Operating Expenses: Operating expenses are the costs of keeping your truck and business running. They include fuel, insurance, maintenance, tires, permits, tolls, truck payments, dispatch and factoring fees, and accounting.
Why it matters to owner operators
Knowing your expenses is the first step to setting a minimum rate. Many new owner operators underestimate repairs, downtime and quarterly taxes.
Example
Fuel and truck payments are often the biggest lines, but one large repair can erase the profit from a good week.
Free tool: Try our Cost Per Mile Calculator to put this into numbers.
Related terms
Business & Finance: Questions about invoicing, fees or getting paid on time? Our dispatch team handles invoicing and broker follow-up for the carriers we work with. Talk to our dispatch team or browse the full trucking glossary.
Haul smarter with a dispatch team behind you
Nexloads finds loads, negotiates rates and handles paperwork for owner operators and small fleets. No forced dispatch and no long-term contracts.