Free Trucking Invoice Templates (Excel)
What a trucking invoice needs that a generic invoice doesn't
Owner-operators and carriers bill differently from most service businesses: the core charge is mileage-based (miles x rate per mile), and on top of that sit fuel surcharge, detention time, and sometimes lumper fees for loading/unloading labor.
This template's Load Log sheet handles the mileage side - date, load or reference number, miles, and rate per mile - with a line subtotal that calculates automatically, up to 30 loads per invoice.
The Invoice Summary sheet then layers on the extras that make trucking billing different from a flat-rate invoice.
Fuel surcharge, detention, and lumper fees explained
Fuel surcharge is entered as a percentage and applied to your miles subtotal automatically - the percentage your broker or shipper agreed to, which fluctuates with diesel prices.
Detention is hours x your detention rate, calculated separately from mileage - use it to bill for wait time at pickup or delivery beyond any free period in your rate confirmation.
Lumper fees and any other flat charges go in as a single dollar amount, added straight into the total due alongside miles, fuel surcharge, and detention.
Client-facing invoice vs. your own expense tracking
This template bills your customer for the load - it's not for tracking your own costs of running the truck. For that, the free Trucking Expenses Spreadsheet logs fuel, maintenance, insurance, per-diem, and other operating costs by category.
Keeping the two separate matches how most owner-operators actually work: one file to bill the load, a different file to track what it cost you to run it.
Why this beats a SaaS invoice generator
InvoiceQuick, OnlineInvoices, and Billdu's trucking invoice templates are generators inside their own signup-required builder - you re-enter mileage, fuel surcharge, and detention every time into their interface.
This is a standalone spreadsheet: fill in the loads and the extras once, and the totals recalculate automatically every time you edit a number - no account, no re-entry.
How to use it
- Log every load on the Load Log: date, load/reference number, miles and rate per mile.
- Line subtotal calculates automatically as miles x rate per mile.
- On the Invoice Summary sheet, enter your fuel surcharge %, detention hours and rate, and any lumper/other fees.
- The total due calculates automatically from the Load Log and your entries.
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Small Business Bookkeeping & Tax Dashboard
If you need this mapped to actual tax categories, the Bookkeeping & Tax Dashboard ($19) adds Schedule C line-item categories, a monthly P&L, and a quarterly tax set-aside from your real net profit.
See the full versionFrequently asked questions
Can I use this trucking invoice template in Google Sheets?
Yes. Upload the downloaded file to Google Drive, then open it and choose File > Save as Google Sheets. All the formulas keep working.
How is fuel surcharge calculated?
As a percentage of your miles subtotal, entered on the Invoice Summary sheet - not a flat dollar amount.
How is detention billed?
Detention hours multiplied by your detention rate per hour, calculated separately from mileage and added into the total due.
Does this also track my own trucking expenses?
No. This is a client-facing invoice for billing loads. For tracking your own fuel, maintenance and per-diem costs, see the free Trucking Expenses Spreadsheet instead.
Is it free?
Yes, in exchange for your email address. It's yours to use afterward with no further cost.
What's the usage license?
Personal use or use within one business. It's not meant to be resold or redistributed as a template product.