Hotshot Profit Calculator

Hotshot trucking can generate strong gross revenue with a pickup and trailer, but load revenue is only the starting point. Fuel, deadhead miles, truck and trailer payments, commercial insurance, maintenance, tires, permits, dispatch fees, factoring, tolls and unpaid downtime can take a large portion of every load before the owner-operator earns a real profit.

This Hotshot Profit Calculator estimates profit per load, profit per loaded mile, profit per total mile, weekly profit, monthly profit and annual earnings. It can be used for pickup-and-gooseneck operations, CDL hotshot trucking, non-CDL hotshot businesses, regional freight, oilfield hauling and other expedited freight operations.

Simple Estimate gives you a fast calculation using load revenue, loaded miles, deadhead miles, fuel and other direct load expenses. Advanced Estimate adds truck and trailer financing, commercial insurance, maintenance reserves, tires, DEF, tolls, permits, factoring, dispatch fees, lodging, driver pay, monthly overhead, taxes and a target profit margin.

How to Calculate Hotshot Trucking Profit

Start with the gross amount paid for the load. Then subtract every expense required to move that load, including fuel, deadhead, maintenance, tires, dispatch fees, factoring and a portion of the company’s fixed monthly costs.

The basic formula is:

Hotshot Profit = Load Revenue − Total Load Expenses

If a load pays $1,800 and the complete operating cost is $1,150:

$1,800 − $1,150 = $650 profit

The difficult part is calculating the complete $1,150 cost instead of looking only at diesel or gasoline.

Hotshot Profit Margin Formula

Profit margin shows what percentage of load revenue remains after the expenses entered into the calculator.

Profit Margin = Profit ÷ Revenue × 100

If a $2,000 load leaves $500 after expenses:

$500 ÷ $2,000 × 100 = 25% profit margin

For a broader look at markup and margins, compare your results with the Profit Margin Calculator.

Hotshot Revenue Per Mile

Revenue per mile is one of the most important hotshot trucking metrics, but there are two different ways to calculate it.

Loaded revenue per mile is:

Load Revenue ÷ Loaded Miles

Total revenue per mile is:

Load Revenue ÷ Loaded Miles + Deadhead Miles

The second number often gives a more realistic picture of whether a load is worth accepting.

Hotshot Loaded RPM Example

Suppose a load pays $1,800 for 600 loaded miles.

$1,800 ÷ 600 = $3.00 per loaded mile

At first glance, a $3.00 rate can look attractive.

Hotshot Revenue Per Total Mile

Now assume the truck must travel 100 empty miles before picking up that $1,800 load.

Total mileage becomes:

600 + 100 = 700 miles

The effective revenue per total mile becomes:

$1,800 ÷ 700 = approximately $2.57 per mile

That is a meaningful difference from the advertised $3.00 loaded-mile rate.

Why Deadhead Matters in Hotshot Trucking

Deadhead miles generate operating costs without directly producing freight revenue. The truck still burns fuel, tires still wear and maintenance continues to accumulate.

A high-paying load with substantial deadhead can therefore be less profitable than a lower-paying load located close to the truck.

Hotshot Deadhead Percentage

Deadhead percentage can be calculated as:

Deadhead Miles ÷ Total Miles × 100

If a load requires 100 empty miles and 600 loaded miles:

100 ÷ 700 × 100 = approximately 14.3% deadhead

Hotshot Fuel Cost Per Load

Fuel is one of the largest direct operating expenses for many hotshot operators.

For miles and MPG:

Fuel Cost = Total Miles ÷ MPG × Fuel Price Per Gallon

A 700-mile trip at 10 MPG requires approximately 70 gallons.

At $3.75 per gallon:

70 × $3.75 = $262.50

Hotshot Fuel Cost Per Mile

Fuel cost per mile can be calculated by dividing fuel price by fuel economy.

At $3.75 per gallon and 10 MPG:

$3.75 ÷ 10 = $0.375 per mile

At 12 MPG, the same fuel price produces approximately 31 cents per mile.

