truck job profit after fuel
Was that run worth it? Job profit after fuel and costs
How owner-drivers work out rate minus fuel, tolls and extras, so a busy week doesn’t hide a dead run.
Not tax or legal advice. Talk to your accountant for your situation.
Rate isn’t profit
A $2,400 job that burns $900 diesel plus tolls and a meal isn’t a $2,400 win. Busy weeks can still lose money if you never attach costs to the run.
A simple way to check a run
Take the agreed rate (ex GST if that’s how you quote). Subtract fuel for that trip, tolls, and any extras you wouldn’t have spent without the job. What’s left is closer to “was it worth leaving the yard?”
- Rate for the job
- Minus fuel tied to that run
- Minus tolls / permits / casual labour
- Equals rough job profit
What to do with the answer
If a lane keeps coming out thin, raise the rate, drop the work, or change how you fuel (backload, better servo, less empty running). Guessing from the bank balance hides the dead lanes.
How OwnerHaul helps
From a job, tap + Fuel or + Cost to tie spend to that load. OwnerHaul also suggests nearby fill-ups and tolls to link. The Jobs list shows Kept $X after costs so you can see winners and losers at a glance.