Most tows price the same way: a flat hookup fee to get the vehicle on the truck, plus a rate for every mile to the drop-off. One formula quotes any job.
A $75 hookup plus 12 miles at $4 each is $123. Excel applies multiplication before addition, so no parentheses are needed.
The example
Three tows with different hookup fees, distances, and per-mile rates.
| A | B | C | D | E | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Job | Hookup | Miles | Per mile | Total |
| 2 | Local tow | $75 | 12 | $4 | $123 |
| 3 | Highway | $100 | 40 | $4 | $260 |
| 4 | Flatbed | $125 | 8 | $5 | $165 |
The formula
Order of operations does the work for you:
How it works
The formula mirrors how the job is billed:
C2*D2multiplies the miles by the per-mile rate — Excel does this first.B2, the flat hookup fee, is then added on.- The total is what the customer pays for that tow.
Have a free-miles allowance? Charge only for distance beyond it with =B2+MAX(C2-Free,0)*D2.
Try it: interactive demo
Enter the hookup fee, distance, and per-mile rate.
Variations
Free miles included
Bill only the miles past a free allowance built into the hookup fee.
After-hours surcharge
Add a flat night/weekend surcharge on top of the standard quote.
Pitfalls & errors
No parentheses needed — Excel multiplies before it adds. =B2+C2*D2 already does the right thing.
Watch your units: if the rate is per loaded mile only, do not count the empty return miles.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I add an after-hours fee?
Should I bill round-trip miles?
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