Is this load worth taking?
Run the numbers.
Enter rate, miles, fuel cost, and driver pay — get net profit, margin, and cost-per-mile before you commit.
Fuel cost calculated over total miles (loaded + deadhead). All other costs applied to the load rate only.
Know your load profit before dispatch.
Alogix tracks revenue, driver pay, and expenses on every load automatically — and shows your net profit margin in real time.
How to evaluate a load before accepting
Before accepting any load, you need to account for every dollar going out, not just the rate coming in. The big four are fuel, driver pay, tolls, and deadhead. Fuel cost depends on total miles driven — including the empty miles to get to the pickup. Driver pay on percentage-of-revenue structures scales with the rate, but flat or per-mile structures create a fixed floor. Tolls and other expenses eat into margin quietly and compound across multiple loads per week. A load that looks good at $2,800 gross can fall below the break-even line once you factor 150 deadhead miles, $4 fuel, and a $900 driver cut.
What is a good profit margin per load?
Industry benchmarks vary by equipment type and lane, but a general guide: 20–30% net margin is healthy for an asset-based carrier. 10–20% is acceptable but leaves little room for unexpected costs like breakdowns or detention. Below 10% is tight — one fuel spike or a lumper fee wipes the profit. Under 5%, you are essentially paying to haul the load. Carriers that track per-load margin consistently outperform those who estimate. Aim for an average of at least 15% across your weekly book of loads to absorb variability.
Why deadhead miles kill profitability
Empty miles cost you fuel and driver time without generating revenue. At 6.5 MPG and $3.85/gal, every 100 deadhead miles costs roughly $59 in fuel alone — before driver wages. On a regional load with 150 deadhead miles, that is $89 in unrecoverable cost. The ratio to watch is deadhead percentage: deadhead ÷ total miles. Above 25% deadhead, you need a meaningfully higher rate to justify the lane. Smart dispatchers build triangles — they find a backhaul or nearby reload that reduces deadhead to under 15%. That single habit is often worth more than negotiating an extra $50 on the rate.