How Fuel Economy Changes Hotshot Profit

The calculator includes a 10% Better Fuel Economy scenario. The value of better mileage grows as annual truck mileage increases.

Trailer weight, wind, speed, terrain, tire pressure and truck configuration can all affect actual fuel consumption.

Hotshot Truck Maintenance Cost Per Mile

Maintenance should be treated as an ongoing operating cost even during weeks when nothing breaks.

A maintenance reserve can help cover:

• Oil changes
• Fuel filters
• Transmission service
• Brakes
• Suspension repairs
• Wheel bearings
• Steering components
• Cooling-system repairs
• Electrical repairs
• Unexpected breakdowns

Hotshot Trailer Maintenance Cost

The gooseneck or flatbed trailer has its own maintenance expenses. Tires, wheel bearings, brakes, wiring, lights, decks and suspension components eventually need service.

Advanced Estimate separates truck and trailer maintenance so both assets are represented in the cost per mile.

Hotshot Tire Cost Per Mile

Heavy loads and high annual mileage can consume truck and trailer tires quickly. Instead of waiting until a replacement set is purchased, a tire reserve can spread the expected expense across every mile.

If truck and trailer tires cost $4,000 and last approximately 40,000 miles:

$4,000 ÷ 40,000 = $0.10 per mile

Hotshot Truck Depreciation

Even a paid-off truck is not free to operate. Mileage reduces resale value and brings the truck closer to eventual replacement.

Equipment depreciation can therefore be treated as a per-mile business cost in addition to maintenance.

Hotshot DEF and Fluid Costs

Diesel trucks can consume DEF in addition to fuel. Oil, grease, washer fluid and other consumables can also create small per-mile expenses that become meaningful across 100,000 annual miles.

Hotshot Tolls

Toll roads can change the economics of a load, particularly when routing through major metropolitan areas or long toll corridors.

If the broker rate does not reimburse tolls separately, those charges should be deducted from load revenue when estimating profit.

Hotshot Permit Costs

Some hotshot loads can require additional permits depending on dimensions, weight and jurisdiction. Oversize or overweight loads can create costs beyond ordinary freight.

Permit expenses should be included in the load calculation even when they are reimbursed, because you need to know whether reimbursement is already included in the quoted revenue.

Hotshot Escort and Pilot Car Costs

Oversize freight may require escort vehicles in certain jurisdictions or under particular dimensions. If the carrier is responsible for paying pilot cars, the expense can substantially reduce profit on the load.

Hotshot Securement Costs

Straps, chains, binders, edge protectors, tarps and other securement equipment wear out with repeated use.

A small consumables allowance per load can help account for this expense rather than treating securement equipment as a one-time purchase.

Hotshot Dispatch Fees

Independent dispatch services commonly charge either a percentage of load revenue or a fixed fee. When the fee is percentage-based, higher-paying loads also create larger dispatch expenses.

If a dispatcher charges 8% on a $2,000 load:

$2,000 × 8% = $160

Hotshot Factoring Fees

Factoring allows a trucking company to receive payment sooner instead of waiting for a broker or customer to pay an invoice. The convenience comes with a fee.

At a 3% factoring rate on $2,000:

$2,000 × 3% = $60

Combined with an 8% dispatch fee, $220 of the $2,000 invoice would already be gone before fuel and equipment costs are considered.

Broker Fees and Hotshot Revenue

Owner-operators should distinguish between the rate shown to the carrier and the total amount a shipper may have paid a broker. The calculator focuses on the gross revenue actually received by your hotshot business.

Hotshot Truck Payment

A financed pickup creates a fixed monthly cost whether the truck runs 2,000 miles or 10,000 miles that month.

The calculator spreads monthly truck financing across expected loads so each load carries a portion of the payment.

Hotshot Trailer Payment

Gooseneck, equipment and flatbed trailers can represent another significant monthly payment. Longer trailers with higher weight ratings can increase freight opportunities but also cost more to purchase and maintain.

