What each mile actually pays you

How real margin is calculated

We pull this week's regional diesel price (EIA), the truck-routable miles for your lane (Google Distance Matrix), and the market $/mi from DAT-tracked benchmarks. Net per mile after fuel is the headline number. Add the broker's pay-day history and you have your real margin.

• Fuel cost per mile = diesel price ÷ your trailer's typical MPG. At $3.78/gal and 6 MPG, that's $0.63 per mile before anything else.
• Net after fuel = offered rate − fuel cost. From this you still pay truck payment, insurance, maintenance, your salary.
• Vs market tells you whether the rate is worth countering or walking away.
• Broker pay-day tells you when the money actually shows up — net 30 vs. net 60 changes the math.

Heads-up: this is a planning grade, not an accounting line item. Your actual margin still depends on tolls, idling, accessorials, and everything else. Use it to triage loads, not to file taxes.