What KPIs should a trucking business track?
Start with revenue per total mile, cost per mile, profit per mile, deadhead percentage, miles and revenue per truck per week, fuel economy, maintenance cost per mile and average days to get paid. Track them weekly, compare them over time, and use them to decide which loads, lanes and brokers are worth your truck.
Trucking KPIs (key performance indicators) are the handful of numbers that tell you whether your truck is making money and why. Gross revenue is not enough: a truck can gross a lot and still lose money if deadhead, fuel or slow-paying brokers eat the margin. Here are ten KPIs worth tracking, how to calculate each one, and a hypothetical example that ties them together.
Why KPIs matter more than gross revenue
Gross is what everyone talks about, but profit decides whether you stay in business. KPIs let you:
- Compare loads and lanes on equal terms
- Spot rising costs before they become a crisis
- Negotiate with confidence because you know your floor
- Decide when you are ready to add a truck
The 10 KPIs to track
1. Revenue per total mile
Total revenue divided by all miles driven, loaded and empty. This is your real rate, not the per-loaded-mile figure on the rate confirmation.
2. Cost per mile
All costs (fixed and variable) divided by total miles. Calculate it monthly with the cost per mile calculator. Our guide to the cost of running a semi truck per mile explains what goes in it.
3. Profit per mile
Revenue per total mile minus cost per mile. If this number is thin or negative, more miles will not fix it.
4. Deadhead percentage
Empty miles divided by total miles, times 100. Lower is generally better, though a short deadhead into a strong market can pay off. See what deadhead is and how to reduce it.
5. Miles per truck per week
How much the truck actually works. Low miles may point to long waits, poor load planning or too much home time for your cost structure.
6. Revenue per truck per week
A simple utilization check that matters a lot once you have more than one truck.
7. Fuel economy (MPG)
Gallons used versus miles driven. Track it per truck and per driver; changes often signal mechanical issues or driving habits.
8. Maintenance cost per mile
Repairs, tires and maintenance divided by miles. A steady rise usually means a truck is getting closer to a major repair.
9. Average days to pay
How long, on average, from delivery to cash in the bank. Slow payment strains cash flow even when you are profitable.
10. Unpaid time
Hours spent in detention, waiting on loads, or broken down. Track detention hours and whether they were paid, so you know which shippers and brokers cost you time.
Formulas at a glance
| KPI | Formula |
|---|---|
| Revenue per total mile | Total revenue / (loaded miles + empty miles) |
| Cost per mile | Total costs / total miles |
| Profit per mile | Revenue per total mile - cost per mile |
| Deadhead % | Empty miles / total miles x 100 |
| Miles per truck per week | Total miles / trucks / weeks |
| Fuel economy | Total miles / gallons used |
| Maintenance cost per mile | Maintenance and repair costs / total miles |
| Average days to pay | Sum of (payment date - delivery date) / number of loads |
Worked example: one hypothetical month
Here is a hypothetical month for one truck:
- Revenue: $22,000
- Loaded miles: 8,400
- Empty miles: 1,100
- Total costs: $17,575
- Gallons used: 1,520
- Maintenance and repairs: $1,330
Now the KPIs:
- Total miles: 8,400 + 1,100 = 9,500
- Revenue per loaded mile: $22,000 / 8,400 = about $2.62
- Revenue per total mile: $22,000 / 9,500 = about $2.32
- Cost per mile: $17,575 / 9,500 = $1.85
- Profit per mile: $2.32 - $1.85 = about $0.47
- Deadhead: 1,100 / 9,500 = about 11.6%
- Fuel economy: 9,500 / 1,520 = 6.25 mpg
- Maintenance per mile: $1,330 / 9,500 = $0.14
The rate confirmations averaged $2.62 per loaded mile, but the business really earned $2.32 per mile driven. That gap is the cost of deadhead. Cutting empty miles from 1,100 to 600 would raise revenue per total mile with no change in rates.
How to track KPIs without a big system
- Keep a load log. One row per load: date, broker, lane, loaded miles, empty miles, rate, accessorials, delivery date and payment date.
- Keep a monthly expense summary using the same categories every month.
- Calculate weekly the load-level numbers: revenue per total mile, deadhead and miles.
- Calculate monthly the full set, including cost per mile and maintenance per mile.
- Compare to last month and the same month last year. Trends matter more than a single number.
- Act on one number at a time. Pick the weakest KPI and work on it for a month.
Using KPIs to make decisions
- Accepting a load: check revenue per total mile including the deadhead to reach it, against your cost per mile.
- Dropping a broker: if their average days to pay keeps climbing, factor that into whether their rates are worth it.
- Choosing lanes: compare profit per mile by lane, not by load.
- Adding a truck: only when the first truck has steady profit per mile, healthy reserves and you understand what a second truck changes. Read how to grow from 1 to 5 trucks.
How Texas Solutions can help
Texas Solutions is a dispatch service, not a broker or motor carrier. Our dispatchers find and negotiate loads against your real cost per mile, plan lanes to keep deadhead down, handle broker packets and paperwork, and work 24/7, while you approve every load. See our dispatch services or talk to a dispatcher.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important trucking KPI?
For most owner-operators it is profit per total mile, because it combines what you earn with what you spend and includes empty miles. Revenue alone can look strong while the business loses money.
How often should I review my KPIs?
Look at load-level numbers weekly and the full set monthly. Weekly reviews catch problems early, and monthly reviews show trends that a single week can hide.
Do I need software to track trucking KPIs?
Not at one truck. A simple spreadsheet with one row per load and a monthly expense summary is enough to calculate every KPI in this guide. Software becomes more useful as you add trucks and drivers.
