Fuel Cost Calculator
Trip fuel cost from miles, MPG, and pump price — plus your fuel cost per mile and what an MPG bump is actually worth.
Enter your run and hit PUMP THE NUMBERS
The fuel math
trip cost = gallons × price per gallon
fuel cost per mile = price ÷ MPG
Fuel is the biggest variable cost in trucking — typically a quarter to a third of every operating dollar. The cost-per-mile form of the math is the most useful one: at $3.85 and 6.5 MPG you're paying about $0.59 a mile in diesel before anything else. That number belongs in your cost per mile and in every rate decision you make.
MPG is the lever you control. Slowing cruise speed, keeping tires aired up, and minimizing idle time are each worth real money at truck mileage — the ticket shows you what a half-MPG improvement is worth on your own monthly miles.
FAQ
How do I figure fuel cost for a trip?
Miles ÷ MPG = gallons, gallons × price = cost. 1,000 miles at 6.5 MPG is ~154 gallons; at $3.85 that's ~$592.
What MPG should a semi get?
Most loaded Class 8 trucks run 5.5–7.5 MPG. Speed is the big one — backing off from 70 to 62 mph can be worth over half an MPG.
Is half an MPG really worth chasing?
At 10,000 miles/month and $3.85 diesel, 6.0 → 6.5 MPG saves ~$494 a month. That's a truck payment every five months.