Hotshot Insurance Cost

Commercial trucking insurance can be one of the largest fixed expenses in a new hotshot operation. Rates can depend on driver history, operating authority, location, equipment value, cargo coverage and business experience.

Because insurance is normally paid even during slow months, it should be included in the fixed-cost calculation rather than ignored when evaluating individual loads.

Hotshot Load Board Cost

Load boards can be a recurring monthly expense for operators who rely on spot-market freight. The subscription may appear small compared with fuel, but it should still be included in company overhead.

Hotshot ELD and Tracking Costs

Depending on the operation and regulations that apply, the business may have ELD, GPS, compliance or tracking subscriptions. Advanced Estimate includes these as monthly overhead.

Hotshot Registration and Compliance Costs

Registration, plates and compliance expenses may be billed annually rather than monthly. Converting annual expenses to a monthly average makes them easier to spread across loads.

Hotshot Owner-Operator Labor

Many owner-operators calculate profit without putting any value on their own driving time. That can make the business appear more profitable because the owner is effectively working for free inside the calculation.

Advanced mode allows an optional owner-labor amount per load. Enter zero if you prefer to treat all remaining operating profit as compensation for the owner.

Hotshot Driver Pay Percentage

Businesses using an employee or contracted driver may pay a percentage of gross load revenue.

If the driver receives 25% of a $2,000 load:

$2,000 × 25% = $500 driver pay

Employer payroll costs can increase the business expense further when the driver is an employee.

Hotshot Driver Pay Per Mile

Some hotshot companies compensate drivers using total miles instead of a percentage of revenue.

At 60 cents per mile over 700 total miles:

700 × $0.60 = $420 base driver pay

Hotshot Driver Flat Pay Per Load

A flat-load rate is another option. The advantage is predictable labor cost, although the amount should still reflect how much time and mileage a particular load requires.

Hotshot Profit Per Load

Profit per load tells you how much remains after the costs assigned to that shipment.

This number is useful when deciding whether a load is worth accepting, but it should be considered together with time and mileage.

A $700-profit load requiring two days may not be as attractive as two $450-profit loads that can both be completed during the same period.

Hotshot Profit Per Loaded Mile

Profit per loaded mile divides estimated load profit by the miles traveled with freight.

This metric is useful for evaluating customer rates, although it still does not fully account for deadhead.

Hotshot Profit Per Total Mile

Profit per total mile includes both loaded and empty mileage:

Profit Per Total Mile = Load Profit ÷ Loaded + Deadhead Miles

This can be one of the most useful numbers for comparing different loads because empty miles are not ignored.

Hotshot Operating Cost Per Mile

Operating cost per mile is calculated by dividing the total cost assigned to a load by total mileage.

If a 700-mile load costs $1,050 to operate:

$1,050 ÷ 700 = $1.50 per total mile

A load paying less than the break-even cost per mile would lose money under those assumptions.

Hotshot Break-Even Rate Per Mile

The break-even rate represents the minimum revenue per total mile required to cover all expenses entered into the calculator.

If your operating cost is $1.50 per total mile, accepting freight at an effective $1.50 per total mile generates approximately zero operating profit.

A target rate should normally be higher than break-even because a business also needs to create profit and absorb unexpected costs.

Hotshot Rate Needed for a Target Profit Margin

Advanced Estimate calculates approximate load revenue and revenue per total mile required to reach the target margin entered.

This can help answer a more useful question than simply asking whether a load makes money: what rate should you quote if you want the load to produce a 20% or 25% margin?

Hotshot Weekly Revenue

Weekly gross revenue is calculated as:

Average Load Revenue × Loads Per Week

If three loads average $1,800 each:

3 × $1,800 = $5,400 weekly gross revenue

Hotshot Weekly Profit

If those same three loads each produce $600 of estimated profit:

3 × $600 = $1,800 weekly profit

This is very different from saying the business “makes $5,400 a week” because $5,400 is gross revenue rather than profit.

