For hotshot
Hotshot trucks win or lose on deadhead and fixed costs
With 1 or 2 trucks, one dead week hurts. Fixed costs keep running whether the truck moves or not, and small loads often sit far from the next one. Start with your own break-even rate per loaded mile.
- Break-even = total monthly cost divided by loaded miles, not by all miles.
- Deadhead raises the number on every load you take.
- Permit, DOT and insurance rules vary verify for your truck weight and cargo with your state and insurer.
Small-truck economics
Where the money goes with 1 or 2 trucks
High deadhead
Hotshot loads are often one-off and spread out, so empty miles to the next pickup pile up. Count them. The deadhead calculator shows what an empty leg does to your rate per mile.
Fuel
Small trucks burn less per mile, but pulling a loaded trailer still moves the number. Watch the lane in diesel prices and test a price rise in the diesel sensitivity tool.
Per-mile cost with few trucks
One truck means no averaging. A repair or an insurance bill lands in one month. Build your cost per mile from your real totals and update it each month.
Paperwork
Rate con, BOL with times and POD are the same as anywhere. Keep the load file clean from day one so a short pay can be argued. Start with the POD checklist.
Miles driven vs miles paid
You are paid for loaded miles. You pay for every mile. A rate that looks fine per loaded mile can lose money once the empty miles are included.
Hotshot work also tends to be time-critical. A rushed pickup with a long empty leg can pay less than a slower load near home. Compare both on net per day, not on rate alone.
This is why many small fleets set a minimum rate for a lane and say no below it. See the deadhead miles guide.
Costs to put in your break-even
| Line | Type | Where to find it |
|---|---|---|
| Truck and trailer payments | Fixed | Loan or lease statement, see lease vs buy |
| Insurance, permits, registration | Fixed | Policy and renewal notices verify requirements |
| Fuel | Per mile | Fuel receipts and card statements |
| Tires, maintenance, repairs | Per mile | Shop invoices, averaged over months |
| Your own pay | Fixed | The draw you need each month |
Worked example EXAMPLE VALUES
Invented numbers for one truck. Fixed costs are $2,100 a month. Per-mile costs (fuel, tires, repairs) are $0.55. The truck drives 6,000 miles, of which 4,500 are loaded.
- Per-mile cost: $2,100 / 6,000 = $0.35 fixed, plus $0.55 = $0.90 per mile driven.
- Monthly cost: 6,000 x $0.90 = $5,400.
- Break-even per loaded mile: $5,400 / 4,500 = $1.20.
- A load offered at $1.10 per loaded mile over 4,500 miles brings $4,950, which is $450 short of cost.
With two trucks, run this for each truck. One truck's idle week should not hide inside the other's good month.
The $0.90 looks cheap, but you only get paid on 75% of the miles. Check which of your last 20 loads were below your break-even. We do not publish hotshot market rates.
Before you say yes
- Empty miles to pickup counted.
- Rate per loaded mile above your break-even.
- Return load or a plan for the empty leg.
- Detention and TONU terms on the rate con.
- Permit or weight limits checked for the route.
Tools and data
- Load profit
- Cashflow simulator for slow weeks
- Lane costs and road restrictions
- Owner-operator page
Questions
Do hotshots need a DOT number or a medical card?
That depends on weight, cargo and whether you cross state lines. Rules differ, so confirm with the FMCSA and your state. We are not a regulator or a lawyer.
Should I count my own pay as a cost?
Yes, as a monthly draw. Otherwise a load looks profitable while you earn nothing for your time.
How often should I update my cost per mile?
Monthly is enough for most small operations, and after any large repair, insurance change or fuel swing.
Related: true RPM, deadhead miles, factoring vs direct billing, spot vs contract freight, trucker per diem.
See what your last 20 loads show.
One short form. We reply by email with the next step, and a one-page report follows. Free, no obligation.
Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Raleigh, NC). Voicemail is answered the next business day.