The sticker price is the smallest number. Here is the full picture.
A new semi truck costs $150,000–$200,000. That number gets a lot of attention. The costs that follow it — insurance, fuel, maintenance, tires, permits — are what actually determine whether you make money. This breakdown covers every line item you need to budget before you sign anything.
| Expense Category | Annual Cost Range |
|---|---|
| Truck payment (financed, new) | $24,000–$36,000 |
| Diesel fuel | $50,000–$75,000 |
| Trucking insurance | $12,000–$20,000 |
| Tires | $3,000–$6,000 |
| Maintenance and repairs | $10,000–$20,000 |
| IFTA fuel taxes (net) | $2,000–$5,000 |
| Permits (base plate, UCR, etc.) | $1,500–$3,000 |
| Load board subscriptions | $1,200–$2,400 |
| ELD and communication | $600–$1,800 |
| Total fixed + variable costs | $104,000–$169,000 |
An owner-operator must gross at least $104,000–$170,000 per year before salary just to break even. At $1.80–$2.20 per loaded mile (current spot market), that requires running 55,000–85,000 revenue miles annually.
Fuel is typically 30–40% of total operating expenses. At 6.5 MPG and 120,000 annual miles, a single truck burns roughly 18,500 gallons per year. At $3.70/gallon average diesel, that is $68,450 in fuel before any surcharge recovery.
Fuel surcharges from shippers offset some of this, but the correlation is not perfect. During rapid diesel price increases, surcharges lag behind actual costs by 2–4 weeks.
Enter your specific truck costs to see your break-even rate per mile and true operating cost.
Per-Mile Cost Calculator →Commercial trucking insurance for a new authority costs $12,000–$20,000 per year in most markets. This includes primary liability (required by FMCSA at $750,000 minimum), cargo insurance, and physical damage. Rates drop significantly after 2–3 years with a clean record and established authority.
Some carriers offer insurance through their lease programs at lower apparent rates — but read the deductibles and coverage limits carefully. Lease-purchase insurance often has high per-incident deductibles that make it more expensive in practice.
Experienced owner-operators set aside 10–15 cents per mile for maintenance. On 120,000 miles, that is $12,000–$18,000/year in a dedicated account. New trucks need less; trucks over 600,000 miles need more. The biggest single repair items are engine rebuilds ($15,000–$25,000), transmission overhauls ($5,000–$8,000), and DPF/emissions system failures ($3,000–$8,000).
Never run without a maintenance reserve. One major breakdown without cash reserves forces drivers into predatory high-interest repair financing or back to a company driver seat.
Model your annual revenue and every expense line to see true net income before you buy.
Annual P&L Calculator →