The short version
- In this example a $15,000 team week leaves about $6,295 after the fees and the truck's own costs, roughly $3,148 per driver before taxes.
- Fuel is the biggest single cost, more than the dispatch fee, insurance, and the truck payment put together. Half a mile per gallon moves the week by about $345.
- Set money aside every week for maintenance and tires, even in a week when nothing breaks. That is how a good week stays a good week.
Every number below is an example. Your miles, lanes, truck, and insurance quote will be different, and that is the point: once you see the order the money moves in, you can put your own numbers in each line. Diesel in these examples is $6.276 a gallon, the U.S. average on-highway price the EIA published for the week of October 19, 2026. The current week is on our News page.
Step 1: From gross to settlement
Start with what the freight paid for the week, including fuel surcharge. Then take out what comes off before the money reaches you. These lines use the lease-on terms on our Owner Operators page, at the top of the dispatch fee range so the example is not flattering.
| Gross for the weekExample only. Top team owner operators run $14,000 to $19,000; this is not a typical result. | $15,000.00 |
| Dispatch fee at 12% | -$1,800.00 |
| Admin fee | -$100.00 |
| InsuranceMidpoint of $300 to $450 per week; your driving record sets your number. | -$375.00 |
| Settlement | $12,725.00 |
Step 2: The truck's own costs
The settlement is not take-home pay. The truck still has to be fueled, paid for, and kept on the road. This example assumes 5,000 miles for the week, which a team can run when the freight lines up, and a truck that averages 6.5 miles per gallon.
| Fuel5,000 miles at 6.5 mpg is 769.2 gallons, at $6.276 a gallon. | -$4,827.69 |
| Fuel card discount, passed through to youExample discount of 30 cents a gallon. At Cold Spring Trucking 100% of the fuel card discount is yours. | +$230.77 |
| Truck paymentExample $2,200 monthly payment, spread over the weeks of the year. | -$507.69 |
| Maintenance reserve18 cents a mile set aside for service and repairs. | -$900.00 |
| Tire reserve4 cents a mile set aside for tires. | -$200.00 |
| Tolls, scales, and parking | -$150.00 |
| Phone, ELD, and other small costs | -$75.00 |
| Total truck costs | -$6,429.62 |
Step 3: What is left
| Settlement | $12,725.00 |
| Truck costs | -$6,429.62 |
| Left for the team | $6,295.38 |
| Per driver, split evenly | $3,147.69 |
| Per mile run | $1.26 |
That last number is the one to watch. It is what each mile actually earned you after everything the truck needed. Compare it with your cost per mile and you know whether the week paid.
The amounts above are before income tax and self-employment tax. Set aside a share of every week for taxes and talk with a tax professional about the right amount for you. This article is education, not tax, legal, or financial advice.
What moves the number the most
- Fuel economy. At 7.0 mpg instead of 6.5, the same week burns about 55 fewer gallons, roughly $345 at this week's price. Idle time, speed, and tire pressure all show up here.
- Miles that pay. A team earns by keeping the wheels turning. Ask how loads are planned so both drivers' hours are used, and how deadhead is handled.
- The insurance quote. The $300 to $450 range is a $150 a week difference, about $7,800 a year. A clean record is worth real money.
- What the fuel card saves you. Ask any carrier whether the fuel discount is passed through in full or partly kept. On 769 gallons a week, every 10 cents a gallon is about $77.
Run your own week
- Write down the week's gross, including fuel surcharge.
- Take out the dispatch fee, the admin fee, and your insurance to get the settlement.
- Take out fuel (miles divided by your real mpg, times what you paid), then add back your fuel card discount.
- Take out your weekly share of the truck payment, plus reserves for maintenance and tires based on the miles you ran.
- Take out the small stuff: tolls, scales, parking, phone, ELD.
- Divide what is left by two for each driver, and by the miles for your earnings per mile.
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.
See the Owner Operator Offer Call (206) 735-6016