Hotshot Monthly Revenue

The calculator annualizes weekly load volume and divides by twelve to estimate an average month rather than assuming every month contains exactly four weeks.

Hotshot Monthly Profit

Monthly profit can change quickly when load volume changes because truck payments and insurance continue even when the business hauls fewer loads.

High fixed expenses make utilization especially important for financed equipment.

Hotshot Annual Revenue

Annual revenue depends on weekly revenue and the actual number of working weeks. Vacation, home time, maintenance and seasonal slow periods can reduce the number of weeks the truck produces normal revenue.

Hotshot Annual Profit

Annual profit is more meaningful than annual revenue because it shows how much remains after operating expenses.

If a hotshot operation grosses $250,000 but spends $190,000 operating the business, estimated annual operating profit is approximately $60,000 before any taxes or expenses not included in the calculation.

Can Hotshot Trucking Make $100,000 a Year?

A hotshot business can mathematically produce six-figure operating profit when load rates, mileage, utilization and expenses support it. Grossing $100,000 is very different from profiting $100,000.

To generate $100,000 of profit over 48 working weeks, the business would need to average approximately:

$100,000 ÷ 48 = $2,083 profit per working week

The calculator can help determine how many profitable loads would be required to reach that level.

Is Hotshot Trucking Profitable?

Hotshot trucking can be profitable when the truck maintains enough loaded mileage at rates that comfortably exceed total operating cost. It can also become unprofitable quickly when deadhead is high, fuel is expensive or the truck experiences major repairs.

The business should therefore be judged using profit per total mile and annual net income rather than gross load-board rates alone.

CDL Hotshot Profit

CDL hotshot operators may be able to haul heavier combinations and access a broader range of freight. Larger trailers and heavier loads can increase revenue opportunities but can also increase fuel, tire, equipment and compliance expenses.

Non-CDL Hotshot Profit

Non-CDL configurations can have lower equipment requirements in some situations, but payload and combination-weight limitations can reduce the freight available to the business.

The calculator itself is not limited to CDL or non-CDL operations. Enter the actual revenue, mileage and costs for your configuration.

Hotshot Pickup Truck Profitability

One advantage of hotshot trucking is the ability to use heavy-duty pickups rather than Class 8 tractors for appropriate freight. Purchase price can be lower, but high annual mileage under heavy towing conditions can still create expensive repairs.

Dually Hotshot Trucking Profit

One-ton dually pickups are common in hotshot applications because of their towing and payload capabilities. Operators should use towing fuel economy rather than unloaded MPG when estimating load costs.

Hotshot Gooseneck Trailer Profit

A gooseneck flatbed can handle vehicles, construction materials, equipment and other freight. Trailer length, axle capacity and deck configuration influence the types of loads available.

The trailer should still have its own maintenance and financing costs included in the business calculation.

40-Foot Hotshot Trailer Profit

Longer trailers can increase freight flexibility because multiple smaller items or longer loads may fit on the deck. The tradeoff can include higher purchase price, tire costs and reduced maneuverability.

Hotshot Flatbed Profit

Flatbed hotshot freight can involve machinery, steel, construction materials, vehicles and time-sensitive industrial loads. Securement and tarping requirements can increase work per load.

Oilfield Hotshot Profit

Oilfield hotshot work can involve urgent parts, valves, tools and equipment moving between suppliers and field locations. Rates may be attractive when customers need immediate delivery, but remote driving and waiting time can increase operating costs.

Local Hotshot vs Long-Haul Hotshot

Local hotshot work can reduce lodging and keep the truck closer to home but may involve more pickups, unloading and city driving. Long-haul loads can generate larger invoices while adding road expenses and increasing the risk of unprofitable return miles.

Why Backhauls Matter

A strong outbound load can become far less attractive when the truck returns hundreds of miles empty.

Finding a backhaul can spread revenue across those miles and improve effective revenue per total mile.

