Question 1

What is Load IQ?

Accepted Answer

Load IQ is a free interactive calculator for owner-operators that calculates your true cost per mile, evaluates any load for profit margin and profit per day, compares up to 3 loads side by side, detects money leaks in your operation, and projects your annual tax bill using 2026 federal brackets.

Question 2

How does Load IQ calculate if a load is profitable?

Accepted Answer

Load IQ uses your real operating costs (truck payment, insurance, fuel, maintenance, tires, and 15+ other categories) to calculate your cost per mile. It then evaluates each load using two metrics: margin percentage and profit per day. Both must pass minimum thresholds for a TAKE verdict. A load with a good margin but low daily profit is flagged because a company driver would make more with zero risk.

Question 3

What is a good profit margin on a trucking load?

Accepted Answer

For owner-operators, under 5% margin is the danger zone, 5-10% is thin, 10-15% is average, 15-20% is above average, and 20%+ is excellent. However, margin alone is not enough — you also need to check your profit per day. A high-margin load that ties up extra days can be a worse deal than a slightly lower margin you can turn faster. Compare profit per day with your own cost per mile.

Question 4

What should an owner-operator's cost per mile be?

Accepted Answer

Most owner-operators with a financed truck have a cost per mile between $1.30 and $1.80. Under $1.30 is excellent (usually a paid-off truck). Above $1.90 is the danger zone where you need rates consistently above $2.60/mile just to make a modest living. Load IQ calculates your exact CPM from 20+ expense categories.

Question 5

How much should an owner-operator set aside for taxes?

Accepted Answer

Owner-operators should set aside 25-30% of net profit each month for taxes. This covers self-employment tax (15.3% on 92.35% of earnings), federal income tax (progressive brackets from 10-37%), and state income tax (varies by state, typically 3-7%). Load IQ calculates your projected tax bill using actual 2026 federal brackets.

Question 6

How do I know if a trucking load is profitable?

Accepted Answer

To determine if a load is profitable, you need to know your cost per mile (total monthly expenses divided by total miles driven). Then compare the load's rate per mile against your cost per mile. A profitable load must also be evaluated by profit per day — a load with a good margin percentage can still be a bad deal if it takes too many days to complete. Load IQ calculates both metrics automatically.

Question 7

How much profit per day should a trucker make?

Accepted Answer

Compare profit per day with your own cost per mile. A load that looks fine on rate per mile can still be a poor use of a day. Run your own numbers with the free cost per mile calculator.

Question 8

What is cost per mile for a truck?

Accepted Answer

Cost per mile (CPM) is your total operating expenses divided by total miles driven. For most owner-operators with a financed truck, CPM falls between $1.30 and $1.80 per mile. This includes fixed costs (truck payment, insurance, permits) and variable costs (fuel, maintenance, tires). Your CPM is your break-even rate — any load paying less than your CPM loses money.

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