Truck Fuel Cost Calculator
Calculate how much diesel (or gas) a load will burn — and what it'll cost — before you accept it. Works for class 8, hot shot pickups, and box trucks.
- Total gallons needed for the run
- Total fuel cost in dollars
- Fuel cost per mile
- Accounts for fuel already in your tank
Fuel is the single biggest variable cost in trucking. A 10-cent swing in diesel price can mean $60+ per load. Our fuel cost calculator (also called a gas calculator by hot shot and box-truck drivers) takes miles, MPG, and pump price and gives you total fuel cost and fuel cost per mile in one second.
Use it to compare loads. A $2.40/mi load that runs through high-cost fuel states can net less than a $2.15/mi load with cheap diesel and good MPG terrain. The pay rate alone doesn't tell you anything.
It's the same math for any truck — class 8 sleeper, day cab, hot shot 3/4-ton or 1-ton diesel, sprinter van, or expediter box truck. Just enter your honest MPG.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I calculate fuel cost for a load?
Divide the total miles by your truck's MPG to get gallons needed. Multiply gallons by the price per gallon at the pump. Example: 1,200 miles ÷ 6.5 MPG = 184.6 gallons × $3.95 = $729 in fuel.
What MPG should I use in the fuel calculator?
Use your real-world average, not the spec sheet. Most class 8 trucks run 6–7 MPG loaded. Hot shot trucks (3/4-ton diesel pulling a gooseneck) average 9–13 MPG. Box trucks land between 8–10 MPG.
What's fuel cost per mile?
Fuel cost per mile = price per gallon ÷ MPG. At $3.95/gal and 6.5 MPG, you're spending $0.61/mile on fuel alone — before any other expense. That's why fuel-only rate-per-mile checks aren't enough.
Does this calculator account for current fuel in the tank?
Yes. Enter your current gallons and tank size and we'll tell you how many gallons you actually need to buy and what that will cost — useful for planning fuel stops and IFTA-friendly states.
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Free to use. No signup required to try it.