Compliant (Legal) vs. Non-Compliant (Illegal) Carrier — Cost Per Mile Model
Adjust inputs to model the cost advantage illegal carriers externalize on the market. Default values reflect the article baseline: $2.38 vs. $1.65/mi.
At default settings, this model reproduces the article's stated figures: Compliant CPM = $2.38 • Non-Compliant CPM = $1.65 • Gap = $0.73/mi. Adjust any slider to see how the gap shifts under different cost assumptions.
⚙ Model Inputs — Adjust to Explore Scenarios
10
3,500
$0.72
$0.52
$0.33
11.5%
$0.13
✓ Compliant Carrier (Van, Avg LOH)
Total CPM — FreightMath van carrier baseline
✕ Non-Compliant — Costs Externalized / Avoided
Total Avoided — Non-compliant CPM: —
Per-Mile Cost Advantage: Non-Compliant vs. Compliant Carrier
— Compliant CPM
−
— Non-Compliant CPM
=
— Illegal Cost Advantage
Annual Fleet Advantage
—
at current fleet & miles
Per Truck / Year
—
unfair advantage per unit
Weekly Fleet Advantage
—
cost gap, fleet-wide
Default values calibrated to article baseline: compliant van carrier $2.38/mi, non-compliant $1.65/mi, gap $0.73/mi (FreightMath / KSM Transport Advisors, March 2026). Sources: ATRI Operational Cost of Trucking 2024/2025; ELD fraud data (FreightWaves, Nov. 2025); Driver Inc. payroll cost avoidance (CTA, 2025); CVSA ELD Out-of-Service Criteria (Apr. 2026). Compliant costs: driver wages, fuel, payroll taxes & benefits, equipment, maintenance, G&A/permits, insurance, ELD/compliance tech. Non-compliant avoided costs: payroll taxes, worker benefits, Driver Inc. wage gap, insurance undercut, HOS compliance overhead, ELD/tech, deferred maintenance, regulatory/permit compliance.