How much does hotshot trucking pay per mile?
Hotshot loads often pay roughly $4 to $5 a mile, depending on lane, urgency and season. A 1-ton diesel pulling a gooseneck typically gets about 13-14 mpg empty and 8-10 mpg loaded. Texas Solutions dispatches hotshots for 7% of weekly gross, OTR, with no flat rate.
Hotshot trucking moves time-sensitive and partial loads with a heavy-duty pickup and a flatbed or gooseneck trailer. It is fast, flexible, and popular in Texas and the Permian Basin, where equipment and oilfield freight cannot wait for a full truckload.
Hotshot rates per mile
As a rough guide, hotshot loads often pay about $4 to $5 a mile. What moves the number:
- Urgency. Same-day and next-morning freight pays more.
- Lane. Loads into areas with little return freight need a higher rate to cover the trip home.
- Season and region. Energy and construction activity swing demand.
Compare that with other equipment on our rate-per-mile guide. Rates are market-driven and never guaranteed.
Hotshot fuel mileage by load weight
Weight matters more on a hotshot than on a semi, because the cargo is a large share of the total weight. Typical figures for a 1-ton diesel dually and 40 ft gooseneck:
| Load on trailer | Typical mpg |
|---|---|
| Empty | about 13-14 mpg |
| About 9,000 lbs | about 10 mpg |
| About 16,000 lbs | about 7-9 mpg |
At $6.00 a gallon, a loaded hotshot averaging 9 mpg spends about $0.67 per mile on diesel. Enter your own weight, miles and fuel state in the hotshot fuel calculator.
Hotshot operating cost and break-even rate
An example hotshot owner-operator pays $1,200 a month for the truck, $500 for the trailer, $900 insurance and $300 for permits, ELD and other fixed costs: $2,900 fixed. Running 9,000 miles a month (7,600 of them loaded), that is about $0.32 a mile.
- Diesel at $6.00 and 10 mpg: $0.60 a mile; maintenance and tires: about $0.15
- Operating cost: about $1.07 a mile
- Add $4,000 a month for the driver's own pay ($0.44 a mile): about $1.52 a mile all-in, or $1.80 per loaded mile once empty miles are counted
- With 7% dispatch and 3% factoring off the top, the break-even rate is about $2.00 per loaded mile ($1.80 / 0.90)
Everything above that, toward the $4-5 a mile hotshot loads often pay, is margin before taxes. These are example figures; your payment, insurance and miles will differ. Use your own numbers in the cost per mile calculator and the break-even calculator, and check single loads with the load profitability calculator.
What a hotshot dispatcher does
- Finds expedited and partial loads that fit your trailer, weight rating and permits
- Negotiates the rate and confirms dimensions and securement needs
- Plans the next load so you are not driving home empty
- Handles broker setups, packets and rate confirmations
You approve every load before it is booked.
What hotshot dispatch costs
Texas Solutions charges 7% of weekly gross for OTR hotshot dispatch, with no flat rate and no setup fee. On a hypothetical weekly gross of $7,000-$9,000, that is about $490-$630 a week. Calculate your fee or read more about our hotshot dispatch service.
Frequently asked questions
How much does hotshot trucking pay per mile?
As a rough guide, hotshot loads often pay about $4 to $5 a mile, depending on the lane, how urgent the freight is and the season. Rates are not guaranteed.
How many mpg does a hotshot truck get loaded?
Operators pulling a 40 ft gooseneck commonly report about 10 mpg with around 9,000 lbs on the trailer and 7-9 mpg near 16,000 lbs.
How much is hotshot dispatch?
Texas Solutions charges 7% of weekly gross for OTR hotshot dispatch. On $7,000-$9,000 weekly gross that is about $490-$630 a week.
