$2,000 Load, $1,400 in Diesel : What Truckers Actually Keep

Truck driver Jose Mendez told FOX 11 Los Angeles a load paid him $2,000 and he spent about $1,400 on fuel. This video runs the numbers on the average dry van load on DAT's board the week of September 20, 2026: $3,010 for 1,000 paid miles, $1,075 of diesel at AAA's October 2 national average of $6.3726 a gallon, and $989 of truck costs at ATRI's 2025 averages, which leaves $946, or 79 cents for every mile driven. It also covers refrigerated and flatbed freight, Ohio's diesel tax cut starting October 4, recent trucking bankruptcies, September's trucking jobs and where diesel prices stand. Footage: FOX 11 Los Angeles, CBS News Atlanta, NBC4 Los Angeles, KATU 2 Portland, FOX 26 Houston, WCAX and FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth. Stock video and music: Mixkit.