Cents-Per-Mile Pay Explained: How CPM Trucking Pay Really Works
How cents-per-mile pay is calculated, the difference between paid and actual miles, and how to turn your CPM rate into weekly and hourly pay.
Most over-the-road and many regional drivers are paid by the mile. The formula is simple: rate per mile × paid miles = mileage pay. At $0.65 per mile and 2,500 paid miles, that's $1,625 before any extra pay.
Paid miles vs. actual miles
Many carriers pay on "practical" or "household goods" miles from routing software, not the miles on your odometer. If you actually drive 2,700 miles but are paid for 2,500, your effective rate on actual miles is lower than your posted rate. Ask any employer which mileage system they use.
What's not in the mileage rate
- Detention or wait time — often paid only after a set number of free hours, if at all
- Stop pay, layover pay and breakdown pay
- Loading and unloading time
- Fuel stops and inspections
Add your average weekly accessorial pay to your mileage pay to get your weekly gross.
Turning CPM into hourly pay
Divide weekly gross by every hour you actually work — driving and on-duty not driving. A 1¢ change across 2,500 miles is $25 per week, or $1,300 over 52 weeks. A 10¢ raise on the same miles is $250 a week.
Use the CDL PayCheck calculator to run your own numbers.
Find your real hourly pay in 60 seconds
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