Haulage Cost Calculator UK
This haulage cost calculator converts the standing and running costs you enter for one HGV and driver into estimated operating figures: cost per mile, cost per day and a target rate for a chosen margin. Built for hauliers, fleet managers and transport buyers.
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- Published UK data
How to use: adjust the standing and running costs to your own figures, set your annual mileage and working days, then move the margin slider to see the rate you would need to charge.
Your costs
Defaults are typical mid-2026 figures for a 44t artic on general haulage. Overwrite any of them with your own.
Methodology and assumptions
This calculator models a single tractor unit with a single driver, which is the standard building block hauliers use to price work. It splits cost into two parts. Standing costs are the fixed annual bills you pay whether the vehicle turns a wheel or not: finance or depreciation, insurance, Vehicle Excise Duty, operator licence and compliance, the driver's full employment cost (salary plus National Insurance, pension, holiday and training) and a share of business overhead. Running costs are the variable costs that scale with distance: fuel, tyres, maintenance and tolls.
The maths is straightforward. Fuel cost per mile = (4.54609 ÷ mpg) × diesel pence per litre ÷ 100, using the UK imperial gallon of 4.54609 litres. Standing cost per mile = total annual standing cost ÷ annual mileage. Total cost per mile = standing cost per mile + fuel + tyres + maintenance + tolls. Cost per day = total annual cost ÷ working days. The margin slider shows the rate per mile needed for that margin as a share of revenue, calculated as cost per mile ÷ (1 minus margin), so a 15% margin on a £1.50 cost gives a £1.76 rate.
The default figures are representative mid-2026 values for a 44 tonne artic on general UK haulage and are estimates: real costs vary widely by operator, finance deal, sector, region and utilisation, so substitute your own numbers for a firm result. Standing cost per mile is highly sensitive to how many miles the unit covers: at low utilisation the fixed costs are spread over fewer miles and the rate rises sharply. Assumptions current as of July 2026. This model excludes VAT, trailer costs where run separately, empty running beyond what your mileage already reflects, and profit reinvestment.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate cost per mile for a lorry?
Add up your fixed annual costs (finance, insurance, VED, licence, driver, overhead) and divide by your annual mileage to get a standing cost per mile. Then add your variable costs per mile (fuel, tyres, maintenance, tolls). The sum is your total cost per mile. This calculator does both steps and shows the breakdown.
What is a typical cost per mile for a 44t artic in the UK?
With the default figures here a 44 tonne artic on around 90,000 miles a year works out at roughly £1.40 to £1.60 per mile before margin, though it moves a lot with fuel price, driver cost and how many miles the unit actually runs. Change the inputs to your own numbers for an accurate figure.
Why does annual mileage change the cost per mile so much?
Because standing costs are fixed. If a unit costs £70,000 a year to keep on the road, that is about 78 pence per mile at 90,000 miles but nearly £1.40 per mile at 50,000 miles. Keeping the vehicle busy is the single biggest lever on cost per mile, which is why utilisation matters so much in transport pricing.
Should the driver cost be salary or full employment cost?
Use the full employment cost. On top of gross salary you carry employer's National Insurance, pension contributions, holiday cover, training and the cost of downtime. The default £42,000 reflects that fully loaded figure rather than headline pay.
How much margin should a haulier add?
That is a commercial decision, but general haulage margins are typically thin, often in the 5% to 15% range on the rate. The slider lets you test any margin from 0 to 30% and see the rate per mile it implies, so you can price with your eyes open.
Know your number, now compare the market
Whether you are pricing your own fleet or checking a supplier's quote, the next step is a fair comparison. Brief CTS on the work and we place it before vetted UK operators with the licence, fleet and track record to run it properly, so you benchmark against real, deliverable rates. Free, no obligation. Explore contract haulage and transport outsourcing.
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