Freight cost calculator: does this rate cover your cost per km?
Work out a break-even rate by dividing the trip’s costs by the loaded kilometres, not by every kilometre driven. Diesel, AdBlue, wear and tolls — on the empty legs too — form the variable floor; driver, fixed vehicle costs per day and overheads make the full cost. Below the variable cost every kilometre loses money; between the two thresholds a load only makes sense as a backhaul that would otherwise run empty; above the full cost the difference is your margin. A foreign HGV of 38,001 kg or more with a Euro 6 engine pays a UK HGV levy of £9.67 a day since 1 April 2026. In Logistivo, fuel, toll and maintenance invoices are booked onto each truck and foreign amounts are converted to euros, so you can put these thresholds next to your own figures.
Source: GOV.UK (Department for Transport) · GOV.UK · GOV.UK (DESNZ) · Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible (España) · Eurostat Statistics Explained · European Commission (DG MOVE) · European Commission (DG ENER) · vrachtwagenheffing.nl (Rijksoverheid) · vrachtwagenheffing.nl · gesetze-im-internet.de (BMJ) · ASFINAG · Viapass · vejafgifter.dk (Danish Ministry of Transport / Ministry of Taxation) · etoll.gov.pl (Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa) · Autostrade per l'Italia · CNAIR · Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü (KGM) · European Central Bank.
Data last updated:
.
Does the rate cover this trip?
Does the rate cover this trip? — The rate meter puts three numbers on one scale: the variable cost, the full cost and the rate offered, all per loaded kilometre (or mile).
The calculator compares a rate you are offered with your own costs; it does not quote market rates. You enter driver and vehicle costs yourself. Official charges (tolls, km charges, vignettes, bridges, the UK levy) and diesel reference prices are shown with their date and source. All amounts exclude VAT. It prices a trip; for part loads and groupage billed by weight, the chargeable weight calculator shows which weight the carrier bills.
Rate for the trip — The amount offered for the whole trip, excluding VAT.
Loaded distance — Kilometres (or miles) with a load, from collection to delivery.
Empty distance — Kilometres without a load to this collection or to the next load. Tolls apply here too.
Trip days — Days the driver and truck are tied to the trip, including loading, unloading and waiting. EU driving limits: 9 hours a day (10 hours twice a week), 56 hours a week, 90 hours in two weeks; a 45-minute break after 4½ hours at the latest; 11 hours daily rest (9 hours up to three times a week). European Commission, driving time and rest periods
Vehicle profile — Decides the rate in each country: technically permissible (or maximum permitted) weight of the combination, number of axles, Euro class and CO2 emission class.
Fuel use — Litres per 100 km over every kilometre driven. The Spanish observatory uses 35 l/100 km for a 40-tonne artic. From UK mpg: 282.48 ÷ mpg = l/100 km. Observatorio de costes, July 2026
Diesel excl. VAT — Price per litre without VAT. Pick a reference from the EU Weekly Oil Bulletin or the UK weekly road fuel prices, or enter your fuel-card price. EU Weekly Oil Bulletin and DESNZ, 21-09-2026
AdBlue per km — Optional. Observatory: €0.0182 per km (€2,734.28 per 150,000 km).
Wear per km — Tyres, maintenance and repairs per km. Observatory: €0.1174 per km. Leave it out and the variable cost comes out too low.
Driver per day — Wages, employer costs and subsistence per trip day. Floor in the UK: National Living Wage £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over, from April 2026 — a legal minimum, not a driver cost. GOV.UK
Vehicle fixed per day — Depreciation or lease, finance, insurance and vehicle tax, divided by the working days per year.
Overheads — Mark-up on direct costs for office, planning and sales. The observatory uses 6.5%. Observatorio de costes
Artic 40 t · 5 axles · Euro 6 · CO2 class 1 — Combination weight above 32,000 kg (40,000 kg, UK levy band C from 38,001 kg), 2 + 3 axles, Euro 6, CO2 emission class 1. In Belgium, vehicles first registered before 1 July 2019 are as a rule assigned CO2 class 1; 93% of vehicles are in that class.
Artic 40 t · 5 axles · Euro 6 · CO2 class 4 — The same combination with lower CO2 emissions (class 4). Germany reassesses classes 2 and 3 six years after first registration.
Artic 40 t · 5 axles · Euro 5 — Older combination with Euro 5 (EEV counts the same in Germany), CO2 class 1; pays the higher Euro 5 UK levy.
Rigid 26 t · 3 axles · Euro 6 — Weight 26,000 kg, 3 axles, Euro 6, CO2 class 1; UK levy band A.
Rigid 18 t · 2 axles · Euro 6 — Weight 18,000 kg, 2 axles, Euro 6, CO2 class 1. Watch the class limits: 18,000 kg falls into 18–32 t in the Netherlands and Denmark but into 12–18 t in Germany.
