Inputs

Route and fuel

Number of Hauls

Count whole equipment moves. A delivery and later removal are normally two hauls.

Loaded Miles per Haul

Enter actual loaded route miles for one haul, not a round-trip estimate.

Empty-Return Miles per Haul

Enter return or deadhead miles for one haul. Use zero only when another paid load covers the return.

Loaded Fuel Economy (mpg)

Replace the example with fuel records for the actual truck, trailer, load, route, and season.

Empty Fuel Economy (mpg)

Use a separate empty-return value when the rig consumes less fuel without the equipment.

Idle / Wait Hours per Haul

Include loading queues, securement checks, site waits, and unloading idle time.

Idle Fuel Burn (gal/hr)

Use truck records when available. The DOE planning value discussed below is only a fallback.

Diesel Price ($/gal)

Update from a local receipt or the current EIA regional series; the displayed value is an example.

Nonfuel cost and time

Nonfuel Truck + Trailer Cost ($/mile)

Include depreciation or lease, repairs, service, tires, registration, and insurance not entered elsewhere.

Paid Trip Hours per Haul

Include inspection, loading, securement, drive time, waiting, unloading, and return.

Burdened Labor Cost ($/hr)

Use wage plus payroll burden and benefits, not the customer's billing rate.

Tolls / Permits / Other Fees per Haul ($)

Use verified route-specific costs. Enter zero when none apply.

Overhead Allocation (%)

Allocate office and indirect transport cost not already included.

This page calculates cost—not the customer's price

Use this calculator to find what an equipment-transport operation consumes before profit. The result deliberately excludes target margin and minimum pricing. Once the cost per haul is supported, carry it into the Mobilization Fee Calculator to create the customer-facing charge, and use the mobilization fee guide to state the scope and minimum clearly. For repeated bulk-material dump-truck cycles, use the Dump Truck Cycle and Hauling Cost Calculator.

This split prevents the same mileage and time formula from appearing under two names. It also makes the estimate easier to audit: fuel assumptions belong to fuel, equipment wear belongs to nonfuel mileage cost, paid time belongs to labor, and selling price belongs to mobilization.

Worked example

Two hauls with 30 loaded and 30 empty miles each create 120 route miles. At 7 loaded mpg, 10 empty mpg, 0.5 idle hour per haul, 0.8 gallon per idle hour, and $5.25 diesel, estimated fuel is about 15.37 gallons and $80.70. Adding $114 of nonfuel mileage cost, $154 of paid time, $30 of direct fees, and 10% overhead produces an internal hauling cost of approximately $416.57, or $208.28 per haul.

That $208.28 is not automatically a competitive selling price. It is the cost input used by the mobilization calculator before margin and a minimum charge.

Build the per-mile input from records

The strongest nonfuel cost-per-mile input comes from truck and trailer depreciation or lease cost, service, repairs, tires, brakes, registration, and insurance divided by realistic annual route miles. Keep fuel and driver time out of that value because this calculator already prices them separately.

The U.S. Department of Transportation's 2026 benefit-cost guidance publishes a $1.23-per-mile commercial-truck marginal operating-cost benchmark in 2024 dollars that includes fuel and several vehicle costs but excludes tolls and driver wages. Treat it only as a dated reasonableness check—not as a specialized equipment-hauling default.

Method and sources

EIA's weekly on-highway diesel series provides national and regional retail prices including taxes. Replace the example diesel input with a current local receipt or relevant regional value. DOE's Alternative Fuels Data Center planning methodology uses fallback planning assumptions such as 6 mpg for a heavy-duty truck over 26,000 pounds and 0.8 gallon per hour of diesel idling; actual rig records should take priority.

The USACE equipment-rate method separates equipment ownership and operation from operating labor, mobilization, overhead, permits, insurance, and profit. ERC keeps those categories visible for the same reason. Review completed August 14, 2026.

Optional project software

Keep hauling costs attached to the right job

Use your trip records to compare planned cost with paid time, fuel receipts, tolls, and outside hauling charges. Assign each cost to the project it served, including the empty return, before reviewing the job's margin.

When equipment transport is part of a larger construction job, Contractor Foreman's estimates, daily logs, and project expenses may help keep those records together. Compare it with the free hauling workbook if you need a shared project record across several jobs or crew members.

Equipment Rate Calc is a Contractor Foreman affiliate. We may earn a commission if you purchase through this link.

Explore Contractor Foreman

Review its construction workflow and current plans before choosing software for your hauling operation.

Common questions

Can I use the IRS mileage rate for equipment hauling?

Generally, no. The IRS standard mileage rate addresses tax or reimbursement treatment for a car, van, pickup, or panel truck. It is not a heavy-equipment transport quote or a complete specialized truck-and-trailer cost model.

Why separate loaded and empty miles?

Fuel economy and revenue coverage can differ. Deadhead miles still consume fuel, wear, and paid time even when the trailer returns empty.

Does the result confirm the haul is legal?

No. Verify vehicle and trailer ratings, axle and gross weights, dimensions, route, securement, licensing, insurance, hours-of-service, and permits separately.

Important disclaimerPlanning cost estimate only. It does not determine legal payload, axle compliance, securement, licensing, hours of service, permits, insurance, carrier authority, or a market selling price.

Trailer Hauling Cost Calculator