TFTruck Freight Calculator

Dry-van truckload

Dry Van Freight Cost per Mile: Linehaul and Fuel Worksheet

Calculate a dry-van truckload from an entered lane rate, then apply fuel and accessorial terms exactly once.

Direct answer

There is no universal live dry-van price per mile. DAT reported a $2.32-per-mile dry-van spot linehaul average for the week ending 31 July 2026, explicitly excluding fuel. Use that only as dated market context. A shipment budget needs the current lane, dates, miles, equipment, fuel basis and separate event charges from the governing offer or contract.

What changes the result?

A useful calculation starts with the physical scope and the written commercial terms. These are the factors to make explicit:

  • Origin, destination and applicable miles
  • Spot, contract, linehaul or all-in basis
  • Fuel index, base and effective week
  • Equipment, weight and appointment constraints
  • Stops, detention, lumper and other accessorials

Use one scope for every quote

Give each business the same information and ask it to resolve the same boundaries. That makes the totals more comparable and exposes work left as an allowance or exclusion.

  1. Obtain a current lane-specific rate
  2. Confirm whether fuel is included
  3. Define free time and event charges
  4. Preserve the rate confirmation

Keep a dated market observation separate from the shipment quote

DAT's 31 July week report placed dry-van spot linehaul at $2.32 per mile and stated that fuel was excluded. That statistic describes a market sample, not the rate available for every lane, day, trailer or shipper.

The prefilled worksheet uses the same $2.32 only as an editable arithmetic example. Replace it with the accepted linehaul or all-in rate and the miles defined by the commercial agreement.

Apply the fuel mechanism once

EIA publishes weekly diesel prices but does not set or regulate a universal fuel surcharge. The contract or rate confirmation must identify the index, base or peg, effective week and percentage or per-mile formula.

If the offer is all-in, select the included treatment and do not add a second fuel amount. If fuel is separate, preserve the exact calculation so the invoice can be reproduced.

Accessorials turn a rate into a complete load cost

Appointments, driver assist, lumper, extra stops, detention, layover, redelivery, limited access and rejected-load handling depend on the agreement and what occurs. State free time, timestamps, approval and documentation requirements before dispatch where possible.

Record whether miles are practical, shortest, loaded or another basis; identify trailer and cargo requirements; and keep the rate confirmation, pickup and delivery records and approved changes together.

Questions people ask

What is the average dry-van freight rate per mile?

DAT reported $2.32 per mile for dry-van spot linehaul in the week ending 31 July 2026, excluding fuel. It is dated market context, not a universal current quote.

Does a dry-van rate per mile include fuel?

It depends on the offer. DAT's cited figure excludes fuel, while another quote may be all-in. Use the written basis and do not add fuel twice.

How do I calculate the complete dry-van cost?

Multiply the accepted applicable miles by the accepted linehaul rate, apply the agreed fuel mechanism once, then add only separate accessorials supported by the governing terms.

Why does one dry-van lane cost more than another?

Directional capacity, season, appointment constraints, equipment, commodity, lead time, deadhead and accessorial risk can differ even at the same mileage.

Method and sources

The model is a planning tool, not a quotation. These are the published sources used for this page; read the full assumptions before relying on a range. Source review: 18 September 2026.

Review full methodology