What Does 50% Less Deadhead Do to Profit?

The calculator includes a scenario that cuts current deadhead mileage in half while keeping load revenue unchanged.

Reducing deadhead lowers fuel, maintenance, tires, depreciation and other mileage-driven expenses. The savings can become substantial across a full year.

Hotshot Load Example

Consider a hypothetical $1,800 load traveling 600 loaded miles with 100 miles of deadhead.

Total mileage is 700 miles.

At 10 MPG and $3.75 fuel:

700 ÷ 10 × $3.75 = $262.50 fuel cost

If dispatch charges 8%:

$1,800 × 8% = $144

If factoring is another 3%:

$1,800 × 3% = $54

Before maintenance, tires, financing or insurance, $460.50 has already been consumed by fuel, dispatch and factoring.

What Is a Good Hotshot Rate Per Mile?

A good rate is one that exceeds your complete operating cost by enough to create the profit margin you want. There is no universal profitable rate because one operator may have a paid-off truck while another carries several thousand dollars of monthly financing and insurance.

Instead of using someone else’s minimum rate, calculate your own break-even RPM and target RPM.

$2 Per Mile Hotshot Load

A $2.00 loaded-mile rate may be profitable in one situation and unprofitable in another. Deadhead is often what changes the answer.

A 500-mile load paying $1,000 with zero deadhead produces exactly $2.00 per total mile. Add 200 empty miles and the effective rate falls to approximately $1.43 per total mile.

$2.50 Per Mile Hotshot Load

A $2.50 loaded-mile rate gives more room for expenses, but the same principles apply. Fuel, deadhead and fixed overhead determine whether the rate becomes profit.

$3 Per Mile Hotshot Load

A $3.00 loaded-mile rate can look attractive, but a long empty repositioning drive can reduce effective total RPM substantially.

The calculator displays both numbers side by side specifically so a high loaded RPM does not hide expensive deadhead.

$4 Per Mile Hotshot Load

Higher-paying expedited, specialized or urgent loads can produce much stronger revenue per mile. These jobs may also include more waiting, permits, securement or scheduling constraints.

How a 25-Cent Rate Increase Changes Profit

The calculator includes a scenario adding 25 cents to every loaded mile.

For a 600-mile load:

600 × $0.25 = $150 additional gross revenue

If dispatch and factoring are percentage-based, part of that extra $150 goes to fees, but most of the increase can still improve load profit because mileage and fuel remain unchanged.

Starting a Hotshot Trucking Business

Hotshot trucking can require a substantial startup investment before the first paid load moves.

• Heavy-duty pickup truck
• Gooseneck or flatbed trailer
• Commercial insurance
• Registration and plates
• Operating authority where required
• ELD where required
• Chains and binders
• Straps and edge protectors
• Tarps
• Safety equipment
• Load-board subscriptions
• Working capital
• Fuel reserve
• Maintenance reserve

If you are still planning the company, use the Business Startup Cost Calculator to organize the initial truck, trailer, insurance, equipment and working-capital expenses separately from ongoing load profit.

How Much Working Capital Does a Hotshot Business Need?

A trucking company can spend money long before customer invoices are paid. Fuel, insurance and equipment payments continue even while waiting for broker payment.

Operators should have enough working capital to cover normal business expenses plus unexpected repairs and slow freight periods.

Hotshot Factoring vs Waiting for Payment

Factoring reduces each invoice slightly but can improve cash flow. Waiting for normal payment avoids the factoring fee but requires enough working capital to keep buying fuel while invoices remain unpaid.

Hotshot Dispatch Service vs Self-Dispatch

Self-dispatching can save a percentage of gross load revenue but requires the owner to search load boards, negotiate rates, complete paperwork and coordinate freight personally.

A dispatcher can save time but must generate enough additional revenue or efficiency to justify the fee.

Hotshot Load Boards

Load boards can provide access to spot-market freight but should not be judged by the number of loads displayed. Profitability depends on whether the loads fit your equipment, location and return route.

