Owner-operator trucking cost benchmarks
By Srikanth M., independent developer and CostPerMile maintainer. Methodology and corrections are documented below.
At October 2026 diesel prices, many solo dry-van operations land around $2.10–$2.80 per total mile, including owner pay, before unusual equipment costs are added. A loaded-mile floor is higher when the truck runs empty miles. Your own CPM is the number to book against.
Planning ranges help you spot an input that deserves a second look. They do not replace your truck's books, a current fuel quote, or a lane-specific rate.
Download the model CSV · Use it to audit the assumptions, cite the table, or build your own scenario. Last generated October 9, 2026 with EIA diesel at $6.199/gal (week of October 5, 2026).
What does each equipment type cost per mile?
All-in planning ranges including owner pay at October 2026 diesel: dry van $2.10–$2.80, reefer $2.30–$3.05, flatbed $2.25–$3.00, hotshot $1.50–$2.00, box truck $1.45–$1.95, and sprinter $1.05–$1.45 per mile.
These are CostPerMile planning ranges assembled from the cost categories described by ATRI and the site's equipment assumptions. They are not a market quote or a promise of profit.
| Equipment | Planning CPM | Typical pressure points |
|---|---|---|
| Dry van | $2.10–$2.80 | Payment, insurance, fuel, deadhead |
| Reefer | $2.30–$3.05 | Reefer fuel, service, cargo coverage |
| Flatbed | $2.25–$3.00 | Securement, permits, insurance, detention |
| Hotshot | $1.50–$2.00 | Fuel economy, utilization, deadhead |
| Box truck | $1.45–$1.95 | Low utilization, driver time, repairs |
| Sprinter | $1.05–$1.45 | Lower rates, maintenance, route density |
Each range runs from 10% below to 20% above the matching scenario in the CSV (all-in cost including owner pay), rounded to $0.05. Ranges are planning context, reviewed October 9, 2026. Use the calculator with your actual payment, insurance, fuel, miles, and maintenance reserve.
How does deadhead change the rate you need?
Cost per total mile spreads cost over every mile the truck runs. A load is quoted on loaded miles, so the required loaded-mile rate must recover the empty leg too. At 15% deadhead, the dry-van scenario's $2.32 all-mile cost is about $2.73 per loaded mile before a profit margin.
Do not compare a loaded-mile broker quote with an all-mile CPM without making this adjustment. Use the load profit calculator for a specific load.
What belongs in the number
| Bucket | Examples | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Fixed | Truck, trailer, insurance, permits, parking, ELD, accounting | Still accrues when the truck sits |
| Running | Fuel, routine maintenance, tires, tolls, scales | Grows with miles and equipment |
| Reserve | Engine, transmission, aftertreatment, replacement equipment | Prevents one repair from becoming high-cost debt |
| Owner pay | Your wage or driver compensation target | Separates business profit from unpaid labor |
Authority setup context
FMCSA's filing fee is only one line. Insurance down payment, IRP, Form 2290, BOC-3, consortium, ELD, permits, truck down payment, and a cash buffer can dominate the first-year capital requirement. Enter your actual quotes in the authority cost estimator; leave insurance and state-specific items editable rather than trusting a national average.
Methodology and sources
Cost categories follow the ATRI Operational Costs of Trucking framework, while fuel inputs come from the U.S. EIA. Authority references use FMCSA and IRS Form 2290. See the full sources and methodology page for update and correction practices.
By Srikanth M. · Last reviewed October 9, 2026 · Estimates for planning only, not tax, legal, insurance, or financial advice.
Change log
- October 9, 2026. Diesel input updated from $6.529/gal (week of September 21, 2026) to the EIA U.S. weekly average of $6.199/gal (week of October 5, 2026). All ranges moved down about $0.05; dry van went from $2.15–$2.85 to $2.10–$2.80. Added IFTA Q4 2026 rates (US diesel unchanged from Q3, provisional until December 4).
- September 25, 2026. Diesel input updated from $3.85/gal to the EIA U.S. weekly average of $6.529/gal (week of September 21, 2026), now applied to every equipment type (hotshot, box truck, and sprinter previously used $3.55). The CSV is now generated by the same cost-per-mile formula the calculators use, and each range is derived from its scenario by a stated rule. This also corrects box truck and sprinter scenarios that sat below their published ranges. All ranges moved; dry van went from $1.80–$2.40 to $2.15–$2.85.
- September 16, 2026. First published.
How to cite this benchmark
CostPerMile. “Owner-Operator Trucking Cost Benchmarks 2026.” CostPerMile, reviewed October 9, 2026. https://costpermiles.com/benchmarks/
This is an original planning model, not a survey or a claim about the average carrier. It combines editable assumptions with public source categories so another operator can reproduce the result.
Licensed CC BY 4.0: reuse the ranges and the CSV freely with credit to CostPerMile and a link to this page.
Get future benchmark updates
Monthly planning ranges, fuel context, and compliance reminders. Confirm your subscription from the email Buttondown sends.
See the privacy policy.