Truck 7.5–12 t · 2 axles · Euro 6 — Weight above 7,500 and below 12,000 kg, 2 axles, Euro 6, CO2 class 1. The Danish toll and the UK HGV levy start at 12 t.
Calculation rules
Distance — distance driven = loaded + empty. In miles, 1 mile = 1.609344 km.
Diesel — km driven × fuel use ÷ 100 × diesel price excl. VAT.
AdBlue and wear — km driven × amount per km.
Tolls — per country: km charge = km on tolled roads × the rate for your vehicle profile; time-based charge = number of 1-day or 7-day products, or a 30-day/12-month product pro rata to the days in the country (a month counts as 30 days); crossing = count × fee; section toll = the amount entered. Amounts in DKK, PLN, RON, GBP and TRY are converted at the daily ECB reference rate, which you can override. — ECB
Variable cost — diesel + AdBlue + wear + tolls.
Daily costs — trip days × (driver per day + vehicle fixed per day).
Per loaded km — variable cost ÷ loaded km; full cost ÷ loaded km; your rate ÷ loaded km. Per km driven, divide by all kilometres.
Margin — (rate − full cost) ÷ rate.
Backhaul coverage — (rate − variable cost) ÷ (full − variable cost): the share of driver, vehicle and overheads the trip pays.
Date of the Dutch rate — before 1 September 2026 the base rate, from 1 September to 31 December 2026 the discounted rate, from 1 January 2027 the announced rate; the calculator picks by today’s date.
Empty running: every extra 10% of empty distance (0.10 × loaded distance) is costed at the average variable cost per km driven (variable cost ÷ km driven, tolls included), plus the overhead mark-up. Extra trip days are not added.
Below the variable cost — The rate per loaded km is below diesel, AdBlue, wear and tolls per loaded km: every kilometre loses money, even as a backhaul.
Between variable and full cost — The rate covers the variable cost but not the driver, vehicle and overheads. It only makes sense as a backhaul that would otherwise run empty: the contribution (rate minus variable cost) then pays part of costs that run anyway.
Above the full cost — The rate covers every cost; the difference is the margin. Margin % = (rate − full cost) ÷ rate.
Variable cost per km — Diesel, AdBlue, wear and tolls attach to every kilometre driven — the empty ones too. Together they are the floor: a rate below it does not even pay for the trip itself.
Fixed cost per day — Driver, depreciation, finance, insurance and tax run by the day, whether the truck is moving or waiting. Added up per trip day and divided by the loaded kilometres, they are the gap between the variable and the full cost.
The freight rate — A rate only becomes a decision next to both thresholds: below them you lose on every kilometre, between them the load pays part of the fixed costs, above them the margin begins.
How much are truck tolls in each country? — Rates as published by the issuing body. The grey label shows the rate for the chosen vehicle profile; countries ticked in the calculator are highlighted in blue. Section tolls (France, Spain, Turkish motorways, special tunnels and bridges) are entered as an amount.
United Kingdom — HGV levy (time-based) — For HGVs of 12,000 kg or more not registered in the UK, for any day they use a main road (A or M road); pay before entering the UK. The rate follows the maximum permitted weight of the combination, not the actual weight. A day runs from 00:00:00 to 23:59:59. Zero-emission HGVs are exempt; driving without the levy means a £300 roadside fine. UK-registered HGVs pay the levy with vehicle excise duty, every year or every 6 months. Euro 6 — band A (12,000–31,000 kg): day £3.22 · week £8.05 · month £16.10 · year £161; band B (31,001–38,000 kg): £7.74 · £19.35 · £38.70 · £387; band C (38,001 kg and over): £9.67 · £30.95 · £61.90 · £619. Euro 5 or older: A £4.18 · £10.45 · £20.90 · £209; B £10.06 · £25.15 · £50.30 · £503; C £10.74 · £40.20 · £80.40 · £804. Rates from 1 April 2026. (GOV.UK)
United Kingdom — Dartford Crossing (per crossing) — Every day between 6am and 10pm; pay by midnight the day after you cross. Class C (2 axles) £4.20 · class D (more than 2 axles) £8.40 as a one-off payment; with a pre-pay account £3.60 and £7.20. GOV.UK, retrieved 25-09-2026. (GOV.UK)
France — Autoroutes à péage (per section) — French concession motorways charge per section and vehicle class; there is no national rate per km. Enter the amount from the operator’s route calculator. Amount per section, entered excluding VAT. Operator’s tariff. (motorway operator)
