Inconsistent freight isn’t just a market trend—it’s a reality every small fleet owner has to face head-on. One week you’re running $3.20/mile on solid round trips. The next, you’re fighting for $2.10/mile spot market loads and dealing with detention that doesn’t pay. But your bills? They don’t care. Driver pay, insurance, maintenance, truck payments, and fuel all come due whether rates are up or down.
The key to surviving this market isn’t chasing perfect loads—it’s building a budget system that works even when things get volatile. This isn’t about spreadsheets you forget to update. It’s about tactical, real-world money management that gives you control week after week.
Step 1 — Build Your Fixed Weekly Overhead
Before you even start looking at loads or lanes, you need to know what your bare minimum weekly costs are. These are the numbers that don’t change whether your truck rolls 500 miles or 2,500 miles.
Your fixed overhead includes:
Truck payment (divide monthly payment by 4.33 to get weekly)
Insurance (physical damage, cargo, liability, occupational)
Trailer payment (if financed)
ELD and tech subscriptions
Permit and license fees (spread out over the year)
Back office support or dispatch fees (if applicable)
Create a list and total it up. That’s your weekly baseline. Let’s say it’s $1,900. That means before fuel, tolls, or food, you owe $1,900 just to exist.
Tactical Tip:
Use a whiteboard in your office or cab with that number written in red. You should see it every Monday morning.
Step 2 — Know Your Variable Costs by the Mile
Next, calculate your per-mile variable expenses, which fluctuate based on how much you run:
Fuel (based on current MPG and price per gallon)
Maintenance reserve (set aside $0.15–$0.20/mile minimum)
Tires and repairs
Driver pay (if not salaried)
Tolls and scales
Track this over a 30-day rolling period to get your real average. If you’re running 2,200 miles a week and spending $2,000 on fuel and $300 on driver pay, your variable cost per mile might be close to $1.20–$1.40.
Multiply that by your target miles each week. That gives you your operating cost floor.
Step 3 — Set a Weekly Revenue Target (Not Just RPM Goals)
Instead of chasing “good paying loads,” set a minimum weekly revenue target that keeps your business above water. It’s not just about getting to $2.50/mile. It’s about generating enough revenue to cover your fixed and variable costs and put profit in your pocket.
Here’s a formula that works:
(Fixed Costs + Variable Costs + Profit Goal) = Weekly Revenue Target
If your fixed cost is $1,900 and you expect to run 2,200 miles at $1.30/mile in variable costs, that’s $2,860. Add a $1,200 profit goal. You now need $5,960 in gross revenue that week.
This number is your true benchmark—not whatever the rate boards are throwing at you.
Step 4 — Build in a Flex Budget for Slow Weeks
Some weeks you won’t hit your target—and that’s where most carriers fall apart. Instead of scrambling and cutting pay or skipping bills, plan for the inconsistency.
How to build a flex budget:
Allocate 10–15% of weekly profit into a savings buffer
Hold back one week of payroll in reserve at all times
Use a separate business savings account for slow-week coverage
This buffer becomes your shock absorber when brokers cancel, weather hits, or rates crash mid-week.
Bonus Tip:
Name the account something motivational like “Freight Survival Fund” or “Keep the Wheels Turning.” You’re more likely to protect it.
Step 5 — Track Cash Flow Weekly, Not Monthly
Too many small carriers only look at cash flow once a month—by then, it’s too late. Weekly review gives you real-time clarity.
Your weekly cash flow checklist:
Total gross revenue collected (not invoiced—collected)
Fuel spend (from receipts or fuel card data)
Repairs and unexpected costs
Driver pay issued
Outstanding invoices (watch your aging!)
This review takes 30 minutes every Sunday. Do it like it’s your pre-trip.
Step 6 — Adjust Pay Systems for Flexibility
If you pay yourself or your drivers a fixed amount each week, but your revenue swings wildly, you’re going to burn out—or go broke.
Instead, create a tiered pay system that adjusts based on weekly gross:
Under $4,000 — minimum survival pay only
$4,000–$6,000 — base pay + % bonus
Over $6,000 — full pay + performance incentives
This protects your cash on weak weeks and rewards strong performance on better ones.
Communicate clearly with drivers so they understand the structure—and always be transparent about why it exists.
Final Word
Budgeting in trucking isn’t about spreadsheets or perfection—it’s about discipline and visibility. When the market is unpredictable, your budget is your stability. Build a real system that covers fixed costs, manages variable ones, and creates margin even when freight is inconsistent.
Don’t let the market write your paycheck. Take control. Build a weekly system that keeps you in the black—no matter what the boards look like.
Because when you manage your money like a carrier with 20 trucks, you won’t just survive the ups and downs. You’ll start building the kind of operation that outlasts them.
The post How to Budget Weekly Pay When Freight is Inconsistent appeared first on FreightWaves.
