Cost Per Mile by Industry — 2026 Delivery & Trucking Benchmarks
Average Cost Per Mile by Delivery Industry (2026)
Industry benchmarks for delivery, trucking, and transport cost per mile. Use these figures to price your services, evaluate your fleet efficiency, and negotiate contracts.
Cost Per Mile Benchmarks by Industry
| Industry | Avg Cost/Mile | Range | Key Cost Drivers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long-haul Trucking (FTL) | $1.82 | $1.50–2.20 | Fuel (39%), driver pay (26%), equipment (17%) |
| Courier/Parcel | $1.95 | $1.40–2.80 | Package density, fuel, driver wages |
| Auto Parts Delivery | $2.10 | $1.60–2.80 | Weight, fragile items, urgency premium |
| Less-than-Truckload (LTL) | $2.45 | $2.00–3.10 | Fuel, hub operations, partial loads |
| Last-Mile Delivery | $2.75 | $1.80–4.50 | Urban congestion, stops per mile, failed deliveries |
| Medical Supply | $2.85 | $2.20–3.80 | Temperature control, compliance, insurance |
| NEMT | $3.20 | $2.50–4.80 | Wait times, wheelchair access, compliance |
| Food Delivery | $3.50 | $2.00–5.50 | Short distances, idle time, perishable handling |
| Pharmaceutical | $3.75 | $2.80–5.00 | Chain of custody, temp monitoring, security |
| Furniture/Appliance | $4.20 | $3.00–6.00 | Two-person crews, white glove, bulky items |
Typical Cost Breakdown
Here's how the average delivery cost per mile breaks down across industries:
| Fuel | 35% |
| Driver Pay | 28% |
| Vehicle/Equipment | 15% |
| Insurance | 8% |
| Admin/Overhead | 7% |
| Maintenance | 5% |
| Other | 2% |
How to Calculate Your Cost Per Mile
Total Costs ÷ Total Miles = Cost Per Mile
Track Every Mile: Use GPS or a mileage calculator to capture exact driving distances, not estimates. Even a 5% error in mileage tracking compounds over thousands of deliveries.
Know Your Fixed vs. Variable Costs: Fixed costs (insurance, lease payments) stay constant regardless of miles driven. Variable costs (fuel, maintenance, tires) scale with usage. Separate them to understand your true cost structure.
Sources: ATRI (American Transportation Research Institute) An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, 2025; Bureau of Labor Statistics; industry fleet management surveys. Data represents 2025-2026 averages for US domestic operations.