Belgium — Flanders — Viapass kilometre charge (per km) — Trucks over 3.5 t maximum permissible weight including the trailer, on the Flemish tolled network. The rate depends on weight, Euro norm and, since 1 July 2026, the CO2 class. € per km, Euro 6 CO2 class 1: 3.5–12 t 0.101 · 12–32 t 0.233 · over 32 t 0.285; CO2 class 4: 0.082 · 0.203 · 0.245; Euro 5: 0.114 · 0.246 · 0.299. Viapass rates, edition 01/07/2026. A tax in Flanders, not subject to VAT. (Viapass)
Belgium — Wallonia — Kilometre charge (per km, SOFICO network) — The same vehicles on the Walloon tolled network; no CO2 surcharge here. € per km excl. VAT, Euro 6: 3.5–12 t 0.061 · 12–32 t 0.172 · over 32 t 0.205; Euro 5: 0.077 · 0.188 · 0.221. Brussels, motorway, Euro 6: 0.099 · 0.166 · 0.171. Viapass rates, edition 01/07/2026. In Wallonia a fee subject to VAT; rates shown excl. VAT. Brussels: a tax without VAT. (Viapass)
Netherlands — Vrachtwagenheffing (per km) — For N2 and N3 trucks over 3,500 kg technical maximum mass, Dutch and foreign, loaded or empty, since 1 July 2026. Charged on almost all motorways and some provincial and municipal roads — not on every Dutch kilometre. You need a contract with a service provider and an on-board unit; driving without one risks a fine, even on roads without the charge. € per km, CO2 class 1 — until 1 September 2026 (2026 price level): over 32 t Euro 6 0.201 · Euro 5 0.236; 18–32 t Euro 6 0.182; 12–18 t Euro 6 0.160; 3.5–12 t Euro 6 0.113; CO2 class 4 (over 32 t) 0.111. From 1 September to 31 December 2026, with a 22.3% discount: 0.156 · 0.183 · 0.141 · 0.125 · 0.088; CO2 class 4 0.087. 2027, announced (+2.6%, not yet official): 0.206 · 0.242 · 0.187 · 0.165 · 0.116; CO2 class 4 0.113. Average €0.191 per km, €0.148 with the discount. Since 1 July 2026; discount 1 September – 31 December 2026. (vrachtwagenheffing.nl / RDW)
Germany — Lkw-Maut (per km) — On federal motorways and federal roads, for vehicles and combinations for goods transport over 3.5 t technically permissible total mass (for a combination, the sum). Rate = infrastructure + air pollution + noise + CO2. Without proof of weight, Euro class or CO2 class the highest value applies; zero-emission trucks are exempt until 30 June 2031. € per km, Euro VI, CO2 class 1: 3.5–7.5 t 0.151 · 7.5–12 t 0.177 · 12–18 t 0.238 · over 18 t up to 3 axles 0.303 · over 18 t 4 axles 0.324 · over 18 t 5 or more axles 0.348; CO2 class 4 (5+ axles) 0.269; Euro V (5+ axles) 0.389. BFStrMG Annex 1, last amended 15-05-2026. (BFStrMG)
Austria — GO-Maut (per km) — Motorways and expressways, vehicles over 3.5 t technically permissible total mass, with a GO-Box or an approved on-board unit. The A9, A10, A11, A13, S16 and A12 carry section tolls — Brenner A13 (35 km), 4+ axles, Euro VI, CO2 class 1: €57.65 by day, €110.34 at night, excl. VAT. Enter those under “Other”. € per km excl. 20% VAT, 2 / 3 / 4+ axles: Euro VI CO2 class 1 0.2774 / 0.3856 / 0.5724; CO2 class 4 0.2486 / 0.3440 / 0.5091; Euro V/EEV 0.2924 / 0.4086 / 0.6024. Valid from 1 January 2026. Rates exclude 20% VAT. (ASFINAG)
Denmark — Road toll (per km) — Trucks of 12 t and above, on most of the state road network and parts of the municipal roads (about 10,900 km). Empty driving pays the same toll; in the low-emission zones of Copenhagen, Frederiksberg, Odense, Aarhus and Aalborg a 50% surcharge applies. Denmark left the Eurovignette on 1 January 2025. DKK per km, CO2 class 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5: 12–17.999 t 0.86 / 0.79 / 0.69 / 0.46 / 0.13 · 18–32 t 1.00 / 0.92 / 0.82 / 0.53 / 0.13 · over 32 t 1.10 / 1.01 / 0.91 / 0.58 / 0.13. Since 1 January 2025; rates as published, retrieved 25-09-2026. No VAT. (vejafgifter.dk)
Poland — e-TOLL motorways (A) and expressways (S) — Vehicles over 3.5 t permissible gross weight on the e-TOLL network (about 5,870 km), with a GNSS unit or the app. Concession sections such as the A4 Katowice–Kraków charge separately. PLN per km, max. Euro 2 / Euro 3 / Euro 4 / min. Euro 5: over 3.5 and under 12 t 0.80 / 0.70 / 0.58 / 0.41 · 12 t and over 1.07 / 0.93 / 0.75 / 0.56. Rates from 1 February 2026. (e-TOLL (KAS))
