PRICE THE WORK
Rate Per Mile Calculator + 2026 benchmarks
Enter a load's pay and miles to get your rate per loaded mile, your rate per total (deadhead-adjusted) mile, your profit per mile, and context from September 2026 national spot averages. Compare revenue per total mile with your own costs, including your pay, to assess modeled profit before income tax.
Uses the latest USD cost per mile saved by this browser’s main cost calculator. Review its assumptions before applying it.
Build your own figure with the cost-per-mile calculator, including your pay and overhead. The $2.336 default is ATRI’s industry operating-cost benchmark for 2025, published July 15, 2026. It is historical context, not a measured average for solo owner-operators or a complete budget for your business. ATRI’s primary release.
What counts as a good rate per mile?
Start with your own cost per total mile: fixed costs, fuel, maintenance, tires, other business expenses and your pay, allocated across all the miles you run. There is no verified universal cost range for solo owner-operators on this page. For separate market context, DAT’s September 2026 national broker-to-carrier spot averages were $3.01/mi dry van, $3.62/mi reefer and $3.61/mi flatbed, including fuel. These historical averages are not lane quotes, guaranteed earnings or estimates of your profit. DAT’s October 13 release.
Loaded miles vs. total miles — the trap
A rate quoted per loaded mile excludes unpaid travel. But the deadhead miles you drive to the pickup burn real fuel and wear for zero revenue, so the rate that actually hits your wallet is pay ÷ (loaded + deadhead) miles. A $3.01/mi load with 200 miles of deadhead can pay you less per total mile than a $2.40/mi load sitting right under your wheels. The calculator above always shows you both.
The formula
- Rate per loaded mile = load pay ÷ loaded miles.
- Rate per total mile = load pay ÷ (loaded miles + deadhead miles). This is the one that matters.
- Profit per mile = rate per total mile − your all-in cost per mile.
- Total profit = load pay − (your cost per mile × total miles).
September 2026 spot-rate benchmarks (national averages, incl. fuel surcharge)
| Equipment | Avg spot rate /mi | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Dry van | ~$3.01 | General freight, the largest market |
| Reefer | ~$3.62 | Temperature-controlled (food, pharma) |
| Flatbed | ~$3.61 | Building materials, machinery, steel |
These are September 2026 national monthly broker-to-carrier spot averages, including fuel. Compare them with a loaded-mile quote; compare your total-mile revenue with your own costs. A national average is not a quote for your lane.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good rate per mile for owner-operators in 2026?
A useful rate covers your own complete costs and target profit after all paid and unpaid travel. This page does not establish a typical cost for solo owner-operators. DAT’s September 2026 national spot averages were $3.01/mi dry van, $3.62/mi reefer and $3.61/mi flatbed, including fuel; they are market context, not lane quotes.
Should I use loaded miles or total miles?
Use total miles, including unpaid pickup, return and repositioning travel, to compare revenue with your costs. When unpaid miles are greater than zero, revenue per loaded mile is higher than revenue per total mile; with no unpaid miles, the two are equal.
How do I lower my cost per mile so more loads pencil out?
The big levers are fuel economy, a cheaper truck payment, and running more paid miles per month. Knock down deadhead, and shop fuel — that's why fuel cards and load-board tools can pay for themselves.
Methodology & sources
Cost default: $2.336 per mile, ATRI’s industry operating-cost benchmark for 2025, from its 2026 report. Non-fuel benchmark: $1.854 per mile. These historical industry figures do not establish your individual all-in cost. ATRI’s July 15, 2026 primary release. Spot references: DAT’s September 2026 national monthly broker-to-carrier averages, published October 13, including fuel. Loaded-mile quotes and total-mile costs have different denominators. Checked October 23, 2026. Results are modeled estimates before income tax.