What Is a Good Rate Per Mile?
Last updated: · Reviewed quarterly
A good rate per mile is one that clears your operating cost with margin left over. For most dry van operations that means roughly $2.00 to $2.50 all-in, with reefer and flatbed higher. Those are starting points, not answers. The rate that works for a paid off truck running regional lanes is a loss for a new truck on long haul.
Rough benchmarks by equipment
| Equipment | Typical range, all-in | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dry van | $2.00 to $2.50 | Lowest barrier, most competition |
| Reefer | Higher than dry van | Fuel for the unit, tighter appointments, more detention |
| Flatbed | Higher than dry van | Securement time, tarping, weather exposure |
| Step deck and specialized | Higher again | Permits, routing, fewer qualified carriers |
| Hazmat and tanker | Premium | Endorsements, insurance, restricted routing |
Benchmarks as of October 2026. Spot rates move with season, fuel and capacity, so check current market data before relying on any figure, including these.
Why national averages are the wrong tool
Lane, not market. Outbound from a high density origin pays differently from the reverse. The average of the two describes neither.
Season. Produce season, retail peak and January all move rates in different directions.
Your cost base. A paid off truck and a truck with a $2,400 monthly payment have different floors on the same load.
Where it puts you. A strong rate into a weak market can cost more in the next leg than it earned in this one.
Setting a floor you can hold
Start from your cost per mile, add your target margin, then adjust for the lane: outbound density at the destination, likely deadhead in and out, and whether the facility is known for detention.
The point of a floor is not precision. It is having a number you will actually hold when a broker pushes, instead of deciding load by load at 9pm. More on holding a floor.
Where to check current rates
Spot market benchmarks such as DAT RateView show recent averages on specific lanes, which is far more useful than a national figure. Your own booked history on a lane is better still, because it is the only data that reflects what you can actually get.
Work out your own rate
Use the rate calculator to find the rate per mile a lane needs to pay for you to stay profitable.
Frequently asked questions
Higher than dry van, reflecting fuel for the reefer unit, tighter appointment windows and greater detention exposure. Check current lane data rather than relying on a fixed figure.
It depends who is quoting. Always establish whether a rate is linehaul or all-in before comparing two loads.
Because someone occasionally takes it. A floor only works if it is held.
When it repositions the truck profitably. Judge the pair of loads, not the one in front of you.
Related
Hey Bubba! negotiates against a rate floor you set, countering with market data rather than accepting the posted rate. See how
Last updated: · Reviewed quarterly