Many tradespeople only estimate travel costs roughly or don't price them in at all – yet fuel, wear, insurance and above all your own time on the road add up to a significant cost over a year.
Formula: Travel costs = (distance × number of trips × vehicle cost per km) + (travel time × hourly rate) + call-out fee
Example calculation
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Distance (15 km × 2 trips × €0.30/km) | €9.00 |
| Travel time (0.5 h × €45/h) | €22.50 |
| Call-out fee | €0.00 |
| Real travel costs | €31.50 |
Without travel time and vehicle costs, this job would be priced €31.50 too cheap.
Travel costs with a trailer
With a trailer, fuel use and wear go up. Use a higher vehicle cost per kilometre than for trips without one. Simply enter that higher value in the vehicle-cost field; the calculator takes care of the rest.
Call-out cost per km for service providers
If you visit customers on site, you can charge the journey as a rate per kilometre or as a fixed call-out fee. The per-km rate is more accurate for longer trips, the flat fee simpler for short trips within a fixed service area. The calculator lets you combine both.
Cost per km: which rate should you use?
For a car, €0.30 per kilometre is a common guideline, for example as a flat rate on business trips. Your real costs are often higher, because fuel, tyres, servicing, insurance and depreciation add up. Vans and vehicles carrying tools or materials cost much more per kilometre than a car. Use your own value if you know it.
Working out the fuel cost of a trip
Pure fuel cost is worked out like this: distance in km × consumption in litres per 100 km ÷ 100 × price per litre. Example: 30 km × 8 l ÷ 100 × €1.80 = €4.32. That is fuel only. Wear and insurance come on top, which is why the calculator works with a cost per km.
