💵 Your Weekly Costs
Break-Even Rate/Mile
—/mi
minimum to cover all costs
Target Rate/Mile
—/mi
to hit your take-home goal
Weekly Cost to Run
—
Weekly Revenue Needed
—
Annual Take-Home Target
—
Fuel % of Break-Even
—
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How to Use Your Break-Even Rate in Negotiations
Your break-even rate is your absolute floor — never accept below it. In broker negotiations, your opening ask should be 15–25% above your target rate, giving room to meet somewhere that still works for you.
| Scenario | Your Floor | Your Ask | Accept at |
|---|---|---|---|
| Break-even $1.90, target $2.30 | $1.90/mi | $2.80/mi | $2.30+ /mi |
| Urgent load, need miles | $1.90/mi | $2.50/mi | $2.00+ /mi |
| Perfect backhaul, low deadhead | $1.90/mi | $3.00/mi | $2.40+ /mi |
What should I do when a broker offers below my break-even?
Counter with your actual number and explain it briefly: "My operating costs on this lane are $X — I need $Y/mile to make this work." Good brokers respect this. If they won't move, walk away — taking a losing load is worse than sitting. Losing loads eat into your margins and wear your truck for nothing. It's better to reposition to a better market than to haul cheap.