How the Travel Charge Zone Calculator works
Zone 1 is your home area, out to the zone width you choose, with no travel charge.
For each zone after that, we take the extra round-trip miles beyond your free zone, measured to the middle of the zone, and cost them at your truck cost per mile.
We add the drive time for everyone in the truck at their hourly pay, then round up to the next $5.
Tips from the trade
- Use our Truck Cost Per Mile Calculator to find your real cost per mile first.
- Put the zones on your website or quotes so customers know up front.
- Group far-away customers on the same day to cut the drive, and keep the charge to cover the time you do spend.
A worked example
Here's the example that's already filled in above, so you can see how the Travel Charge Zone Calculator works before you enter your own numbers.
- Width of each zone (miles)10
- Truck cost per mile$0.79
- Average driving speed (mph)30
- People in the truck1
- Pay per hour, per person$25
With those details, it writes:
TRAVEL CHARGES 0 to 10 miles: no travel charge 10 to 20 miles: $20 per visit 20 to 30 miles: $50 per visit 30 to 40 miles: $85 per visit Over 40 miles: quoted separately
Zone 1 is your home area with no charge. Each zone after it adds a charge that covers the extra miles and drive time.
Related free tools
- Truck Cost Per Mile Calculator: what your work truck really costs per mile and per work day, counting fuel, payments, insurance and repairs.
- Route Day Planner: how long your day really is, how much of it is driving, and what your route makes after labor and truck costs.
- Pressure Washing Price Calculator: a fair price for any house wash, adjusted for stories and condition, with concrete and decks added in.
When you need more than the free Travel Charge Zone Calculator
This tool writes one document. Running a business means doing it on every job, with your own rates saved and a quote you can send.
Travel Charge Zone Calculator questions
Should I charge a travel fee?
If you serve a wide area, yes. Far-away jobs cost more in fuel, wear and paid drive time, and a small travel charge keeps them fair to you and your nearby customers.
How do I work out a travel charge?
Take the extra miles beyond your home area, multiply by your truck cost per mile, and add the drive time at your hourly pay. This calculator does it for each zone.
What's a typical free zone?
Many service businesses include 10 to 20 miles from home base at no charge, then add a charge for each zone beyond that.
Is this per visit or per job?
Per visit, since you make the drive each time. For regular customers, it's simply part of each visit's price.