Road Trip Fuel Estimator
Estimate fuel time and cost for delivery routes. Enter values for instant results with step-by-step formulas.
Formula
Total Cost = (Distance/MPG × Fuel Price) + (Total Time/60 × Driver Wage)
Route cost combines fuel expenses and labor costs. Distance is stops × average distance between. Time includes driving and stop duration.
Worked Examples
Example 1: Urban Delivery Route
Problem:Courier: 15 stops, 2 miles between each, 6 min/stop, 22 MPG van, $3.80 gas, $22/hr driver.
Solution:Distance: 15 × 2 = 30 miles\nDrive time: 30 / 30 mph = 60 min\nStop time: 15 × 6 = 90 min\nTotal: 150 min = 2.5 hours\n\nFuel: 30 / 22 = 1.36 gallons × $3.80 = $5.17\nLabor: 2.5 × $22 = $55.00\nTotal cost: $60.17\nPer stop: $60.17 / 15 = $4.01
Result:2.5 hours | $60 total | $4/stop | 1.4 gallons
Example 2: Rural Large Package Route
Problem:Furniture delivery: 6 stops, 12 miles between, 25 min/stop, 12 MPG truck, $3.50 gas, $28/hr driver.
Solution:Distance: 6 × 12 = 72 miles\nDrive time: 72 / 40 mph = 108 min (rural speed)\nStop time: 6 × 25 = 150 min\nTotal: 258 min = 4.3 hours\n\nFuel: 72 / 12 = 6 gallons × $3.50 = $21.00\nLabor: 4.3 × $28 = $120.40\nTotal: $141.40\nPer stop: $23.57
Result:4.3 hours | $141 total | $24/stop | 6 gallons
Example 3: Optimized Multi-Stop
Problem:Before optimization: 20 stops, 4 miles avg. After: 3 miles avg via routing software. Calculate savings.
Solution:Before:\nDistance: 20 × 4 = 80 miles\nFuel: 80 / 18 = 4.44 gal × $3.50 = $15.54\nTime: 80/30 + 20×8 = 160 + 160 = 320 min\nLabor: 5.33 × $25 = $133.25\nTotal: $148.79\n\nAfter (optimized):\nDistance: 20 × 3 = 60 miles (-25%)\nFuel: 60 / 18 = 3.33 gal × $3.50 = $11.67\nTime: 60/30 + 20×8 = 120 + 160 = 280 min\nLabor: 4.67 × $25 = $116.75\nTotal: $128.42\n\nSavings: $20.37/route (14%)
Result:15% optimization | Save $20/route | $400/month for daily routes
Frequently Asked Questions
How much fuel can route optimization save?
Typical savings: 10-30% reduction in miles driven, equating to similar fuel savings. For a fleet doing 50,000 miles annually, 20% reduction saves 10,000 miles and ~$5,000/vehicle in fuel alone.
How do I calculate fuel costs for a road trip?
Divide total trip distance by your car's MPG to get gallons needed, then multiply by the price per gallon. Example: 500 miles at 25 MPG = 20 gallons x $3.50 = $70 in fuel. Use GasBuddy to find prices along your route and add 10% for city driving and detours.