Hot Shot Trucking Profitability Calculator

How It Works

1. Pick the mode

   Choose General Hot Shot, OTR Class 8, or Rig Move. Mode changes the local defaults and visible accessorial rows; it does not validate authority, equipment, route, market, or compliance status.

2. Enter the load math

   Enter linehaul, loaded miles, deadhead miles, loaded MPG, empty MPG, and diesel price from the rate confirmation, route plan, fuel-card records, and current truck data.

3. Confirm equipment and weight prompt

   Use trailer presets only as starting points. Enter the actual combined weight basis and verify GVWR, GCWR, scale weight, axle weights, towed-unit rating, endorsements, state rules, insurance, and FMCSA requirements before dispatch.

4. Pick the driver pay mode

   Choose percentage, per-mile, or per-day pay and verify whether FSC or accessorial revenue is included under the driver, lease, W-2, payroll, benefit, and settlement terms.

5. Set fixed cost allocation

   Allocate monthly truck payment and insurance by expected loads per month. Replace this with your accounting method, finance terms, depreciation reserve, tax treatment, and current insurance cost before business use.

6. Enable fuel surcharge if applicable

   Apply FSC only when the contract has one. The local standard formula divides (current diesel - base diesel) by weighted MPG, multiplied by loaded miles. For step-pattern or flat-percent FSC programs, use the dedicated Fuel Surcharge Calculator and verify the contract terms before adding the result to linehaul manually here.

7. Add OTR or Rig Move accessorial

   OTR mode: IFTA per mile, lumper fee, expected layover days. Rig Move mode: rig rate per hour, field hours, wait time + rate, layover days + rate, oversize permit, pilot car miles + rate, mobilization fee. The calculator stacks these into accessorial revenue (some flow to the customer) and other cost (some flow out of pocket).

8. Read the flags and source boundaries

   Flags surface local prompts for loss, deadhead, fuel share, driver pay share, low loaded-rate calculator, wait time, and CDL review. They are not live market-rate advice or compliance determinations.

Built For

• Owner-operator checking one load against actual books and the rate confirmation
• Dispatcher reviewing deadhead, FSC, and accessorial assumptions before negotiation
• Fleet manager documenting rate, insurance, fuel, and fixed-cost source gaps before annual renewal
• Carrier comparing driver-pay treatment against written lease, W-2, payroll, benefit, and settlement terms
• New entrant listing authority, insurance, HOS, IFTA, IRP, weight, and CDL questions before dispatch
• Rig-move carrier separating wait, layover, permit, pilot-car, and mobilization assumptions from contract terms

Features & Capabilities

Three Local Modes

General Hot Shot, OTR Class 8, and Rig Move presets expose different editable rows. They are local planning defaults, not live lane rates, equipment approval, or basin-rate guidance.

CDL Boundary Prompt

Combined-weight inputs produce a CDL review prompt tied to FMCSA source pointers. The prompt does not decide legal status, license class, endorsement, state rule, medical-card, insurance, or enforcement outcome.

Split Loaded and Empty MPG Inputs

Loaded and deadhead legs use separate MPG entries so users can model their own truck, route, speed, weather, load, and fuel-card records instead of relying on generic mileage claims.

Local FSC Pattern

The FSC estimate uses the entered diesel price, base diesel, weighted MPG, and loaded miles. Written shipper, broker, carrier, or lease terms control actual fuel-surcharge billing and driver settlement treatment.

Driver Pay Modes

Percentage, per-mile, and per-day rows show how different pay treatments change load economics. Payroll taxes, benefits, lease terms, workers comp, settlement deductions, and legal classification remain source gaps.

Rig Move Accessorial Inputs

Rig-hour, wait, layover, permit, pilot-car, and mobilization rows keep accessorial assumptions visible. Current contracts, permits, escort rules, operator requirements, and site conditions must be verified separately.

OTR Extra Cost Rows

IFTA, lumper, and layover rows are editable planning inputs. They are not reimbursement rules, tax allocation, broker approval, or proof that a charge is recoverable.

PDF Export

The PDF includes inputs, revenue and cost breakdowns, flags, source warnings, and source pointers. It is a planning record, not accounting, legal, compliance, insurance, dispatch, or rate-market documentation.

Comparison

Frequently Asked Questions