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    Trip fuel cost calculator: what the trip burns, truck and reefer

    Enter the trip miles, your real fuel economy, the diesel price and your tank size. Add the reefer unit's hours and burn if it runs. You get the gallons, the trip cost, the cost per mile and what one fill-up costs.

    mi
    mpg

    From your fuel records

    $/gal
    gal

    For a reference price, see the EIA weekly diesel update (checked 2026-10-10). Your fuel card price is better.

    Trip fuel cost

    $760.00

    200 gal for the truck, $0.59 per mile. One fill of 200 gal costs $760.00 at this price.

    Tankfuls this trip takes (1)
    EXAMPLE trip, use yours
    Where the fuel money goes

    Total $760

    $760 in fuel on this trip, $0.59 a mile. Our dispatchers count the deadhead and the reefer hours before an offer reaches you, and you approve every load.

    Get loads that cover my fuel

    Fuel is the cost that moves every week and the one you pay at every stop. This trip fuel cost calculator turns a trip into gallons and dollars from three numbers you know: the miles, your real fuel economy and the price at the pump. Add the reefer unit if it runs, and the calculator includes its burn by the hour. The gauges show how many tankfuls the trip takes at your tank size.

    How it is calculated

    • Truck gallons = trip miles ÷ miles per gallon.
    • Truck fuel cost = truck gallons × diesel price.
    • Reefer gallons = hours the unit runs × gallons per hour.
    • Reefer fuel cost = reefer gallons × reefer fuel price.
    • Fuel cost per mile = total fuel cost ÷ trip miles.
    • Fill-up cost = tank capacity × diesel price.
    • Tankfuls = truck gallons ÷ tank capacity.

    The price is always your input. For a reference, the U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes a weekly Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update with on-highway diesel prices by region.

    Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, checked October 2026

    A worked example

    A 1,300-mile reefer runExample

    1. TRUCK1,300 mi ÷ 6.5 mpg = 200 gal
    2. COST200 gal × $3.80 = $760.00
    3. REEFER30 h × 0.8 gal/h = 24 gal × $3.80 = $91.20
    4. TOTAL$851.20, about $0.655 per mile
    5. FILL-UP200-gal tanks: one full fill at $3.80 = $760.00

    These are EXAMPLE numbers. Your economy depends on the truck, the load, the terrain and how you drive.

    How to read the result

    The cost per mile is the number to carry into your rate decisions. If fuel alone takes a large share of what a load pays per mile, the rest of your costs have little room. Add the deadhead miles to the trip before you judge a load, because the truck burns fuel to get to the freight too. On reefer loads, the unit's hours count, including time waiting at the shipper with the unit running.

    Fuel economy is the lever

    Small changes in miles per gallon add up over a year. Common levers include steady highway speed, less idling, correct tire pressure, a clean air filter and smooth shifting. Try one input at a time: change the mpg by a few tenths and watch the trip cost move. That difference, times the trips in a year, is what better habits are worth. For the full picture of what each mile costs, use the trucking cost per mile calculator, and for the fluid that rides alongside diesel, the DEF usage and cost calculator.

    Planning where you buy

    Diesel prices differ by state and by stop, partly because fuel taxes differ, so where you fill matters on a long trip. Plan stops where your fuel card has a discount and the price is lower, and avoid filling to the brim right before a cheaper stretch. Keep enough in the tanks to reach the next good stop with a margin for traffic and detours. The tankful gauges help: if a trip takes a little more than one tank, one planned stop at the right place can cover it.

    Winter fuel

    Cold weather can gel diesel and stop a truck in a parking lot. If your route crosses cold country, the anti-gel additive dosing calculator works out how much additive to add from the ratio on the product label. Winter blends and additives can change your economy slightly, so update the mpg in winter.

    Fuel in the freight price

    Fuel surcharges exist because fuel moves faster than contract rates. Shippers can see how surcharges show up in their bills in freight shipping cost (coming soon) and our freight cost analysis (coming soon). Carriers should check that the surcharge on a rate con actually covers the trip's fuel at today's price.

    Reefer loads carry two fuel bills, the truck's and the unit's. Our reefer dispatch team counts both, plus the deadhead, before an offer reaches you, and you approve every load. Send an application.

    Questions about this calculator

    How much does it cost to fill up a semi truck?
    Multiply the gallons your tanks hold by the diesel price. Tractors often carry two tanks, and capacities vary widely by truck and spec, so check yours. Enter the total capacity and today's price in the calculator for your fill-up cost. Remember you rarely fill from empty, so a real stop usually costs less than a full tank.
    How do I use a semi truck fuel cost calculator for a trip?
    Enter all the miles you'll drive, including the deadhead to the pickup, your real fuel economy from your fuel records, and the price you expect to pay. The calculator divides the miles by the mpg for gallons and multiplies by the price. Use your fuel card's average price on the lane if you have it.
    What is the fuel cost per mile for a semi truck?
    Fuel cost per mile is the diesel price divided by your miles per gallon. At the same price, a truck getting better mileage spends less on every mile. It's usually the biggest variable cost in trucking, so small gains in fuel economy and buying fuel on cheaper routes show up quickly in your cost per mile.
    How much fuel does a reefer unit burn?
    It depends on the unit, the setpoint, the outside temperature, whether it runs continuously or cycles, and how often the doors open. Check your unit's specifications or, better, your own fuel records for the reefer tank. Enter the hours it runs and its burn per hour, and the calculator adds it to the trip.
    Where can I find current diesel prices?
    The U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes weekly retail diesel prices for the country, its regions and selected states and cities. Fuel card networks and truck stop apps show pump prices along your route. For your own numbers, use the price you actually pay after any fuel card discount.