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Maintenance reserve calculator

By Fernandez · Updated October 2026

Set aside the right amount for repairs every week, before the shop bill arrives.

yr
mi
$
ATRI 2025 average, excludes tires
$
ASSUMPTION

Set aside per mile

$0.255

Per month

$2,338

Per year

$28,050

Age adjustment used: x1 (ASSUMPTION: 0.6 for 0 to 3 years, 1.0 for 4 to 6, 1.3 for 7 to 10, 1.6 for older). It is a rule of thumb around the ATRI fleet average, not a forecast; your repair history matters more. Source: ATRI, An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking, 2026 update (2025 data), as reported by FleetOwner.

A $2,338 monthly reserve is easier with steady loads. Our dispatchers keep the truck working.

Our dispatchers find and negotiate the loads; you approve each one and sign the rate con. 5% of gross for one truck with an MC 6 months or older, no setup fee.

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How it is calculated

  • Age adjustment (assumption): 0.6 for trucks up to 3 years old, 1.0 for 4 to 6, 1.3 for 7 to 10 and 1.6 for older.
  • Reserve per mile = base repair cost per mile x age adjustment + tires per mile.
  • Per year = reserve per mile x miles per year. Per month = per year / 12.

The base default comes from ATRI's 2025 repair and maintenance average, which excludes tires.

Worked example

ItemEXAMPLE
Truck age6 years
Miles per year110,000
Base repair cost per mile$0.215
Tires per mile$0.04
Reserve per mile$0.255
Per monthabout $2,340
Per yearabout $28,050

EXAMPLE truck.

Using the reserve

A reserve only works if the money stays put between repairs.

Move the monthly amount into a separate account on the same day the payment goes out. When a repair comes, it comes from the reserve, not from next month's payment. If the reserve keeps running dry, your real cost per mile is higher than the base, so raise it. If it keeps growing, you can lower it, or let it build toward the next big job.

Feed the reserve into your full costs with the semi truck payment calculator and the cost per mile tools, and see how age affects value with the truck depreciation calculator and semi truck depreciation by age and mileage. Some leases bundle maintenance; read zero down semi truck lease before you sign one.

Steady loads keep the reserve funded

Repairs come out of loaded miles. Tell us your truck and lanes and we plan weeks that keep the fund growing.

Keep my repair fund growing

YOUR NUMBERS, EXAMPLE

Payment
$1,715 /mo
Our fee
5% of gross
YOU KEEP
the rest

Questions

What is the average semi truck maintenance cost?
ATRI's operational cost study put repair and maintenance at about 21.5 cents per mile for 2025, not counting tires, across the carriers it surveyed. Older trucks and small carriers often run higher. Your own repair history is the best guide, so replace the default with it once you have a year of records.
How much should I set aside for truck maintenance?
Enough per mile to cover routine service, tires and the repairs your truck's age makes likely. The calculator multiplies a base cost per mile by an age adjustment and adds tires. Put that amount into a separate account every week so repairs do not come out of the payment.
What are typical diesel truck maintenance costs per year?
Multiply your cost per mile by your yearly miles. At 25.5 cents a mile and 110,000 miles, that is about $28,000 a year. A truck running fewer miles costs less in total but often more per mile, because time-based service and aging parts do not wait for miles.
Are box truck maintenance costs lower?
Often, because box trucks run fewer miles and have smaller engines and fewer tires than a tractor-trailer. The ATRI average comes mostly from heavy trucks, so enter your own base cost per mile for a 26 ft box truck once you know it.
Why does truck age change the reserve?
Older trucks need more repairs as parts wear out and warranties end, especially engines, aftertreatment systems and transmissions. The calculator uses a simple age multiplier, labeled as an assumption, around the industry average. It is a rule of thumb, not a forecast for your truck.
Should the maintenance reserve sit in a separate account?
Many owner-operators keep it in a separate savings account and move money into it every settlement, so it is not spent on fuel or the payment by accident. What matters is that the money is there when a big repair lands. Track what you actually spend each year and adjust the per-mile figure to your own records.
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