Work out the real cost of moving grain, inputs or livestock. Compare hiring a hauler vs self-hauling, and benchmark $/ton and $/ton-km against local freight rates.
Enter distance, freight rate, load weight, loading/unloading fees and road tolls. The tool outputs total freight, cost per tonne, cost per ton-mile/km and a self-haul comparison.
✓ Expert Reviewed: This calculator and its content have been reviewed by agricultural experts. Formulas are based on standard extension service recommendations and the Farm Financial Standards Council. For site-specific advice, consult your local agronomist or extension agent.
Enter the one-way distance the commodity travels, the quoted freight rate per km (or per mile), the tonnes loaded, any fixed loading/unloading fees, and road tolls. Click Calculate to compare with self-haul.
About
Total Freight = Distance × Rate + Loading Fee + Tolls. Cost/tonne = Total ÷ Load. Cost/tonne-km = Total ÷ (Load × Distance). Cost per US short ton = total ÷ (tonnes × 1.1023). For 120 km at $2.50/km, 25 t, $150 loading, $40 tolls: freight = $300+$150+$40 = $490, or $19.60/t, $0.163/t-km. Common mistakes: using round-trip distance for one-way quotes, forgetting loading fees, and ignoring fuel surcharges that truckers add.
Use $/tonne to decide whether a delivered price works for a single load; use $/tonne-km to compare quotes across different distances and carriers. Ton-km cost normalizes the two main drivers.
It depends on truck utilization. If your truck sits idle most of the year, hiring is often cheaper once truck, insurance, labor and maintenance are counted. Self-haul wins when you have backhauls or the truck is otherwise paid for and fully used.
Most truckers apply a fuel surcharge that moves with diesel prices, often added on top of the base rate. Ask whether the quoted rate already includes fuel surcharge. Long hauls are most exposed because fuel is ~30-40% of truck cost.
Rates vary by region, fuel and load, but bulk grain often moves at roughly $0.08-0.20 per tonne-km. Short hauls have higher per-ton-km cost due to fixed loading fees; long hauls amortize them better.
If the truck returns empty (no backhaul), fuel and driver time roughly double the operating distance, but freight quotes are usually per loaded one-way km. Ask the carrier how the rate is quoted and whether deadhead is included.