Vehicle cost per job
What your ute really costs per job
Fuel is the obvious bit. Rego, insurance, servicing, tyres and depreciation are the quiet killers. Here's the real number.
Running the numbers
Defaults below are a typical 1-tonne diesel ute. Override with yours.
Check fuelcheck.nsw or the yellow sticker on your window.
Used to allocate fixed costs per km.
Your logbook %. 85% is typical for a work ute.
New ute drops ~15–20% yr 1, then ~10%/yr. 25k / 30k / 25k over 3 yrs ≈ $6k/yr.
Only the interest portion if you're being strict. Leave $0 if owned outright.
2024–25 rate is 88c/km. Check ATO for latest.
Real cost per job
$0
Add this to every quote so you're not eating it.
Cost breakdown
| Component | Annual (work %) | Per km | Per job |
|---|
Logbook spreadsheet (ATO-format) sent to your inbox
The 12-week logbook template the ATO accepts. Pre-built formulas for work %.
Two ways to claim vehicle expenses (ATO)
1. Cents per km — claim 88c/km (2024–25) for up to 5,000 work km/yr. Simple, no logbook, but capped at ~$4,400/yr max claim.
2. Logbook — keep a 12-week logbook once every 5 years, work out your work-%, then claim that % of every actual cost (fuel, rego, insurance, depreciation, finance interest). Better for high-km tradies — typically claims $8k–$15k+.
If you drive more than 5,000 work km a year, the logbook method is almost always better. This tool gives you both numbers so you can see the gap.
Log every job address — we'll track the distance
Sendatradie logs distance automatically when you start/finish a job. Your logbook writes itself.
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