Logistics & Freight Runs locally Ready to use Built-in examples No tracking

Trip Cost Calculator

Work out what one run actually costs: enter distance, fuel consumption per 100 km and fuel price, add tolls, loading, driver pay and other costs, and the tool returns the total cost and cost per kilometre. Enter the freight revenue to see profit and margin, with deadhead return fuel included.

Before taking a haulage job the question is never just fuel: what do tolls, loading, driver pay and vehicle wear add up to per kilometre, and does the run actually pay? Many quote on feel and only after the trip find tolls have eaten the margin. This tool breaks a trip into six cost lines and totals them for you.

Once revenue is in, profit and margin appear immediately - a negative figure flags exactly how much the run lost. Deadhead return is the easiest item to forget: if no backload is available, enter the return distance as turnaround kilometres and its fuel joins the total at the same price and consumption, so quotes are grounded.

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    How to use

    1. Enter the distance - loaded kilometres for this trip, required and greater than 0.
    2. Enter fuel price and consumption per 100 km - fuel cost is computed as distance / 100 x consumption x price.
    3. Add tolls, loading, driver pay and other costs - use actual amounts, or leave 0 or blank.
    4. If returning empty, enter the backhaul distance as turnaround - it joins the fuel cost at the same price and consumption.
    5. Enter the freight revenue to read total cost, cost per km, profit and margin; leaving revenue blank computes cost only.

    How it works

    What does a trip cost include?

    The tool splits cost into six lines: fuel for the loaded leg, deadhead fuel, tolls, loading, driver pay and other costs. Fuel is the biggest variable - distance times consumption times price. Tolls and loading use actual amounts. Driver pay is either the per-trip rate or a pro-rated daily wage. Other costs cover depreciation, AdBlue, parking and sundries. Enter everything in the same currency.

    Why count the deadhead return?

    When no backload is available the truck still burns fuel and wears, and if that cost is only charged to other jobs this trip's profit looks better than it is. Enter the return distance as turnaround and the tool folds the deadhead fuel into the total at the same price and consumption - essential on long-haul lanes, where round-trip cost is the real trip cost.

    How do I use cost per km to quote?

    Cost per km is the trip's floor: at 4.25 per km, any job priced below that loses money. Add a sensible margin and multiply by distance to get the minimum quote. Running several lanes through the tool also shows which route pays better.

    Code example

    JavaScript Fuel cost from consumption per 100 km 

    // distance / 100 * consumption(L) * price(per L)
const fuelCost = distance / 100 * fuelUse * fuelPrice;
// 500km - 30L/100km - 7.5/L = 1125
const total = fuelCost + tolls + loading + driverFee + otherCost;
// 1125 + 300 + 200 + 400 + 100 = 2125

    JavaScript Profit, margin and cost per km 

    // profit = revenue - total; a negative margin means the run loses money
const profit = revenue - total;
const marginPct = revenue > 0 ? profit / revenue * 100 : 0;

// cost per km is the floor for quoting
const costPerKm = total / distance;      // 2125 / 500 = 4.25 per km
// do not forget deadhead: turnaround / 100 * fuelUse * fuelPrice

    FAQ

    Is any data uploaded?

    No. Every figure is computed locally in your browser and disappears when the page closes - nothing is uploaded and your rate data is not retained.

    How do I pick the fuel consumption figure?

    Use your vehicle's real consumption, not the brochure figure. Laden and empty differ a lot, so take your recent average and add about 10 percent for margin; add more for mountain routes or heavy city traffic. Older, poorly maintained trucks burn noticeably more.

    What are turnaround kilometres?

    The empty distance after this trip - the return leg or the run to the next loading point. Entering it folds its fuel into total cost at the same price and consumption. If you do have a backload, leave it blank and cost that leg as its own trip.

    How should driver pay be entered?

    If you drive your own truck, enter the opportunity cost of the labour for this trip - usually the market rate for hiring a driver on the same lane. Entering 0 overstates profit. If you employ a driver, use the per-trip rate or the pro-rated daily wage.

    Should depreciation and servicing be included?

    Yes. Depreciation, insurance, servicing and tyre wear are real running costs. The usual method is a fixed cost per kilometre - multiply it by distance and add it under other costs. Skip them and a job that looks profitable may be quietly eating the truck.

    What margin is reasonable?

    There is no universal figure - it depends on the lane, the vehicle and competition. A common reference is 20 to 35 percent gross; treat short-haul jobs under 10 percent warily because of deadhead and waiting risk, and renegotiate or decline anything with a negative margin.

    Can I leave revenue blank to get cost only?

    Yes. With revenue blank the tool returns total cost, cost per km and the breakdown, shows profit as the negative of cost, and reports margin as 0 to avoid dividing by zero. Useful for establishing your cost floor before quoting.

    How does it work with the waybill and delivery receipt tools?

    The three form a set: the waybill travels with the driver, the receiver signs the receipt on arrival, and this tool checks fuel, tolls, loading and revenue for the run. Compare quantities received against the waybill, then enter the run's actual spending to see whether the job paid.