How to Choose a Profitable Hotshot Load

• Calculate gross load revenue.
• Add all deadhead miles.
• Calculate revenue per total mile.
• Estimate fuel.
• Include maintenance and tires.
• Subtract dispatch and factoring fees.
• Include tolls and permits.
• Allocate monthly fixed expenses.
• Consider time required for pickup and delivery.
• Consider where the load leaves the truck.
• Estimate the probability of finding a backhaul.

Why Destination Matters

Two loads paying the same rate can have very different values if one delivers into a strong freight market and the other leaves the truck in an area with few outbound loads.

The second load may create hundreds of empty miles after delivery, effectively reducing the profitability of the original shipment.

Hotshot Freight vs Traditional Trucking

Hotshot operations can have lower equipment acquisition costs than tractor-trailer businesses, but pickups may experience demanding duty cycles when towing heavy loads over long distances.

The best comparison is based on net profit and return on invested capital rather than truck size alone.

Hotshot Trucking vs Delivery Business

Hotshot freight typically involves fewer, higher-value loads over longer distances than ordinary last-mile delivery. Both businesses are heavily affected by fuel, vehicle wear and unpaid driving.

The same principle applies to other hauling businesses. For example, the Junk Removal Job Profit Calculator also separates customer revenue from truck fuel, mileage, labor and fixed business expenses.

Shipping Cost vs Hotshot Freight Revenue

The amount a shipper pays can include brokerage, carrier revenue and other freight costs. Hotshot owner-operators should focus on the amount actually paid to their business rather than the shipper’s total invoice.

For general shipment pricing outside the owner-operator business calculation, the Shipping Cost Calculator estimates shipping expenses based on shipment size, weight, distance and other factors.

Hotshot Revenue vs Profit

A hotshot operator grossing $20,000 per month is not automatically making $20,000.

If the company spends $13,500 on fuel, equipment, insurance, dispatch, maintenance and other costs:

$20,000 − $13,500 = $6,500 operating profit

This distinction is why revenue screenshots alone do not tell you whether a trucking business is successful.

Common Hotshot Profit Mistakes

• Ignoring deadhead
• Looking only at loaded RPM
• Counting fuel as the only variable cost
• Ignoring maintenance
• Ignoring tires
• Ignoring truck depreciation
• Forgetting trailer maintenance
• Ignoring dispatch fees
• Ignoring factoring fees
• Not allocating insurance to loads
• Ignoring truck and trailer payments
• Treating owner labor as free without realizing it
• Accepting loads without considering the destination market
• Confusing gross revenue with profit

How to Increase Hotshot Trucking Profit

• Reduce unnecessary deadhead.
• Negotiate higher loaded-mile rates.
• Book backhauls before entering weak freight markets.
• Track fuel economy.
• Reduce excessive idling.
• Maintain proper tire pressure.
• Track maintenance cost by mile.
• Set aside a tire reserve.
• Compare self-dispatch with paid dispatch.
• Negotiate factoring rates.
• Track profit on every individual load.
• Know your break-even total RPM.
• Refuse freight that does not cover the true operating cost.

Track Every Hotshot Load

One of the best ways to improve pricing is to record actual performance after every trip.

• Gross revenue
• Loaded miles
• Deadhead miles
• Fuel purchased
• Fuel economy
• Tolls
• Permits
• Dispatch fee
• Factoring fee
• Total trip cost
• Profit per load
• Profit per total mile

After several months, your actual numbers can replace generic assumptions and create a much stronger minimum-rate strategy.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I calculate hotshot trucking profit?

Subtract fuel, maintenance, tires, equipment costs, dispatch, factoring, tolls, permits and allocated overhead from gross load revenue.

Does the calculator include deadhead?

Yes. Enter loaded and deadhead miles separately. Both are included when calculating total mileage expenses.

Does it calculate deadhead percentage?

Yes. Results show deadhead as a percentage of total trip mileage.

