Is Your New Truck a Money Printer or a Rolling Liability?
Adding a new truck to your fleet is a “high stakes” poker game.
On one hand, limiting your capacity means turning away customers (and handing cash to competitors).
On the other hand, a truck that sits empty is a “Rolling Liability” that burns cash on insurance, lease payments, and technician salaries.
Most owners make the mistake of using “Best Case Scenario” math. They multiply 5 jobs a day by 5 days a week.
Real life doesn’t work that way. Traffic happens. Parts go missing. Cancellations occur.
This calculator allows you to forecast the Real-World Revenue Potential of a new service vehicle, accounting for the hidden friction of field service operations.
🚚 Fleet Profitability Forecaster
Calculate your “Maximum Revenue Capacity” vs. “Realistic Revenue” based on utilization.
🚛 Truck Revenue Forecaster
Calculate the Maximum Revenue Capacity of adding one new vehicle.
*Note: This is Gross Revenue. Don’t forget to subtract technician pay, fuel, and insurance.
Find Software to Fill This Truck’s Schedule ➔The "Revenue Efficiency" Formula
To accurately forecast growth, you must look beyond the top-line number. You need to understand the three levers that control truck revenue.
1. Utilization Rate (The "Windshield" Factor)
Just because you pay a technician for 8 hours doesn't mean they generate revenue for 8 hours.
- Billable Time: Fixing the unit, talking to the customer.
- Non-Billable Time: Driving (Windshield Time), Supply House runs, Gas station stops.
The Benchmark: An average truck has a Utilization Rate of 55-60%. Top-tier fleets using efficient routing software (like Jobber) can hit 70%.
- Impact: If you ignore this, your revenue forecast will be 40% too high.
2. Revenue Per Man Hour (RPMH)
This is the ultimate KPI for service businesses. It combines your pricing strategy with your technician's speed.
- Formula:
Total Revenue ÷ Total Hours Worked - Target: You should aim for $250 - $350+ per clocked hour for service/repair work. If you are below $150, adding more trucks will just scale your losses.
3. Seasonality (The 10-Month Year)
In HVAC and some plumbing trades, you cannot assume 12 busy months. You likely have 2 "Shoulder Months" (Spring/Fall) where revenue drops by 50%.
- Forecasting Tip: Calculate your annual revenue based on a 10-month active year, not 12.
2026 Industry Benchmarks: Revenue Per Truck
How does your fleet compare to the national average? Use these benchmarks to set goals for your new hire.
| Department | Monthly Revenue Goal (Mature) | Annual Revenue Target | Labor Cost Target % |
|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC (Service) | $30,000 - $45,000 | $360k - $540k | 20% - 25% |
| HVAC (Install) | $80,000 - $120,000 | $1M - $1.4M | 12% - 18% |
| Plumbing (Service) | $25,000 - $35,000 | $300k - $420k | 22% - 28% |
| Electrical | $22,000 - $30,000 | $260k - $360k | 25% - 30% |
| Handyman / Gen. Repair | $15,000 - $20,000 | $180k - $240k | 30% - 35% |
Insight: "Labor Cost Target" is critical. If your technician's pay (salary + commission) exceeds 30% of the revenue they bring in, the truck is likely unprofitable after you pay for fuel, insurance, and the vehicle lease.
The Hidden Costs of Expansion (The "Nut")
Before the first dollar of profit hits your account, your new truck must cover its "Nut"—the fixed cost of operation.
Annual Cost of a Service Van (Estimated):
- Vehicle Lease/Loan: $9,600 ($800/mo)
- Commercial Insurance: $3,000 - $5,000
- Fuel & Maintenance: $6,000 - $10,000
- Tech Tablet & Software License: $2,500
- Uniforms & Tools: $1,500
- Marketing Load (Leads to fill it): $20,000+
Total Risk: You are committing to roughly $45,000 - $50,000 in new annual expenses (excluding tech salary) just to put the key in the ignition.
Tools to Maximize Revenue Per Truck
Buying the truck is easy. Filling the schedule is hard. If your new truck sits idle for 2 days a week, the math falls apart. You need software to manage Capacity and Efficiency.
1. For Dispatch & Routing Efficiency
You need to minimize "Windshield Time" to keep Utilization Rates high.
- Best Tool: Jobber (Excellent route optimization for dense areas).
- Best Tool: FieldEdge (Great visual dispatch board for assigning the closest tech).
2. For Inventory Management
Nothing kills revenue like a tech leaving a job site to buy a $5 part.
- Best Tool: ServiceTitan (Tracks truck stock automatically so you restock before the truck leaves the shop).
3. For Capacity Planning
Don't hire blindly. Use software that shows "Unbooked Opportunity."
- Best Tool: ServiceTitan (Advanced reporting on "Turnover Rate" and missed calls).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is a good "Labor to Revenue" ratio?
For a service technician, you generally want their total compensation (Wage + Commission + Burden) to be between 20% and 28% of the revenue they generate. If it goes above 30%, you are overpaying or underpricing.
How long does it take for a new truck to break even?
Typically 3 to 6 months. It takes time to build the lead flow and "season" the technician to your sales process. Do not expect profit in Month 1.
Should I prioritize "Call Volume" or "Average Ticket"?
Always Average Ticket. It is cheaper to increase revenue by training a tech to spot add-on opportunities (IAQ, Water Filtration) than it is to buy more leads and burn more gas driving to more homes.