How Much to Charge for Car Hauling Per Mile
Car hauling rates fall as distance rises: short hauls under 500 miles typically run $1.00–$1.75 per mile per vehicle, 500–1,500 mile runs $0.60–$1.00, and long coast-to-coast moves $0.40–$0.70. Enclosed transport adds 40–60%, inoperable vehicles requiring a winch add $100–$200, and oversize or lifted units add a further premium — with a fuel surcharge quoted as a separate percentage on top.
Per-mile rates by distance
- Under 500 miles — $1.00–$1.75 per mile, per vehicle
- 500–1,500 miles — $0.60–$1.00
- 1,500+ miles — $0.40–$0.70
- Fuel surcharge — a separate percentage, indexed to diesel
The premiums
- Enclosed transport — 40–60% over open
- Inoperable / winch required — $100–$200 per unit
- Oversize, lifted, or dually — deck space is the cost
- Expedited or single-car dedicated — priced as a charter, not a slot
- Reattempt and storage — quoted at booking, billed when used
Rate the whole movement
A load’s real rate is its revenue divided by every mile you drive because of it — including the deadhead to reach it and the empty miles it leaves you with afterward.
A hauler comparing gross per loaded mile between two loads is comparing the wrong number.
The short-haul floor
Under about 200 miles, per-mile math stops working. Loading, securing, paperwork, and delivery take about the same time as on a long run. Set a minimum per unit and quote that instead — short hauls should be priced as jobs, not as distances.
Direct shippers change the arithmetic
The broker’s cut is real money, and their payment cycle is real cash flow. Direct work pays more and pays sooner — the cost is that you have to find it, quote it, and collect it yourself, which is exactly the work a load board was doing on your behalf.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the per-mile rate drop on long runs?
Because loading, straps, and paperwork cost roughly the same whether you drive 200 miles or 2,000 — spread over more miles, the fixed part of the job shrinks. That's also why short hauls have to carry a much higher per-mile number to be worth doing at all.
Should I price deadhead miles?
Into your rate, always. A load that pays well and strands you 300 miles from the next one is a load that paid badly. Rate the whole movement, not the loaded leg.
How do I set a fuel surcharge?
As a percentage of the linehaul, adjusted against a diesel index rather than a feeling. Quoted separately, it rises and falls without you reopening your base rate — which is the entire reason freight prices it this way.
Is direct-shipper work worth more than broker loads?
Meaningfully — you keep the margin the broker takes and you can collect COD at delivery instead of waiting on their cycle. It costs you the sales effort the load board was doing for free, which is the real trade.