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Glossary

Gross Revenue

Gross revenue is the total income a carrier earns from hauling freight before any expenses, commissions, or taxes are deducted.

What Is Gross Revenue?

Gross revenue is your total top-line income from all loads before subtracting any costs. It includes your per-mile earnings, fuel surcharges, accessorial charges (detention, layover, TONU), stop fees, and any other load-related payments. Gross revenue is the starting point for calculating your actual profitability.

For a typical owner-operator running 2,500 miles per week at $2.85/mile, weekly gross revenue is approximately $7,125. Monthly gross would be about $28,500, and annual gross approximately $342,000. These are realistic numbers for dry van carriers working with FF Dispatch. Reefer and flatbed operators typically gross higher due to premium rates.

However, gross revenue can be misleading if you do not track expenses carefully. A carrier grossing $350,000/year with $280,000 in expenses nets only $70,000. Another carrier grossing $300,000 with $180,000 in expenses nets $120,000. The second carrier is far more profitable despite lower gross revenue. Always track both your gross and net numbers to understand your true business performance.

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Why It Matters

Gross revenue tells you how much money is coming in, but net income (after expenses) tells you how much you actually keep. Tracking gross revenue helps you evaluate your dispatch service, rate trends, and seasonal patterns. The goal is maximizing gross while controlling expenses.

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Real-World Example

Victor runs a reefer and tracks his numbers monthly. January gross: $24,800 (slower month). April gross: $31,200 (produce season). July gross: $28,400 (steady). His annual gross with FF Dispatch: $338,000. His annual expenses: $192,000 (fuel: $82,000, truck: $28,800, insurance: $16,800, maintenance: $14,400, dispatch commission at 6%: $20,280, factoring: $8,450, other: $21,270). Net income: $146,000 — strong for a single-truck operation.
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How FF Dispatch Handles This

FF Dispatch provides detailed revenue reports so you can track your gross and net income. We help you understand your numbers and identify opportunities to increase revenue — whether through better rates, fewer deadhead miles, or more consistent weekly miles.

Related Terms

Per Mile Rate

The per mile rate is the amount a carrier is paid for each mile driven on a load, and is the primary measure of load profitability in trucking.

Fuel Surcharge

A fuel surcharge is an additional per-mile charge added to the freight rate that adjusts for fluctuations in diesel fuel prices, protecting carriers from volatile fuel costs.

Accessorial Charges

Accessorial charges are additional fees beyond the base freight rate for extra services like detention, layover, fuel surcharges, lumper fees, and special handling.

Dispatch Service

A dispatch service is a company that finds loads, negotiates rates, handles paperwork, and manages logistics for owner-operators in exchange for a percentage of the load revenue.

Owner-Operator

An owner-operator is a truck driver who owns or leases their own commercial vehicle and operates as an independent business rather than being employed by a trucking company.

Related Content

Dry Van DispatchReefer DispatchFlatbed DispatchStep Deck DispatchHotshot DispatchBox Truck DispatchPower Only Dispatch

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a good gross revenue for an owner-operator?+
With FF Dispatch, dry van carriers typically gross $280,000-$360,000/year, reefer $300,000-$400,000, and flatbed $320,000-$420,000. These assume 2,400-2,800 miles/week with 48-50 working weeks per year.
What percentage of gross revenue goes to expenses?+
Typical owner-operator expenses are 55-70% of gross revenue. Fuel is the largest at 30-40%, followed by truck payment (15-20%), insurance (8-12%), and maintenance (5-10%). Dispatch and factoring fees add another 6-13%.
How do I increase my gross revenue?+
Three main levers: higher per-mile rates (better negotiation), more miles per week (less deadhead and downtime), and accessorial charges (detention, layover, fuel surcharges). A good dispatch service optimizes all three.

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