with the rate, so per-mile is often preferred for steady, plannable income.
Percentage pay per mile = split × load linehaul rate per mile. Difference per mile = percentage pay per mile − fixed per-mile offer. Break-even linehaul rate = fixed per-mile offer ÷ split (the rate at which the two are equal). Monthly difference = difference per mile × paid miles. Percentage-split ranges are representative 2026 industry norms for leased owner-operators and vary by carrier, equipment, and whether the split is on linehaul or gross — verify your lease. Spot-rate context: mid-2026 national linehaul averages run roughly $2.38 dry van / $2.68 reefer / $2.94 flatbed before fuel surcharge (DAT national benchmarks). Last updated July 2026. Estimate for planning only — not financial advice. Built by TruckMargin.