Lease-Purchase Reality Calculator
Estimate your weekly lease-purchase costs, what's left after the bills, and how many miles you need to break even before you sign.
Estimate lease-purchase net
Get an honest number
Put in realistic numbers and try a few versions. A CDL decision can look great with rosy assumptions, but the bad case is what gets people: a late job start, unpaid waiting, low miles, retest fees, fuel swings, repairs, or loan payments.
For a lease-purchase offer, ask to see a settlement sheet from an average driver and an example of a bad week. The gross revenue is not your take-home pay.
Why lease-purchase needs a bad-week test
This calculator is built to expose the fixed-cost trap. The truck payment, insurance, the maintenance reserve, dispatch fees, permits, and tolls keep coming even when your miles drop or the truck is in the shop.
A lease offer should survive a bad week before you take it seriously. If your take-home disappears the moment miles fall, fuel jumps, or a repair stops you, you're carrying more risk than the big revenue number lets on.
| Input | How to think about it |
|---|---|
| Rate and miles | Your gross before fuel, truck costs, insurance, maintenance, taxes, and fees. |
| Fuel | Usually the biggest moving cost, and very sensitive to your MPG and the price per gallon. |
| Truck payment | A fixed weekly bill that doesn't care whether the freight was any good. |
| Maintenance reserve | Not profit. It's money set aside for repairs and the weeks you can't run. |
Official sources and verification links
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BLS Heavy and Tractor-trailer Truck Drivers
Federal job and pay data for heavy and tractor-trailer drivers: typical pay, how many jobs are expected, work hours, and injury risk.
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FMCSA DOT medical exam and CMV certification
The federal agency explains the DOT physical, who can do it, and how long your medical card stays good.
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FMCSA Training Provider Registry
The official place to search approved training schools and file a complaint.
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FMCSA CDL overview
Federal commercial driver licensing overview and related safety resources.
FAQ
Are calculator results guaranteed?
No. These calculators are planning tools. Actual pay, costs, taxes, repairs, financing terms, and job timing vary.
What numbers should I use?
Run a bad case, a middle case, and a best case. If the decision only works in the best case, treat it as risky.
Can this replace financial advice?
No. Use it to ask better questions of schools, trucking companies, lenders, or a tax pro.