Plant & Machinery Operating Costs Calculator
Calculate the true hourly or per-mile cost of running any excavator, telehandler, forklift, dumper, HGV, tractor or equipment — including depreciation, fuel, maintenance, tyres/tracks, labour, finance, tax & insurance.
Enter Equipment Details
Input your asset and usage data to see real running costs per hour or mile.
Quick Cost Tips
Typical UK plant hourly cost: £60–£180
- • Spread fixed costs over more hours/miles
- • Bigger deposit lowers finance cost
- • Track usage accurately — many overestimate
- • Service proactively — prevents £10k+ breakdowns
Track Every Asset Automatically
Log fuel, maintenance, service intervals, compliance dates & true cost per hour/mile — all in one place.
- Real-time cost per hour/mile
- LOLER/MOT/service reminders
- Full fleet overview
True Running Cost of Plant & Machinery in 2026
Most operators focus only on fuel and servicing — but the real hourly or per-mile cost of running excavators, telehandlers, forklifts, dumpers or HGVs is typically £60–£180 per hour (or £0.80–£3.50 per mile for road vehicles).
Why Most Equipment Cost Estimates Are Too Low
Fuel and routine servicing usually make up just 30–40% of total costs. The biggest hidden expenses are:
- Depreciation:£10,000–£40,000 per year on newer machines
- Finance interest:Thousands extra on £80k–£300k loans at 6–8%
- Labour:Operator time has real value (£18–£30/hour)
- Undercarriage / Tyres / Tracks:£10,000–£30,000 every 3,000–8,000 hours
5 Ways to Lower Your Hourly / Mile Cost
- Extend working life — Keep machines 8+ years to spread depreciation
- Buy quality used — 3–5 year old equipment depreciates much slower
- Track usage accurately — Spread fixed costs over more hours/miles
- Service proactively — Prevent £10k+ breakdowns
- Shop finance deals — 1% lower APR saves thousands over term
Want to stop estimating? FleetBolt automatically tracks fuel, maintenance, service intervals, compliance dates and true cost per hour/mile across your entire fleet.
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