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Reefer rate per mile and load profit calculator
Put in what a reefer load pays and what it costs you. The calculator shows the all-in rate per loaded mile, the rate per total mile including deadhead, the rate after reefer fuel, and the load's net profit per mile and per hour. Switch to compare mode to put two loads side by side.
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Example defaults, replace with your numbers
$3.41/loaded mi
- Per total mile
- $3.23
- Net of reefer fuel
- $3.33
- Gross
- $3,750
- Costs
- $2,077
$1,673
- True profit / mile
- $1.44
- Profit / hour
- $55.75
Cost breakdown
- Tractor fuel
- $665
- Reefer fuel
- $85
- Dispatch fee
- $225
- Other costs, tolls, lumper
- $1,102
This load clears $1,673 after fuel, reefer fuel and costs, or $55.75 an hour. Our dispatchers negotiate every load before it reaches you.
What the results mean
All-in rate per loaded mile is gross pay (linehaul plus fuel surcharge plus accessorials) divided by loaded miles. It's the number most rate cons and load boards quote.
Rate per total mile divides the same gross by loaded plus deadhead miles. A load that looks strong at $3.40 a loaded mile can drop well below $3.00 once 150 miles of deadhead are counted.
Rate net of reefer fuel subtracts the fuel your reefer unit burns on the load, then divides by loaded miles. It's the reefer-specific number that makes a reefer load comparable with what you know from dry van.
Net profit is gross minus tractor fuel, reefer fuel, the dispatch fee (if included), tolls, any lumper you pay, and your other cost per mile on all miles. True profit per mile spreads that profit over total miles; profit per hour spreads it over trip hours, driving plus waiting.
How it's calculated
Gross = linehaul + fuel surcharge + accessorials
Rate per loaded mile = gross / loaded miles
Rate per total mile = gross / (loaded + deadhead miles)
Reefer fuel = reefer hours x burn rate x reefer fuel price
Rate net of reefer fuel = (gross - reefer fuel) / loaded miles
Tractor fuel = (loaded + deadhead miles) / mpg x fuel price
Profit = gross - tractor fuel - reefer fuel - dispatch fee - tolls - lumper - other cost per mile x total miles
Profit per hour = profit / trip hours
Assumptions and sources
- Defaults are examples. The starting numbers are illustrations, not averages or quotes. Replace every one with your own.
- Market context. For reference, DAT's national average reefer spot rate for October 10-16, 2026 was $3.66 per mile including fuel surcharge, with linehaul at $2.76. Use current numbers from our reefer rates guide, not this snapshot.
- Reefer burn. EPRI describes diesel trailer units as burning up to about a gallon an hour. Your hour meter and receipts give your real number; our guide to reefer run time and fuel consumption explains what moves it.
- Dispatch fee. Our single-truck rate, applied to gross. Untick it to see your numbers without it.
How to use it before accepting a load
- Enter the offer exactly as the broker quotes it: linehaul and fuel surcharge, plus any detention or lumper reimbursement that's guaranteed on the rate con.
- Add the deadhead to the pickup. If the load leaves you in a weak market, consider adding the expected deadhead to your next reload too.
- Estimate trip hours honestly, including the shed wait and the delivery appointment.
- Check profit per hour against your target. If it's below what you need, counter or pass.
- Compare. When you have two offers, switch to compare mode. The load with the higher rate per mile is often not the one with the higher profit per hour.
Load boards show you posted rates; this shows what a load is worth to you. Our guide to reefer load boards covers where offers come from and how to filter them. If you'd rather have a dispatcher run these numbers and negotiate before the offer reaches you, that's our reefer dispatch service. Apply in a minute.
Questions about this tool
What's the difference between rate per loaded mile and rate per total mile?
Rate per loaded mile divides the pay by the miles you're paid for. Rate per total mile divides it by every mile the truck drives for the load, including deadhead to the pickup. The second is the honest number for comparing loads.
Why show the rate net of reefer fuel?
Because a dry van load and a reefer load at the same posted rate don't pay the same. The reefer burns its own fuel the whole time product is on board, and that cost isn't on the rate con.
Why compare profit per hour and not just per mile?
A short load with a long wait at the shed can pay well per mile and badly per hour. Profit per hour accounts for detention, slow docks and long appointments, which is where reefer loads often lose money.
What should I put in other cost per mile?
Your fixed and running costs spread over a typical month's miles: truck and trailer payments, insurance, maintenance and tires, permits, phone and software. Leave out tractor fuel, reefer fuel and the dispatch fee, since the calculator handles those separately.
Is the dispatch fee included?
Only if the box is ticked. It uses our single-truck rate so you can see your numbers with and without a dispatcher.
Sources
- 01DAT national average reefer spot rate (all-in, 7-day), reported by AJOT · Oct 10-16, 2026 · checked October 2026
- 02DAT national average reefer linehaul rate (excludes fuel surcharge), reported by AJOT · Oct 10-16, 2026 · checked October 2026
- 03EPRI, electric transport refrigeration report · EPRI publication · checked October 2026
- 04Thermo King Precedent S-610DE specification sheet · spec sheet TK 56346-2-PL · checked October 2026
Results are estimates for planning, not financial or tax advice.
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