Owner-Operator Expenses: Complete Breakdown for 2025

Understanding owner-operator expenses is the first step to running a profitable trucking business. One of the hardest parts of going independent is figuring out exactly what it costs to run your own truck. The numbers vary depending on your equipment, financing, and how you operate — but having a realistic picture of what to expect is the first step to running a profitable operation.

Here is a complete breakdown of what owner-operators are typically spending in 2025.

Truck payment

For most owner-operators financing a used truck, monthly payments fall between $1,500 and $2,500. A newer truck can run $2,500 to $4,000 per month. If you own your truck outright you eliminate this cost entirely, which dramatically improves your margins and lowers your cost per mile.

Fuel

Fuel is almost always the largest single expense. At current diesel prices, most owner-operators spend between $3,000 and $5,000 per month on fuel depending on miles driven and their truck’s fuel efficiency. This works out to roughly $0.45 to $0.65 per mile.

Insurance

Commercial trucking insurance typically runs $800 to $1,500 per month for a single owner-operator. Your rate depends on your driving record, years of experience, the type of freight you haul, and your operating radius. New authorities often pay more until they establish a safety record.

Permits and licenses

IRP plates, IFTA fuel tax registration, and any oversize or overweight permits add up to roughly $100 to $300 per month when averaged across the year. These costs vary significantly by state and the type of freight you haul.

Maintenance and repairs

This is the expense most owner-operators underestimate. A realistic budget is $0.10 to $0.20 per mile for routine maintenance and repairs. On 10,000 miles per month that’s $1,000 to $2,000 set aside every month. Skipping this budget is one of the fastest ways to end up in a cash flow crisis when a major repair hits.

Tires

A full set of 18 tires on a semi can cost $3,000 to $5,000. Spread over their lifespan, most owner-operators budget $0.03 to $0.06 per mile for tires.

ELD and communication

An electronic logging device runs $30 to $100 per month depending on the provider. Add phone, load board subscriptions, and dispatch software and you’re looking at $150 to $300 per month in total technology costs.

Factoring fees

If you use a factoring company to get paid faster on invoices, expect to pay 2 to 5 percent of your gross revenue in factoring fees. On $15,000 per month in revenue that’s $300 to $750 coming off the top.

What it all adds up to

A realistic total monthly expense figure for a solo owner-operator running 10,000 miles per month falls between $8,000 and $14,000 depending on equipment age, financing, and fuel prices. That means you need to generate at least that much in revenue before you see a dollar of profit.

Knowing exactly where your money is going is the foundation of running a tight operation. Most owner-operators who struggle financially aren’t earning too little — they’re not tracking closely enough to know where costs are running high.

Use our free Cost Per Mile Calculator to plug in your specific numbers and see exactly what your operation costs per mile.