Poland — e-TOLL main roads (GP and G) — The same vehicles on tolled GP and G roads. PLN per km, max. Euro 2 / Euro 3 / Euro 4 / min. Euro 5: over 3.5 and under 12 t 0.66 / 0.58 / 0.47 / 0.34 · 12 t and over 0.83 / 0.75 / 0.60 / 0.42. Rates from 1 February 2026. (e-TOLL (KAS))
Italy — Motorway toll per section (Autostrade per l'Italia) — Toll = unit tariff × km (junctions and access roads included) plus 22% VAT, rounded to €0.10 per operator. Class B = 2 axles taller than 1.3 m; classes 3, 4 and 5 = 3, 4 or 5+ axles. Other operators and “open systems” (for example the A8 and the A12 Rome–Civitavecchia) charge differently: enter those as an amount. Plain sections, € per km incl. 22% VAT: B 0.08054 · 3 0.10615 · 4 0.16108 · 5 0.19034; mountain sections: B 0.09536 · 3 0.12320 · 4 0.18922 · 5 0.22437. Excl. VAT, computed (plain): B 0.06602 · 3 0.08701 · 4 0.13203 · 5 0.15602 — used by the calculator. Tariffs from 1 January 2026. Published tariffs include 22% VAT. (Autostrade per l'Italia)
Spain — Autopistas de peaje (per section) — Concession motorways charge per section; enter the amount. The Spanish observatory costs tolls for an internationally operated artic at €19,164.56 a year (7.9% of costs), for national work at €2,384.92 (1.4%). Amount per section, entered excluding VAT. Operator’s tariff. Observatory figures excl. VAT. (Observatorio de costes)
Romania — Rovinietă (time-based vignette) — Time-based: you pay per day, 7 days, 30 days or 12 months, not per km. The calculator counts 1-day and 7-day vignettes per piece and costs a 30-day or 12-month vignette pro rata to the days in Romania. Goods vehicles 12 t and over with 4 or more axles: 1 day €28.50 · 7 days €71.00 · 30 days €142.50 · 12 months €1,425; 12 t and over with up to 3 axles: €17.00 · €42.50 · €85.50 · €855; 7.5–12 t: €13.00 · €33.00 · €66.50 · €665; 3.5–7.5 t: €7.50 · €19.00 · €38.00 · €380. eRovinieta portal rates, retrieved 25-09-2026. (CNAIR)
Romania — Fetești bridge toll (per crossing) — Per crossing of the Danube bridge at Fetești. RON per crossing: 12 t and over with 4 or more axles 133 (2 crossings 266, 20 crossings 2,315) · 12 t and over with up to 3 axles 94 · 3.5–12 t 69. eRovinieta, retrieved 25-09-2026. (CNAIR)
Türkiye — Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge (per crossing) — In Istanbul, trucks of classes 2 to 5 must use the YSS bridge, not the FSM or 15 Temmuz bridges; tolls in both directions, paid via HGS. Class 4 covers 4 and 5 axles: a standard 5-axle artic is class 4. TRY per crossing: class 2 (2 axles, wheelbase 3.20 m or more) 145 · class 3 270 · class 4 690 · class 5 (6 or more axles) 860. From 1 July 2026. Includes VAT (KDV dahil). (KGM)
Türkiye — Osmangazi Bridge (per crossing) — Bridge over the Gulf of İzmit; classes as for the YSS bridge. TRY per crossing: class 2 1,870 · class 3 2,225 · class 4 2,950 · class 5 3,720. From 1 July 2026. Includes VAT. (KGM)
Türkiye — 1915 Çanakkale Bridge (per crossing) — Bridge over the Dardanelles; classes as for the YSS bridge. TRY per crossing: class 2 1,465 · class 3 2,635 · class 4 2,925 · class 5 5,560. From 1 July 2026. Includes VAT. (KGM)
Türkiye — Motorway (per section, HGS) — Turkish toll motorways charge between entry and exit stations; enter the amount in lira (class 4 for a 5-axle artic). Amount per section in TRY. KGM tariffs 2026. Includes VAT. (KGM)
Other — Tunnel, bridge, ferry or section toll — For any charge not calculated per km: the Brenner (A13), Tauern or Karawanken sections, a ferry, a tunnel. Free amount in euros, excluding VAT. — (your input)
Diesel reference prices (EU Weekly Oil Bulletin and UK DESNZ, prices of 21 September 2026)
United Kingdom: 195.53p per litre incl. 20% VAT → 162.94p excl. VAT (DESNZ, 21-09-2026)
Sample trip — 800 km loaded, 150 km empty, 2 trip days, cost structure from the Spanish Observatorio de costes (international artic, July 2026): 35 l/100 km, AdBlue €0.0182 per km, wear €0.1174 per km, driver €302.07 and vehicle €152.71 per working day, 6.5% overheads — national averages, not your costs. The €1,600 rate is a sample input, not a market rate.
The result is only as good as the costs you enter. Rates were retrieved from the issuing bodies on 25 September 2026; check the rate for your registration and route if in doubt.
What does an HGV cost per km or per mile? — There is no official rate per kilometre: the cost per km comes from your own diesel, tolls, driver and depreciation. What you can compare against is a published cost model.
