How to Price Your Trucking Services

Start With Your Cost Per Mile

Every pricing decision starts with one number: your total cost per mile. If you do not know this number, you are guessing — and guessing leads to accepting loads that lose money.

Gather 3 months of operating data and calculate each cost category per mile. Fixed costs (costs that do not change regardless of miles): truck payment ($1,500–$2,500/month), insurance ($800–$1,800/month), permits and licenses ($150–$300/month), ELD and technology ($50–$150/month), and phone ($50–$100/month). Total fixed costs for most owner-operators: $2,550–$4,850/month. At 10,000 miles/month, fixed cost per mile: $0.26–$0.49.

Variable costs (costs that increase with miles): fuel ($0.50–$0.70/mile at $3.60–$4.00/gallon and 6–7 MPG), maintenance ($0.08–$0.18/mile), tires ($0.03–$0.05/mile based on replacement cycle), and tolls ($0.02–$0.05/mile depending on lanes). Total variable cost per mile: $0.63–$0.98.

Semi-variable costs: dispatch fees (5–8% of revenue, so they scale with income), factoring fees (2–4% of revenue), truck washes ($0.01–$0.02/mile), and load board subscriptions ($0.01–$0.02/mile). At $2.50/mile revenue and 7% combined dispatch/factoring: $0.18/mile.

Total operating cost per mile: $1.07–$1.65 (before your personal draw). Add your desired take-home pay: if you want to earn $60,000/year at 120,000 miles, that is $0.50/mile. Total break-even rate with pay: $1.57–$2.15/mile. Your minimum acceptable rate per loaded mile should be at least 10% above this number to provide a profit margin buffer: $1.73–$2.37/mile.

Market-Based Pricing Strategies

Your cost per mile sets the floor. The market sets the ceiling. The goal is to price as close to the ceiling as possible while staying competitive.

Check current market rates on DAT Ratecast, Truckstop Rate Insights, or Greenscreens for every lane you operate. These tools show the average rate, the 75th percentile (what premium carriers earn), and the 25th percentile (what desperate carriers accept). Target the 50th–75th percentile — you are not the cheapest, but you deliver reliably.

Lane-specific pricing is essential. A 500-mile lane from Dallas to Atlanta pays very differently from a 500-mile lane from Atlanta to South Florida. Inbound rates to Florida are chronically low because there is more freight going into Florida than coming out — creating a massive backhaul imbalance. The Dallas-to-Atlanta lane might pay $2.60/mile, while Atlanta-to-Miami pays $1.80/mile. Knowing these lane dynamics lets you price accurately and avoid money-losing runs.

Equipment-based premiums: reefer typically commands $0.20–$0.50/mile above dry van for the same lane due to the specialized equipment and higher cargo responsibility. Flatbed earns $0.30–$0.60 above dry van because of the labor and skill involved. Specialized equipment (tanker, auto hauler, oversized) commands the highest premiums — $0.50–$2.00+ above dry van.

Seasonal pricing adjustments: during peak season (October–December), rates increase 15–25% above annual averages. Price accordingly — do not lock in contract rates that are flat year-round. Negotiate seasonal escalators in your contracts: a base rate of $2.30/mile January–September with a $2.70/mile rate October–December, for example.

Setting Contract Rates vs Spot Market Pricing

Contract rates provide revenue stability but sacrifice upside during peak markets. Spot rates capture market surges but leave you exposed during slumps. The right mix depends on your risk tolerance and cash flow needs.

Contract rate negotiation: when a broker or shipper offers you a dedicated lane, your contract rate should be set at the 60th–70th percentile of the past 12 months' spot market for that lane. This ensures you are earning above average while giving the shipper a discount versus spot pricing. Include quarterly rate reviews — the market changes, and your rate should change with it.

Contract rate formula: (12-month average spot rate for the lane x 0.95) + fuel surcharge. The 5% discount off spot is what the shipper gets for providing consistent volume. Do not discount more than 10% — you are providing reliable capacity and professional service, not giving freight away.

Spot market pricing: quote each load individually based on current market conditions. Your rate should consider: current DAT/Truckstop average for the lane, your deadhead to the pickup (add $0.05–$0.10/mile for every 50 miles of deadhead), time of day (loads posting after 2 PM for next-day pickup command premium rates because they are urgent), and your alternative options (if you have another load available, you can be more aggressive on pricing).

The ideal split for most owner-operators: 50–70% contract freight for base revenue predictability, 30–50% spot market to capture rate surges and fill gaps between contracted loads. Reassess this split quarterly based on market conditions — in a strong freight market, increase your spot percentage to capture higher rates. In a weak market, lean heavier on contract for stability.

Pricing Accessorial Services

Accessorial charges are additional fees beyond the line-haul rate for services that require extra time, labor, or risk. Failing to charge accessorials means you are providing free services that cost you money.

Detention: $50–$100/hour after 2 hours free time. This should be on every rate confirmation. If you average 1 hour of billable detention per load across 200 loads per year at $75/hour, that is $15,000 in annual revenue you might be leaving on the table.

Driver assist/unload: $50–$150 per occurrence. If you are expected to help load or unload, charge for it. Your time at the dock is time you could be driving and earning revenue. Unloading 40,000 pounds of freight by hand takes 2–4 hours — pricing this at $100 values your time at $25–$50/hour.

Stop-off charges: $50–$150 per additional stop beyond the origin and destination listed on the rate con. Multi-stop loads consume more time (each stop adds 1–2 hours for dock-in, unloading, and paperwork) and more fuel (often with miles between stops).

Tarping: $50–$100 per tarp for flatbed loads. Tarping takes 20–45 minutes of physical labor and wear on your tarps (which cost $200–$400 each). Never tarp for free.

Overnight layover: $200–$350 when a shipper or receiver cannot complete loading/unloading in one day and you must stay overnight. Your 10-hour HOS rest period is triggered, costing you the next morning's driving hours.

Hazmat stop premium: $100–$250 for loads requiring hazmat placarding. The risk, training, and insurance exposure justify the premium.

TONU: $150–$500 as discussed earlier.

Include your accessorial rate schedule in your broker-carrier agreement and reference it on every rate confirmation. Brokers who know your accessorial rates upfront are more likely to include them in their load pricing to the shipper — making everyone's life easier.