Compliant vs. Non-Compliant Carrier Cost Model

⚙ Model Inputs

Fleet Size (trucks)

Miles / Truck / Week ? HOS Legal Maximum A fully HOS-compliant carrier averages ~2,100 mi/truck/week. Non-compliant operators running falsified logs or ignoring Hours-of-Service rules can push 3,000–4,000+ mi/week — a structural productivity advantage on top of the cost gap.

3,500

Driver Wage (W2) $/mi

$0.69

Fuel $/mi

$0.51

Equipment $/mi

$0.32

Payroll Tax Rate

11.5%

Driver Inc. Wage Gap $/mi ? Driver Inc. Wage Gap
The wage discount a misclassified "owner-operator" accepts vs. a true W2 employee. Under Driver Inc. arrangements, the carrier avoids source deductions and shifts truck costs (fuel, maintenance, insurance) onto the driver. The driver accepts a lower effective wage believing they run their own business, despite being economically dependent on one carrier. Source: CTA, 2025. Range: $0.08–$0.20/mi.

$0.13

Non-Compliant Cost-Per-Mile Advantage

—

Annual Fleet Advantage

—

at current fleet & miles

Per Truck / Year

—

annual unfair advantage per unit

Weekly Fleet Advantage

—

weekly cost gap, fleet-wide