The one official series that publishes a cost per kilometre is the Spanish Ministry of Transport’s Observatorio de costes. A 40-tonne, 5-axle artic cost €1.4240 per kilometre driven and €1.6753 per loaded kilometre in national work at the end of July 2026 (120,000 km a year, 85% loaded). Operated internationally the figures were €1.6240 and €1.8045 (150,000 km a year, 90% loaded). Converted to miles (× 1.609344) that is €2.70 and €2.90 per loaded mile.
The gap between the two figures is the heart of any break-even rate. A haulier is paid for loaded kilometres but pays for the empty ones too, so the trip’s costs belong over the loaded distance — which is how the calculator above works. Switch it to miles if you quote per mile.
In the Spanish national series fuel is 31.7% of costs, the driver 21.9% plus 10.4% subsistence, depreciation 10.6%, insurance 5.1%, tyres 4.1%, repairs 2.7%, finance 2.6%, maintenance 1.4%, tolls 1.4%, AdBlue 1.3% and taxes 0.6%. Indirect costs are 6.5% of direct costs (6.1% of the total). In international work tolls rise to 7.9%.
How do I calculate a break-even rate per km for a truck load?
How do I calculate a break-even rate per km for a truck load? — Add up everything that costs per kilometre over all kilometres, then the costs per trip day and the overheads, and divide by the loaded kilometres. The worked example is the calculator’s sample trip: a 40-tonne artic, 800 km loaded and 150 km empty over 2 days, with 700 km of German Maut and 150 km of Flemish km charge.
German Lkw-Maut — Calculation: 700 km × €0.348 | Amount: €243.60
Flanders km charge — Calculation: 150 km × €0.285 | Amount: €42.75
Variable cost — Calculation: diesel + AdBlue + wear + tolls | Amount: €1,071.19 → €1.339 per loaded km
Driver and vehicle — Calculation: 2 days × (€302.07 + €152.71) | Amount: €909.56
Overheads — Calculation: 6.5 % of €1,980.75 | Amount: €128.75
Full cost — Calculation: variable + daily + overheads | Amount: €2,109.50 → €2.637 per loaded km
Freight rate (sample input) — Calculation: €1,600 ÷ 800 km | Amount: €2.000 per loaded km
Result: the €1,600 rate sits between the variable and the full cost. The trip contributes €528.81 towards €1,038.31 of daily costs and overheads (50.9%). Diesel: Belgium, EU Weekly Oil Bulletin 21-09-2026, excl. VAT; costs: Spanish observatory averages, July 2026.
Do European tolls charge empty runs?
Do European tolls charge empty runs? — Yes. Kilometre-based tolls attach to the vehicle, not to the load: in the Netherlands the charge applies whether the truck is loaded or empty, and in Denmark all driving, including empty driving, pays the same toll.
The German Maut applies to vehicles intended or used for goods transport, so an empty artic on the Autobahn pays the same rate per km as a full one. Empty kilometres on tolled roads therefore belong in the variable cost of the trip, together with the diesel burnt on them.
Two kinds of system need different handling. Distance-based charges — Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Poland’s e-TOLL, Italy’s per-km tariffs — are km × rate. Time-based charges — the UK HGV levy, Romania’s rovinietă — are paid per day or period, and section tolls (France, Spain, Turkish motorways, bridges and tunnels) are a fixed amount per stretch. The calculator treats each the way it is charged. For the toll alone, country by country along a route, the truck toll calculator for Europe applies the official 2026 rates for your weight, axles, Euro class and CO2 class.
Eurostat puts the scale in numbers: in 2025, 21.8% of EU road-freight vehicle-kilometres were driven empty — 26.0% in national and 12.9% in international transport. In international work the share reached 29.1% for French and Austrian hauliers and 20.9% for German ones.
How much is the UK HGV levy for a foreign truck? — Non-UK-registered HGVs of 12,000 kg or more pay the levy for every day they use an A or M road in the UK, before they enter. The band follows the maximum permitted weight of the combination, not the weight on the day.
Euro 6 · A (12,000–31,000 kg) — Day: £3.22 | Week: £8.05 | Month: £16.10 | Year: £161
Euro 6 · B (31,001–38,000 kg) — Day: £7.74 | Week: £19.35 | Month: £38.70 | Year: £387
Euro 6 · C (38,001 kg and over) — Day: £9.67 | Week: £30.95 | Month: £61.90 | Year: £619
Euro 5 or older · A — Day: £4.18 | Week: £10.45 | Month: £20.90 | Year: £209
Euro 5 or older · B — Day: £10.06 | Week: £25.15 | Month: £50.30 | Year: £503
Euro 5 or older · C — Day: £10.74 | Week: £40.20 | Month: £80.40 | Year: £804
Rates from 1 April 2026. A day runs from midnight to one second before midnight; a 24-hour period spent only on minor roads or parked needs no levy. Rigid vehicles include the trailer’s weight if it is over 4,000 kg. Zero-emission HGVs are exempt, the roadside fine is £300, and toll roads such as the Dartford Crossing are charged on top. UK-registered HGVs pay the levy with vehicle excise duty — for them it is a fixed cost, not a trip cost.
