The short version
- Set aside a fixed amount for every mile you run. This guide uses 18 cents for maintenance and 4 cents for tires as examples.
- At 100,000 to 120,000 miles a year, an 18 cent reserve builds $18,000 to $21,600.
- The repair is only half the cost. The days in the shop, when the truck earns nothing, are the other half.
Why a per-mile reserve works
Wear happens by the mile. Brakes, tires, filters, and the engine all wear as you drive, so the fair way to pay for them is by the mile too. Every week, multiply your miles by your reserve rate and move that money into a separate account. A busy week puts more aside; a short week puts less.
What a year of reserve looks like
| Miles and rate | Reserve |
|---|---|
| 100,000 miles at 15 cents | $15,000 |
| 100,000 miles at 18 cents | $18,000 |
| 100,000 miles at 20 cents | $20,000 |
| 120,000 miles at 18 cents | $21,600 |
Older trucks and trucks with more miles need the higher rate. After a year of tracking your own repair bills, set the rate from your real numbers instead of an example.
What the reserve pays for
- Preventive maintenance: oil and filter changes, greasing, and inspections on a schedule by miles or engine hours.
- Wear items: brakes, belts, hoses, batteries, lights, and wipers.
- Tires: keep a separate tire reserve so a set of steers or drives never comes out of fuel money.
- The big ones: engine, transmission, turbo, and aftertreatment repairs. These are the reason the reserve exists.
Downtime is the hidden bill
If the truck sits in the shop for five days and an average day earns an example $1,500 gross, the repair also cost you $7,500 in freight you did not haul, while insurance and the truck payment kept coming. Preventive maintenance is cheaper than downtime, which is why it should be scheduled, not put off.
Keep the reserve out of reach
The reserve only works if it is still there. Keep it in its own savings account, separate from fuel and household money, and do not borrow from it for anything but the truck. That is the owner's side of the job, and we walk through the whole setup in owner and operator: two jobs.
Start this week
- Pick a reserve rate per mile for maintenance and another for tires.
- Every week, multiply your miles by each rate and move the money.
- Keep every repair receipt with the mileage on it.
- Once a year, compare what you spent with what you saved, and adjust the rate.
- Put the rate into your cost per mile so every load is priced to cover it.
Reserve rates here are examples, not quotes. Your truck's age, miles, and condition set your real number. This article is education, not financial advice.
Want to run your own numbers with us? Our lease-on terms are on one page in plain numbers, or call and we will work through your week with you.
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