Free calculator
Free Dry Van Load Calculator
Dry van is the most common trailer on the board, which means the most competition and the thinnest margins. A rate that looks fine on loaded RPM can lose money once deadhead and fuel come out. This free calculator runs the full math on any dry van load so you know before you call back.
- See loaded RPM vs. effective RPM once deadhead is counted.
- Get gross profit after fuel and operating cost — not just the headline rate.
- See a risk score and a Book / Negotiate / Pass recommendation with a suggested counteroffer.
Run a dry van load now
Free, no account needed. The dry van equipment type is preselected — just enter the rate, miles, and deadhead.
Want the math behind it? Read how to calculate rate per mile and how to know if a load is worth it, or browse the full resource library.
Running a different trailer? Try the reefer load calculator or the flatbed load calculator.
How the math works
A $760 dry van load, worked end to end
Offer: $760 · 240 loaded miles · 20 deadhead miles
Loaded RPM: $760 ÷ 240 mi = $3.17/mi
Effective RPM: $760 ÷ 260 total mi = $2.92/mi
Example cost floor: $1.95/mi × 260 mi = $507 all-in
Gross margin: $760 − $507 = $253
Read: $2.92 clears a $1.95 floor by $0.97/mi. Now ask what the reload market looks like at delivery.
Common questions
- What's a good dry van rate per mile?
- There is no single good number. The same $2.50 load can be profit for a truck with a $1.80 cost floor and a loss for one at $2.60. Judge every offer against your own cost per mile first, then against typical lane ranges on the benchmarks page. Those are index-adjusted reference ranges, not live quotes.
- Why do deadhead miles matter so much on dry van?
- Because the truck burns fuel and hours on every mile, paid or not. The $760 example above is $3.17 per loaded mile but $2.92 once 20 deadhead miles are counted. Stretch that deadhead to 60 miles and the same load drops to $2.53. Always divide the rate by total miles, not loaded miles.
- How do I find my own cost per mile?
- Add one month of fixed costs (truck payment, insurance, plates, parking) to that month's variable costs (fuel, maintenance, tires) and divide by the miles you ran. A truck that spent $14,000 and ran 8,000 miles has a $1.75 cost per mile. The free cost per mile tool does this math for you.
LoadMerit provides educational content, simulations, calculators, and decision-support tools for freight load analysis. Content is for informational and educational purposes only and should not be treated as legal, financial, tax, regulatory, insurance, brokerage, carrier, or dispatching advice.