How to Calculate Travel Time Cost (Formula)
Travel Cost = (Drive Time × Crew Size × Hourly Rate) + (Distance × Vehicle Cost per Mile)
This formula calculates the true cost of driving to a job site, including crew wages while traveling (they're on the clock) plus vehicle costs (fuel, maintenance, tires, depreciation).
📝 Worked Example (Round-Trip)
30-minute drive with a 2-person crew at $25/hour burdened rate, 15 miles at $0.725/mile:
Labor: (0.5 hr × 2 × $25) × 2 trips = $50.00
Vehicle: (15 mi × $0.725) × 2 trips = $21.75
Total travel cost: $71.75 — before any work begins.
What Is Travel Time Cost?
Travel time cost is what it actually costs your business to drive to and from a job site. It includes crew wages during drive time, fuel, vehicle wear, and mileage expenses. For most landscaping businesses, travel adds $25–$100+ per job depending on distance and crew size.
If you're not accounting for travel in your quotes, you're working for free on the drive—and losing money on every job outside your service area.
The Formula
Travel Cost = (Drive Time × Crew Size × Hourly Rate) + (Distance × Cost Per Mile)
💡 Quick Rule: When to Charge for Travel
If the drive time is longer than the job time, travel cost matters more than you think.
Always recover travel costs through: Trip charges, minimum job fees, higher hourly rates for distant jobs, or building travel into every quote. Pick one method and use it consistently.
What This Calculator Includes
- Labor during drive — Crew wages while traveling (they're on the clock)
- Vehicle mileage — Fuel, maintenance, tires, depreciation per mile
- Round-trip calculation — Full cost to get there and back
- Per-crew-member costs — Scales with your team size
Enter Trip Details
Distances in miles. Costs in USD.
Quick presets:
Your Travel Cost
Are you eating travel costs?
Many landscapers undercharge because they forget travel. At $62.67 per round-trip, doing 5 jobs/day means $1,567/week in unrecovered costs if you don't price it in.
📊 Build Your Complete Job Cost
Travel is just one piece. To quote profitably, add:
Never forget travel costs again
GreenMargins automatically calculates travel for every quote based on actual job locations. No more leaving money on the table.
Try GreenMargins Free →How Travel Costs Eat Your Profit
Crew Wages Don't Stop
Your crew is on the clock from the moment they leave. A 30-minute drive with 2 people at $25/hour = $25 in labor before any work happens.
Vehicles Cost Real Money
Every mile adds fuel, maintenance, and depreciation. At $0.70/mile, a 15-mile trip costs $10.50 each way—$21 round trip just for the truck.
Small Jobs Get Hit Hardest
On a $150 job, $60 in travel costs eats 40% of revenue. That's why minimum job charges exist—they protect you from unprofitable short trips.
You Pay It Twice
Don't forget the return trip. If you're not routing efficiently between jobs, every job site gets charged a full round-trip.
4 Travel Pricing Policies Compared
Choose one method and use it consistently across all quotes
1. Trip Charge (Visible Line Item)
Add a line item: "Trip charge: $45." Transparent, easy to explain. Some customers push back, but it sets clear expectations.
✓ Pro: Fully recovers cost, honest. ✗ Con: May lose price-sensitive customers.
2. Minimum Job Charge
Set minimums by zone: "$150 minimum within 10 miles, $200 beyond." Covers travel without itemizing it. Popular with maintenance companies.
✓ Pro: Simple to quote, protects small jobs. ✗ Con: Doesn't scale to large distant jobs.
3. Bake It Into Hourly Rate
Calculate average travel cost per job and add it to your hourly rate. Simple, but penalizes nearby customers and rewards distant ones.
✓ Pro: One rate, easy math. ✗ Con: Unfair to close customers, may lose them.
4. Zone-Based Pricing
Different rates for different areas. $55/hr within 15 minutes, $65/hr beyond. Reflects your true cost structure without itemizing travel.
✓ Pro: Fair, scalable. ✗ Con: Requires explaining multiple rates.
Service Radius Reality Check
How far should you travel for different job sizes?
| Job Size | Max Distance | Travel Budget | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| $100–$200 | 10–15 min | $20–$35 | Use minimum charges or decline |
| $200–$500 | 20–25 min | $40–$70 | Sweet spot for most landscapers |
| $500–$1000 | 30–40 min | $60–$100 | Worth the drive if profitable |
| $1000+ | 45+ min | $100+ | Large jobs justify longer travel |
Rule of thumb: Travel cost should be less than 15% of job revenue. Above that, you're giving away too much profit.
5 Travel Cost Mistakes That Kill Margins
Smart Routing Saves Thousands
Reduce travel costs without cutting service area
🗺️ Cluster Jobs by Area
Schedule all jobs in one neighborhood on the same day. One trip instead of five.
📅 Route Maintenance Days
Monday = north side, Tuesday = south side. Predictable routes, less backtracking.
🚫 Define Your Zone
Set a clear service area. Jobs outside it get a trip charge or higher rate—no exceptions.
⏰ Avoid Rush Hour
A 20-minute drive in traffic becomes 45 minutes. Schedule around peak times when possible.