Per-stop pay sounds generous until fuel is taken out and the hour is divided up. A driver chasing a target hourly wage needs to know the stops-per-hour pace that gets there. This recipe subtracts fuel from the per-stop rate to get the net, then divides the target by that net.
A $22 target at $3.50 a stop with $0.60 fuel needs 7.6 stops an hour, or 61 in an 8-hour shift.
The example
Three routes with different rates and fuel cost per stop. Dense routes have lower fuel per stop and need fewer stops per hour.
| A | B | C | D | E | F | G | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Case | Target $/hr | Pay/stop | Fuel/stop | Shift hrs | Stops/hr | Per shift |
| 2 | Metro | $22 | $3.50 | $0.60 | 8 | 7.6 | 61 |
| 3 | Suburban | $18 | $4.00 | $0.80 | 8 | 5.7 | 46 |
| 4 | Dense core | $25 | $3.00 | $0.50 | 8 | 10.0 | 80 |
The formula
Net the fuel out of each stop first, then divide the target by what is left:
How it works
Here is the logic, one piece at a time:
C2-D2is the net pay per stop after fuel cost.B2/(C2-D2)is how many net-paying stops equal one hour of target pay.ROUNDUP(...,1)rounds up to a tenth so the pace is never understated.- Multiplying by the shift hours in
E2and rounding up again gives the stops needed per shift.
Re-run it whenever fuel prices move; it is the fastest way to see whether a route still pays.
Try it: interactive demo
Enter target pay, pay per stop, fuel per stop and shift hours.
Variations
Guard against a rate below fuel cost
If fuel exceeds pay per stop the net is zero or negative; return a message instead of a nonsense pace.
Include per-hour vehicle wear
Subtract wear per stop in the same way as fuel if you track it.
Pitfalls & errors
If net pay per stop is zero the formula returns #DIV/0!; wrap it in IF as shown in Variations.
A pace above what the route physically allows (parking, stairs, signatures) means the rate is too low, not that the driver should hurry.
Compare the required pace against the pace your fastest drivers actually achieve before you quote a rate.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
Does this count unpaid time between stops?
Should the target include taxes?
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