What do you actually use to track your real cost per mile?

I use a calculator and math from 3rd grade. It works well.

Tell us about all your diesel mechanic knowledge.

 

Spread sheet and basic math

when I first started out it was just chicken scratch on note paper, kind of wish I had a better system and tracked a little closer but live and learn

 

Guilty.

 

Basic spreadsheet for me and all the costs I keep up with throughout the year, usually tallied at tax time unless there's some reason to look at it more than once a year. Usually there isn't.

I didn't do mine at tax time this past year so I just did it while waiting at this slow a@@ dock. $1.97/mile total expenses including salary.

Good thing I'm not running $2/pm freight but if I was I'd still be in the green, barely.

 

When I started I used a notebook and pencil.
Now, I use a notebook and pen, hahaha

 

Profit gauges. Like a spreadsheet for dummies.

What do diesel mechanics use to calculate profitability - book hours vs actual hours etc?

 

A pencil, a calculator, the odometer and the gallons on the fuel pump. Then you expand to your other expenses both fixed and variable. No 2 months come out the same.

 

What does the price of your tools have to do with parts markup?
If you are actually a mechanic you already have the tools and in no way have anything to do with the markup on parts.
Something is starting to smell funny.