What changed in European truck tolls in 2025 and 2026?
What changed in European truck tolls in 2025 and 2026? — Four systems changed the cost per kilometre in eighteen months — enough to reprice lanes that were costed before.
Denmark replaced the Eurovignette with a km-based toll for trucks of 12 t and above on 1 January 2025 (about 10,900 km of roads; the government intends to extend it to the whole public network, about 75,000 km, from 1 January 2028). The Netherlands started its vrachtwagenheffing on 1 July 2026: €0.201 per km for a Euro 6 truck over 32 t in CO2 class 1, cut by 22.3% to €0.156 from 1 September to 31 December 2026, and announced at €0.206 for 2027.
Flanders added a CO2 surcharge to its kilometre charge on 1 July 2026 (€0.285 per km for a Euro 6 truck over 32 t in CO2 class 1). Poland’s e-TOLL rates in force since 1 February 2026 charge a 12-tonne-plus Euro 5 or newer truck PLN 0.56 per km on motorways and expressways. Austria’s GO-Maut 2026 tariff charges €0.5724 per km for a 4-plus-axle Euro VI truck in CO2 class 1, excluding VAT.
How do you track real costs per truck in Logistivo?
The calculator works with the costs you type in; your real figures come from invoices, and Logistivo books those onto the truck. Upload an invoice for maintenance, repairs, tyres, inspection, insurance, fuel, tolls or parts, and the amount, date, supplier and cost category are read and posted to that vehicle’s record.
An invoice in another currency is converted to euros at the rate of its invoice date. Per vehicle and across the fleet you see the total per cost category for the period you choose — the basis for filling in your own fuel use, wear per km and fixed costs per day. More about Logistivo for hauliers: logistivo.com/en/carrier.
Which daily costs belong in a road freight rate? — Everything that keeps running while the driver and truck are tied to the job: wages, employer costs and subsistence for the driver, and depreciation or lease, finance, insurance and tax for the vehicle.
Turn vehicle costs into a day rate by dividing the annual cost by the working days. The Spanish observatory does exactly that for an internationally operated artic over 250 days: depreciation €23,157.45, finance €5,334.06, insurance €8,710.65 and taxes €975.72 a year — €152.71 per working day together. The driver costs €41,626.13 a year plus €33,891.90 of subsistence and bonuses, €302.07 per working day.
The number of trip days follows from the driving rules: at most 9 hours a day (10 hours twice a week), 56 hours a week and 90 hours in two weeks, a 45-minute break after 4½ hours at the latest and 11 hours of daily rest (9 hours up to three times a week). Loading, unloading and waiting count as days too.
In the UK the National Living Wage is £12.71 an hour for workers aged 21 and over from April 2026. It is a legal floor, not a driver cost: employer costs, overtime and subsistence come on top. For UK-registered trucks the HGV levy, paid with vehicle excise duty, belongs in the fixed cost per day.
Is a backhaul below full cost worth taking?
Is a backhaul below full cost worth taking? — Yes, if the truck would otherwise run home empty and the rate at least covers the extra variable cost of the load.
Driver, depreciation and insurance run during an empty return just the same. A backhaul that earns more than the variable cost it adds — diesel, AdBlue, wear and tolls for the loaded kilometres — contributes to those costs even when the rate stays below the full cost. That contribution (rate minus variable cost) is what the calculator shows in the middle zone, with the share of daily costs and overheads it covers.
Two conditions apply: the load must genuinely replace the empty leg (no extra day, no big detour), and it must not become the norm. A fleet that runs below full cost as a rule is paying its drivers and trucks out of its own pocket. Below the variable cost a load never makes sense: running home empty is cheaper.
Which costs belong in a road freight price?
Which costs belong in a road freight price? — A rate that pays for the trip covers at least these items:
Diesel for the loaded and the empty kilometres, at the price excluding VAT.
AdBlue, tyres, maintenance and repairs per kilometre.
Tolls and km charges per country, empty legs included, for the right weight, Euro and CO2 class.
Time-based charges (UK HGV levy, vignettes), bridges, tunnels and ferries on the route.
The driver per trip day: wages, employer costs and subsistence, including loading, unloading and waiting.
Depreciation or lease, finance, insurance and tax of the vehicle per trip day.
A mark-up for overheads (office, planning, sales).
Only then: the margin.
How much has diesel moved in 2026, and what does it do to a rate?
How much has diesel moved in 2026, and what does it do to a rate? — Enough to turn a profitable lane into a loss-maker within one quarter.
The EU average diesel price including taxes rose from €1.545 a litre on 5 January 2026 to €2.226 on 21 September 2026, up 44%. In the UK ultra-low-sulphur diesel cost 195.53p a litre on 21 September 2026, including 52.95p duty and 20% VAT — 162.94p without VAT. At 35 l/100 km, every 10 cents a litre moves the cost by €0.035 per kilometre driven. The fuel burnt is also what the trip emits: the freight emissions calculator turns a shipment’s weight and distance into kg CO₂e by truck, rail, barge, ship or air, well-to-wheel under ISO 14083.
