Break-Even Calculator

Break-even miles depend on your fixed costs and the spread between your rate per mile and variable costs. A typical owner-operator with $4,000-$5,000 in monthly fixed costs and running at $2.50/mile with $0.65/mile variable costs needs roughly 3,000-4,000 miles per month just to cover expenses. Everything above that is profit.

Contribution margin per mile is the amount each mile contributes toward paying off your fixed costs after covering variable costs. It equals your net rate (after dispatch fee) minus your variable cost per mile. For example, if you net $2.30/mile after dispatch and your variable costs are $0.65/mile, your contribution margin is $1.65/mile. Higher contribution margin means fewer miles needed to break even.

Yes — dispatch fees reduce your effective rate per mile. An 8% dispatch fee on a $2.50/mile load means you actually receive $2.30/mile. This calculator accounts for dispatch fees when computing your net rate and break-even point. Ignoring dispatch fees will make your break-even point appear lower than it actually is.

A 10-20% rate drop dramatically increases the miles you need to break even. The sensitivity table in this calculator shows the exact impact. For most owner-operators, a 20% rate drop can push the break-even point past 20 driving days — meaning you may not profit at all that month. This is why having a financial cushion and diversified lanes is critical.

Lower your break-even by reducing fixed costs (refinance truck, shop insurance annually, reduce parking costs), reducing variable costs (improve fuel efficiency, buy tires wholesale, preventative maintenance), or increasing your effective rate (negotiate better loads, reduce deadhead, drop to a lower dispatch fee percentage). Even small improvements compound — saving $200/month in fixed costs can reduce your break-even by 100+ miles.