Software - tips and tricks
Cost per mile estimate
What if you need to estimate the cost
of running a trip, or rather a per mile cost, but you do not have any
data to go by?
You can still do that with Natuilus IV. It will be a rough estimate, but an estimate non the less.
Example:
Create a bogus trip and enter a round
number of estimated miles, for example 1000
On the odometer screen create one state
line record and enter odometer start and end so that the difference
between the two values is 1000 miles. You can select any state for this purpose.
Figure your fuel at 5.5 miles per
gallon: 1000 / 5.5 = 181.81, and cost for 181.81 gallons of fuel
would be roughly 181.81*4 = $727.27. Hope for the best but plan for the worst. If you can do it with 5.5 MPG but your truck is actually doing 7.25 MPG then more money in your pocket.
Create a fuel stop and enter the
gallons: 181.81 and price $727.27
Estimate your maintenance cost at about
$0.04 per mile - 1000 * $0.04 = $40
(the $0.04 is
based on one year maintenance data for an 1-wheeler truck and
trailer)
Add that $40 to the trip expense.
Figure the driver pay, $0.34 per mile *
1000 miles = $340
Add that as a trip expense
The software will show you your per
mile cost: $1.11 total trip cost is $1,107
Based on one year data for a truck and trailer the operating cost is $1.17 with fuel prices as they were in 2007 and weekly fixed cost of $1066 (equipment payment and 150 maintenance deduction) plus $480 monthly for insurance.
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