How Much Should You Save For Maintenance Costs?

Let’s approach this topic as “general advice” and nothing to be taken absolutely to the letter. Every truck driver needs something different out of their rig. Many drivers also have distinctly different routes and terrain to move their trucks over. We can’t say that a truck that makes the route between the plains states of Illinois and Kansas 60 times a year will need as much set aside as the hauler who has to run loads up and over the Rocky Mountains from Denver to all points west each week.

Now the bad news – it’s a pretty big percentage of what regular truck drivers make per mile. How much?

A few weeks ago, Bill McClusky over at TeamRunSmart.com broke it down with a generalized percentage per mile chart. The worst we saw? He predicts that if you’re driving a truck older than 5 years, you would be smart to hold back nearly 15 cents each mile for maintenance. That can really sting drivers who are only pulling in about 36 cents per mile for a living.

Granted, the purpose of putting Team Run Smart online is to sell new Freightliner trucks to drivers, so obviously, driver beware. We’re not saying they don’t offer good advice, because generally, they do. But that doesn’t mean there’s no agenda at work as well.

We at CDL Life have looked at what makes a used truck a good buy, but we also do love looking closer at those new models all full of steel and chrome. Call us “curious bystanders” on this issue. We’ll let you guys decide if what Bill says is on the level.

Have a look at the cost per mile maintenance chart over at Team Run Smart.