Hotshot Rate Calculator
Hotshot loads get quoted every way but consistently — a flat rate on a partial load, a per-mile rate on a full gooseneck, sometimes just "what's your best number." Both calculators below start from the same cost-per-mile floor: one tells you if a specific load actually clears money, the other tells you the lowest rate per loaded mile you can quote before you're working for free.
Both tools use only the cost per mile you enter; they do not add missing expenses or owner pay. Load profit also deducts the factoring fee you enter. Include each expense once and account for any remaining costs before quoting a load.
Will this load make money?
profit = gross − (total miles × cost per mile) − factoring fee
Your break-even rate
break-even per loaded mile = cost per mile ÷ (1 − deadhead %)
FAQ
How do I quote a partial hotshot load?
A partial load — anything short of a full gooseneck — still costs you the same fixed costs per mile; your truck payment and insurance don't care if the deck is half empty. Quote from your real cost per mile, not a flat "partial discount" pulled from habit, and run the numbers through the load profit calculator above before you commit to a rate.
Should I negotiate rate per mile or a flat rate?
Either works as long as you convert it back to your cost per mile before deciding. A flat rate on a 300-mile partial and a per-mile rate on a 900-mile full gooseneck are only comparable once you divide the flat rate by the miles — do that math before you compare two offers side by side.