Trucking: What to charge, self employment taxes, traffic congestion

Question
I have a 18ft van which I plan to hall freight in for different companies here in Southern California. My question for you is this. In your professional opinion what should I charge per mile to make it worth my time and expense to make  it a reasonably profitable venture. Thank you for your time.  

Answer
In a short haul operation subject to traffic congestion it's more a matter of time than miles.  Basic approach is to figure what it costs to operate your truck, including depreciation or lease cost, Insurance, fuel, tags, permits, taxes, maintenance, tires, etc.  Than add how much you need to make for your time including self employment taxes, insurance, etc.  Add in your profit expectations and calculate a cost per hour.  Your per mile cost will be a lot lower for a 100 or 200 mile trip than for a 10  mile trip.  You could set your rates per mile with a minimum to cover short moves.  For comparison in our area we can get a tractor and a driver, to pull our trailer, for around $65/hr with a 4 hour minimum.  So.Cal could be completely.  Ask around for market rates in your area since each local area may be different. different.   Best of luck.