Trucking costing calculators

Your real cost per km, TAKE / NEGOTIATE / PASS on a load, the fair fuel surcharge and this quarter's IFTA. 4 free tools, every formula shown, CAD before GST/HST.

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Load Decision Calculator

Load rate, km, deadhead, and your cost per km in. TAKE, NEGOTIATE, or PASS with a suggested counter rate out.

Open on its own page

Measure in

Load rate offered

Linehaul only, before surcharge.

Loaded km

Your cost per km

$/km

From the Owner-Op cost calculator.

Deadhead km

Empty to the pickup, plus the expected empty run after.

Fuel surcharge

Total FSC on this load, if paid separately.

How this is calculated

All-in km = loaded + deadhead. Deadhead is not free.

Rate per km = (rate + surcharge) ÷ all-in km.

Profit = (rate + surcharge) − (all-in km × your cost per km).

TAKE at 15%+ margin. NEGOTIATE between 0-15%. PASS below breakeven. Suggested ask targets 15% margin, rounded up to the nearest $25.

Prices are before GST/HST. Add tax on top of the price shown, never inside your margin. Estimates, not advice.

Verdict

Negotiate before you take it

Only $306 profit. Counter at $2,125.

Profit on this load$306

Rate per km (all-in): $1.35/km
Profit on load: $306
Margin: 14.6%
Suggested counter: $2,125

Conservative yearly leak$1,200

Taking loads like this instead of the counter, at 8 a month, halved because some brokers will move.

Save in the load board

More trucking tools, by job

Price · What it costs and what to charge

Owner-Operator Cost Per Km CalculatorFuel, insurance, truck payment, maintenance, and fixed costs converted to a single cost per km (or per mile) and breakeven rate.Open Fuel Surcharge CalculatorBase diesel price in the contract, diesel this week, your L/100km. Fair surcharge per km and for the load, against the broker's.Open IFTA EstimatorKm and litres by province or state with the tax rate. Fuel used, tax owed, tax paid at the pump and the net bill or credit.Open

Trucking guides

All guides

Should I take this load? TAKE / NEGOTIATE / PASSRate plus surcharge against all the km including deadhead at your cost per km. A verdict and the counter to ask for.2 min read Owner-operator cost per km calculatorFuel per km, maintenance per km, and every fixed cost spread over the km you really run. Any rate under it loses money.3 min read Fuel surcharge calculator: is the broker covering your diesel?The linehaul rate was built on a diesel price. When diesel is higher, the surcharge is supposed to make up the difference. Check that it does.3 min read IFTA calculator: how much will I owe this quarter?IFTA charges you tax where you drove, credits you tax where you bought. The bill is the difference. Estimate it before it lands.4 min read

Keep it

Your load board

Your truck's costs once, then a verdict on every load you log and the month's profit. Saved on this device, free.

Open the load board

Field Pack

Owner-Op CPM Workbook

The printable worksheets, templates, and benchmarks behind this calculator. $49, one-time.