Revenue Per Mile (RPM): Revenue per mile (RPM) is the amount a load pays divided by the miles driven. Loaded RPM counts only the miles with freight, while all-in RPM also includes empty miles to the pickup.
Why it matters to owner operators
RPM lets you compare loads of different lengths. All-in RPM is the honest number because empty miles still cost fuel and time.
Example
A $2,400 load covers 800 loaded miles plus 100 empty miles. It pays $3.00 per loaded mile but about $2.67 per total mile.
Free tool: Try our Deadhead 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.
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