The Dutch truck charge moves too: its 22.3% discount ends on 31 December 2026 and 2027 brings 2.6% more. A rate agreed in September is costed against a different toll in January. Agree in writing how the rate follows diesel and tolls, and re-run the calculator when either changes. How far the rate should move when diesel moves, with a fuel surcharge clause to copy, is worked out by the fuel surcharge calculator.
Dividing by every kilometre — Costs divided by the distance driven instead of the loaded distance look better than they are: €1.4240 against €1.6753 per km in the Spanish series.
Forgetting empty running — 21.8% of EU road-freight vehicle-kilometres are empty; they cost diesel, wear and tolls.
No tolls on empty legs — The Dutch charge and the Danish toll apply whether the truck is loaded or not.
Using the actual weight — Tolls and the UK levy follow the technical or maximum permitted weight of the combination, not the weighbridge ticket.
No proof of CO2 class — Germany then charges CO2 class 1; without proof of weight or Euro class, the highest infrastructure or air-pollution rate.
Mixing prices with and without VAT — Italian toll tariffs, Turkish bridge fees and pump prices include VAT; the rest of the cost is net.
Treating a time-based charge as per-km — The UK levy and the rovinietă are paid per day or period.
Classing a 5-axle artic as Turkish class 5 — Class 4 covers 4 and 5 axles; class 5 starts at 6 axles.
Leaving wear out — Tyres, maintenance and repairs are €0.1174 per km in the Spanish series.
Not re-pricing — Diesel is up 44% since January 2026, and the Dutch discount ends on 31 December 2026.
Your costs and quotes in Logistivo
Your costs and quotes in Logistivo — What Logistivo records for a haulier — the figures you fill this calculator with.
Costs on each truck’s record — Upload an invoice for maintenance, repairs, tyres, inspection, insurance, fuel, tolls or parts: amount, date, supplier and category are read and posted to the vehicle.
Foreign invoices in euros — An invoice in another currency is converted to euros at the invoice-date rate and counts in the same total.
Totals per truck and per fleet — Per vehicle and fleet-wide, the total per cost category for the period you pick.
Quotes per vehicle, no commission — On a request from your network you quote a price per vehicle; the quote screen shows freight per vehicle and in total. On acceptance one credit per vehicle comes off your package, with no commission on the freight.
Put your own costs next to every rate
Open a Logistivo account as a haulier: book costs per truck and quote per vehicle on requests from your network.
Source
GOV.UK (Department for Transport) — How to use the HGV levy service — HGV levy rates from 1 April 2026 — https://www.gov.uk/guidance/how-to-use-the-hgv-levy-service
GOV.UK — National Minimum Wage and National Living Wage rates — https://www.gov.uk/national-minimum-wage-rates
Ministerio de Transportes y Movilidad Sostenible (España) — Observatorio de costes del transporte de mercancías por carretera — costes a 31 de julio de 2026 — https://cdn.transportes.gob.es/portal-web-transportes/transporte-terrestre/actividades-servicios/observatorios-costes-transporte-mercancias/2026/observatorio-costes-mercancias_2026-07-julio.pdf
Eurostat Statistics Explained — Road freight transport by journey characteristics (data 2025) — https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Road_freight_transport_by_journey_characteristics
European Commission (DG MOVE) — Driving time and rest periods — https://transport.ec.europa.eu/transport-modes/road/social-provisions/driving-time-and-rest-periods_en
European Commission (DG ENER) — Weekly Oil Bulletin — prices of 21 September 2026 — https://energy.ec.europa.eu/data-and-analysis/weekly-oil-bulletin_en
vrachtwagenheffing.nl (Rijksoverheid) — Dit gaat u betalen — bedragen vrachtwagenheffing — https://www.vrachtwagenheffing.nl/dit-gaat-u-betalen
vrachtwagenheffing.nl — Minister Karremans: tijdelijke korting op vrachtwagenheffing — https://www.vrachtwagenheffing.nl/vwh-nieuws/2026/tijdelijke-korting-op-vrachtwagenheffing
vrachtwagenheffing.nl — Tarieven vrachtwagenheffing 2027 (20 augustus 2026) — https://www.vrachtwagenheffing.nl/vwh-nieuws/2026/tarieven-vrachtwagenheffing-2027
gesetze-im-internet.de (BMJ) — Bundesfernstraßenmautgesetz (BFStrMG), Anlage 1 — Berechnung der Höhe des Mautsatzes — https://www.gesetze-im-internet.de/bfstrmg/anlage_1.html
ASFINAG — GO-Maut-Tarife 2026 für Fahrzeuge über 3,5 t — https://www.asfinag.at/maut-vignette/go-maut/
Viapass — Kilometer charge rates (Viapass ed. 01/07/2026) — https://www.viapass.be/en/rates/
vejafgifter.dk (Danish Ministry of Transport / Ministry of Taxation) — Road toll for trucks — rates — https://vejafgifter.dk/en/rates/
etoll.gov.pl (Krajowa Administracja Skarbowa) — e-TOLL — stawki opłaty elektronicznej od 1 lutego 2026 r. — https://etoll.gov.pl/system-e-toll/stawki-i-platnosci
Autostrade per l'Italia — Come si calcola il pedaggio — tariffe unitarie 2026 — https://www.autostrade.it/it/servizi-al-cliente/pedaggio/come-si-calcola-il-pedaggio
CNAIR — eRovinieta — tarife rovinietă și taxă de pod Fetești — https://www.erovinieta.ro/vignettes-portal-web/
Karayolları Genel Müdürlüğü (KGM) — Otoyol ve köprü geçiş ücretleri (2026) — https://www.kgm.gov.tr/Sayfalar/KGM/SiteTr/Otoyollar/UcretlerYeni.aspx
European Central Bank — Euro foreign exchange reference rates (24 September 2026) — https://www.ecb.europa.eu/stats/policy_and_exchange_rates/euro_reference_exchange_rates/html/index.en.html
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate a break-even rate per km for a truck?
