Axle Weight Limit Calculator
Check truck axle weights against federal and state limits. Verify steer, drive, and tandem axle compliance with FMCSA 80,000 lb GVW and per-axle regulations.
Empty Miles Calculator
Calculate empty miles percentage and cost for your fleet. Track deadhead ratio, quantify the financial impact, and identify lanes with the worst empty mile problems.
mi
mi
$/mi
$/mi
$/gal
%
Empty Miles %โง
21.5%
Industry benchmark for Truckload (TL) is 22%; you are 0.5 pts below
Annual Deadhead Costโง
$53,760.00
Direct variable cost of running empty -- fuel, tires, maintenance on zero-revenue miles
Loaded Milesโง
102,000 mi
Revenue-generating miles where you carry paid freight
Lost Revenue Opportunityโง
$77,000.00
If every deadhead mile had been loaded at your rate, this is the revenue captured
Fuel Wasted on Emptyโง
$16,369.00
Based on 6.5 mpg average at $3.80/gal diesel
Savings at Targetโง
$3,840.00
Reducing empty % from 21.5% to 20% saves this annually per truck
Empty % vs. Benchmark
0%50%
Your: 21.5%Benchmark: 22%
Empty % Scenario Analysis
| Empty % | Deadhead Mi | Loaded Mi | DH Cost | Revenue | Net Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5% | 6,500 | 123,500 | $12,480.00 | $339,625.00 | $90,025.00 |
| 10% | 13,000 | 117,000 | $24,960.00 | $321,750.00 | $72,150.00 |
| 15% | 19,500 | 110,500 | $37,440.00 | $303,875.00 | $54,275.00 |
| 20% | 26,000 | 104,000 | $49,920.00 | $286,000.00 | $36,400.00 |
| 25% | 32,500 | 97,500 | $62,400.00 | $268,125.00 | $18,525.00 |
| 30% | 39,000 | 91,000 | $74,880.00 | $250,250.00 | $650.00 |
* = industry benchmark for selected segment
Segment Benchmarks
| Segment | Typical Empty % | Your Position |
|---|---|---|
| Truckload (TL) | 22% | Below (0.5 pts) |
| Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) | 15% | - |
| Dedicated Contract | 12% | - |
| Intermodal Drayage | 30% | - |
| Expedited / Hot Shot | 25% | - |
Planning notes, formulas, and examples
About the Empty Miles Calculator
Empty miles รขโฌโ also called deadhead miles รขโฌโ are miles driven without cargo. They represent pure cost with zero revenue. The American Trucking Associations estimates the industry averages 15-25% empty miles, costing carriers billions annually. Every empty mile costs $1.50-$2.50 in fuel, wear, driver time, and insurance.
Tracking empty miles by lane, truck, and driver reveals where the biggest improvement opportunities lie. A lane with 40% empty return legs is a prime candidate for backhaul programs. A driver consistently running 30% deadhead may need different dispatching.
This calculator computes empty miles percentage and the direct financial cost. Use it to benchmark your fleet against industry averages, set reduction targets, and justify investments in load matching technology.
Use the result to compare operating scenarios, pressure-test assumptions, and rerun the model when volumes, rates, or service targets change.
When This Page Helps
You cannot reduce what you do not measure. This calculator turns vague awareness of "we run some miles empty" into a precise percentage and dollar cost that justifies action. Even a 5% reduction in empty miles for a 50-truck fleet can save $200,000-$400,000 annually.
How to Use the Inputs
- Enter total miles driven in the period.
- Enter deadhead (empty) miles.
- Enter your variable cost per mile.
- View empty miles percentage and total deadhead cost.
- Set a reduction target and see the potential savings.
- Analyze by lane to find worst-performing routes.
Formula used
Empty Miles % = (Deadhead Miles / Total Miles) รโ 100
Deadhead Cost = Deadhead Miles รโ Variable Cost per Mile
Savings = (Current Empty % รขหโ Target Empty %) รโ Total Miles รโ Cost/MileExample Calculation
Result: Empty Miles = 22.5%, Deadhead Cost = $49,950/year
Empty %: 27,000 / 120,000 รโ 100 = 22.5%. Deadhead cost: 27,000 รโ $1.85 = $49,950. Reducing to 18% empty would save: (22.5% รขหโ 18%) รโ 120,000 รโ $1.85 = $9,990 per truck per year.
Tips & Best Practices
- Benchmark against industry averages: under 20% is good, under 15% is excellent.
- Focus on the highest-volume lanes รขโฌโ reducing deadhead on busy lanes has the biggest impact.
- Build backhaul relationships with shippers in your delivery areas.
- Use load boards (DAT, Truckstop) to fill empty legs, even at lower rates.
- Consider repositioning to a higher-demand area vs. accepting a cheap backhaul.
- Track empty miles separately for outbound vs. return legs.
The True Cost of Empty Miles
Beyond the direct variable cost ($1.50-$2.50/mile), empty miles carry hidden costs: accelerated vehicle depreciation, increased accident exposure, wasted driver hours, and higher insurance premiums. The fully loaded cost of a deadhead mile may be 20-30% more than the variable cost alone.
Lane-Level Deadhead Analysis
Not all lanes have equal deadhead problems. An outbound lane to a manufacturing region may have easy backhauls, while a lane to a rural delivery area may have 50%+ deadhead. Analyze deadhead by lane pair to target the worst performers. Even converting one high-deadhead lane can significantly improve fleet average.
Carrier Collaborative Networks
Carrier collaboratives allow multiple fleets to share backhaul opportunities. If Fleet A delivers to an area where Fleet B picks up, they can exchange loads to fill each other's empty legs. Technology platforms now automate this matching process.
Sources & Methodology
Last updated:
Frequently Asked Questions
A deadhead mile is any mile driven without revenue-generating cargo on the truck. This includes driving to the first pickup of the day, repositioning between loads, and the return trip home without a backhaul. These miles cost money (fuel, driver time, wear) with no revenue offset.
Common causes: imbalanced trade lanes (more freight inbound than outbound or vice versa), lack of backhaul agreements, poor dispatch planning, specialized equipment with limited backhaul options, and geographic isolation of delivery points from pickup areas. Keep in mind that individual circumstances can significantly affect the outcome.
Use load matching technology and load boards, establish shipper backhaul agreements, join carrier collaboratives, optimize network design (hub locations, relay points), and train dispatchers to minimize deadhead when assigning loads. Keep in mind that individual circumstances can significantly affect the outcome.
Generally yes, as long as the backhaul rate exceeds your variable cost per mile ($1.50-$2.00). Even a $1.75/mile backhaul is better than deadheading at -$1.85/mile cost. The breakeven is any rate above your marginal cost.
If drivers are paid per loaded mile, deadhead reduces their earnings. This hurts driver retention. Some carriers pay a reduced deadhead rate ($0.30-$0.50/mile) to partially compensate. Others include all miles in their per-mile rate.
Electric trucks have higher per-mile costs due to battery range and recharging time, making deadhead even more expensive. Autonomous trucks could reposition off-hours at lower cost (no driver). Both technologies increase the urgency of deadhead reduction.
More in this topic
Deadhead Cost Calculator
Calculate the total cost of deadhead (empty) miles including fuel, driver pay, maintenance, and insurance. Quantify empty repositioning expenses per route.
Driver Hours of Service (HOS) Calculator
Calculate driver available hours under FMCSA HOS rules. Track 11-hour drive limit, 14-hour window, 70-hour/8-day cycle, and required break compliance.