True Rate Per Mile Calculator for Trucking

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All-mile revenue

What is true rate per mile in trucking?

True rate per mile measures freight revenue across both loaded miles and empty miles required for the load.

It provides a more realistic rate comparison than loaded RPM when a load requires deadhead.

Gross load revenue ÷ (loaded miles + deadhead miles)

A load pays $2,000 for 700 loaded miles but requires 100 miles of deadhead.

The total trip mileage is 800 miles.

True RPM is $2,000 ÷ 800 = $2.50 per mile, even though loaded RPM is approximately $2.86.

Loaded RPM divides revenue only by loaded miles. True RPM includes the empty miles required to complete the freight movement.

The larger the deadhead, the greater the difference between the two figures.

Two freight offers can have similar loaded rates but very different true rates after deadhead is included.

Using total miles gives you a more consistent basis for comparing opportunities.

True RPM measures revenue efficiency, not profit. You still need to compare that revenue with your operating cost per mile and other expenses.

Use the Load Profit Calculator for a fuller profitability estimate.

Loaded RPM uses only loaded miles. True RPM divides revenue by loaded plus empty miles.

No. It is a revenue-per-total-mile measure. Compare it with your operating cost and other expenses to evaluate profitability.

Deadhead adds miles without adding freight revenue, so the same gross rate is spread across more total miles.

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