Add diesel, AdBlue, wear and tolls over every kilometre driven, add driver and vehicle costs per trip day and an overhead mark-up, and divide by the loaded kilometres. Below the variable part every kilometre loses money; the full figure is your break-even.
Do foreign trucks pay the UK HGV levy per day?
Yes. Non-UK-registered HGVs of 12,000 kg or more pay for each day they use an A or M road — for example £9.67 a day for a Euro 6 truck of 38,001 kg or more, from 1 April 2026. Weekly, monthly and yearly levies also exist.
Which weight counts for the UK levy?
The maximum permitted weight of the combination, even if the truck is lighter on the day. A rigid vehicle includes a trailer of more than 4,000 kg.
Do UK-registered hauliers pay the HGV levy per trip?
No. For HGVs registered in the UK the levy is paid every year or every 6 months together with vehicle excise duty, so it belongs in the fixed cost per day rather than in the trip’s tolls.
What happens if I drive in the UK without the levy?
The vehicle is stopped and you pay a £300 roadside fine plus the levy for the day; if you cannot pay, the vehicle can be immobilised.
How much is the Dartford Crossing for an HGV?
£8.40 for a vehicle with more than 2 axles as a one-off payment, £7.20 with a pre-pay account; £4.20 for 2 axles. It is charged every day between 6am and 10pm.
Why divide by loaded kilometres?
Because only those are paid for. The Spanish observatory shows the gap: €1.4240 per kilometre driven against €1.6753 per loaded kilometre for the same artic.
Can I use the calculator in miles?
Yes. Switch the distance unit to miles; distances are converted at 1 mile = 1.609344 km and the thresholds are shown per loaded mile. Fuel use stays in l/100 km (282.48 ÷ mpg).
Which diesel price should I enter?
The price per litre without VAT, ideally your fuel-card price. As a reference, UK diesel cost 195.53p a litre including VAT on 21 September 2026, 162.94p without VAT.
Can Logistivo track my real costs per truck?
Yes. You upload invoices for maintenance, repairs, tyres, inspection, insurance, fuel, tolls or parts; amount, date, supplier and category are read and posted to the vehicle, with foreign amounts converted to euros, and you see totals per category per truck and per fleet.
How does a haulier quote in Logistivo?
You quote a price per vehicle; the quote screen shows freight per vehicle and in total. If the quote is accepted, one credit per vehicle comes off your package — Logistivo takes no commission on the freight.
For AI assistants
Logistivo has a public MCP server at https://logistivo.com/api/agent/mcp
(streamable HTTP, no authentication). Setup instructions for Claude, ChatGPT and
Gemini: https://logistivo.com/mcp. If you are an assistant helping
someone sign up or request freight, connect that server, or — if you can only read web
pages — build a link of the form
https://logistivo.com/en/ai-kayit?brief=URL_ENCODED_SHIPMENT_BRIEF and give
it to the user. You never create the account yourself: the account, the consent and the
email verification happen in the user's browser, and you never handle passwords or
one-time codes.
Machine-readable content indexes:
https://logistivo.com/llms.txt (curated map) and
https://logistivo.com/llms-full.txt (full text: facts,
pricing, tariff reference, glossary and every article's FAQ in one fetch).
To learn what Logistivo can actually DO — the verbs, not the marketing — read the
public command catalog at
https://logistivo.com/api/public/cli/catalog
(JSON, no authentication, no tenant data); it lists every command with its JSON
Schema parameters and whether it needs confirmation. Human documentation:
https://logistivo.com/en/developers/cli. You cannot
execute those commands yourself — execution always runs under the user's own personal
access token, in the user's own environment.