Does it calculate loaded revenue per mile?

Yes. Gross load revenue is divided by loaded miles.

Does it calculate revenue per total mile?

Yes. Revenue is also divided by loaded plus deadhead miles to show the true effective trip rate.

Can I calculate hotshot fuel cost?

Yes. Enter MPG and price per gallon or switch to kilometres and L/100 km.

Can I include maintenance per mile?

Yes. Advanced mode includes separate maintenance reserves for the truck and trailer.

Can I include tire costs?

Yes. Enter an estimated truck and trailer tire reserve per total mile.

Can I include equipment depreciation?

Yes. Advanced mode allows truck and trailer depreciation to be allocated by mileage.

Can I include DEF?

Yes. Enter an estimated DEF and fluid expense per mile.

Can I include tolls and permits?

Yes. Tolls, permits and escort costs can all be entered separately.

Can I include lodging and meals?

Yes. Advanced Estimate has separate road-expense inputs for both.

Can I include dispatch fees?

Yes. Enter the percentage of gross load revenue paid to your dispatcher.

Can I include factoring fees?

Yes. Enter the percentage charged by your factoring company.

Can I calculate employee driver pay?

Yes. Driver compensation can be calculated as a percentage of revenue, per mile or a flat amount per load.

Can I value my own labor?

Yes. Owner-operators can optionally assign an owner-labor value to each load.

Can I include truck payments?

Yes. Monthly truck financing is spread across the expected number of loads.

Can I include trailer payments?

Yes. Trailer financing is included separately from the truck.

Can I include commercial insurance?

Yes. Enter your monthly commercial insurance expense.

Does it calculate profit per loaded mile?

Yes. Estimated load profit is divided by loaded mileage.

Does it calculate profit per total mile?

Yes. This includes deadhead and is often the more useful profitability metric.

Does it calculate cost per mile?

Yes. Total trip cost is divided by total loaded and empty mileage.

Does it calculate break-even RPM?

Yes. Results show the approximate revenue per total mile needed to cover the entered operating costs.

Can I calculate a target profit margin?

Yes. Advanced mode estimates both the load revenue and total-mile rate needed to reach your selected margin.

Does it calculate weekly hotshot profit?

Yes. Enter your average loads per week to estimate weekly gross revenue and profit.

Does it calculate monthly hotshot profit?

Yes. Results include average monthly revenue, expenses and net profit.

Does it calculate annual hotshot profit?

Yes. Annual projections use your weekly load volume and selected number of working weeks.

Can CDL hotshot operators use it?

Yes. Enter the actual revenue and cost structure for your truck and trailer.

Can non-CDL hotshot operators use it?

Yes. The calculations work with any legal hotshot configuration as long as the correct mileage and expenses are entered.

Does the Hotshot Profit Calculator work on mobile?

Yes. The calculator automatically changes to a single-column layout on smaller screens with large mobile-friendly inputs and buttons.

Final Thoughts

Hotshot trucking profit is determined by far more than the rate printed on a load board. A $3-per-mile load can be excellent or terrible depending on deadhead, fuel economy, destination, dispatch fees and the amount of fixed overhead the truck carries.

Start with Simple Estimate when you need a quick decision on a load. Enter gross revenue, loaded miles, empty miles, fuel economy and direct expenses to estimate profit per load and profit per total mile.

Switch to Advanced Estimate when you want to understand the entire business. Add maintenance reserves, tires, depreciation, dispatch, factoring, insurance, truck payments, trailer payments and other monthly overhead to calculate a more realistic operating cost per mile.

Pay particular attention to deadhead. Reducing empty mileage can improve profit without negotiating a single extra dollar from the broker because fewer miles are consuming fuel, tires and equipment life without producing revenue.

The strongest hotshot operators know their numbers before accepting freight. Once you know your true break-even RPM and target RPM, every load-board offer becomes easier to evaluate because you can quickly see whether the load contributes to the business or simply keeps the truck moving.