Profit & Loss Calculator for Owner Operators

How do I build a profit and loss statement for my trucking business?

A trucking profit and loss (P&L) statement lists income, then costs, in order. Start with total revenue. Subtract the direct costs of running the truck, such as fuel, maintenance and tires, to get gross profit. Subtract overhead, such as insurance, the truck payment, office costs and dispatch fees, to get profit before income tax. Splitting direct costs from overhead shows whether a problem is in how you run loads or in your fixed costs. How to judge the result depends on who is paid. If you drive the truck yourself, the profit is your pay. Compare it with what a driver earns. The median tractor-trailer driver was paid $58,640 in May 2025 (BLS). If you pay driver wages, it is a company margin. ATRI says those margins were under 1 percent for truckload and refrigerated carriers in 2025.

1. Add up total revenue for the period: every load's gross pay.
2. Subtract direct, mile-driven costs: fuel, maintenance, tires and tolls, to get gross profit.
3. Subtract overhead, such as truck and trailer payments, insurance, permits, ELD, phone, health insurance, accounting and dispatch or factoring fees. That gives profit before income tax.
4. Calculate that profit as a percentage of revenue (your margin) and as a yearly figure, and track both period over period.
5. If you drive the truck yourself, leave driver wages at zero. The profit is your pay, so compare the yearly figure with what a driver earns. If you pay drivers, compare the margin with the industry's, which is thin.
6. Read the list of where the money goes. The largest costs are where a small saving matters most.
7. Redo this every month or quarter, and immediately after any major change like a fuel price spike or a new truck payment.

This structure mirrors a standard business P&L. If you work with an accountant, ask which costs they count as direct and which as overhead. Conventions vary a little by preparer. The calculator counts payments the way your bank account does, so a truck payment goes in whole. A tax return counts interest and depreciation instead, so do not copy these numbers onto a return. The BLS figure covers employees, who also get benefits, so it is a rough yardstick for an owner-operator.

Last reviewed October 2026. Sources: ATRI: 2026 report on accelerating costs and low profitability; BLS: heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, pay.