Deadhead Miles: How Empty Miles Change Your Rate Per Mile
Use a simple example to calculate revenue per loaded mile, revenue per total mile, and empty-mile percentage before comparing freight opportunities.
Deadhead miles are miles a truck travels empty, such as the drive from a delivery to the next pickup. When comparing loads, include the empty movement in the trip you are evaluating. Dividing revenue by loaded miles alone can make the same trip appear more attractive than it does when you include all the planned miles.
The calculations below use hypothetical numbers. They are not a market-rate forecast, a recommended quote, or an estimate of your truck’s operating costs.
Loaded miles and total miles measure different things
- Loaded miles: the distance traveled with the shipment.
- Empty miles: the distance traveled without freight within the trip or period being measured.
- Total miles: loaded miles plus empty miles for that same trip or period.
Choose your starting and ending points before comparing loads. For example, include the drive from your current location to pickup. If one option also requires a known empty move after delivery, include it consistently when comparing the full plan.
A worked example: $1,500 revenue and 600 total miles
Suppose a proposed trip has 100 empty miles to pickup, 500 loaded miles, and $1,500 of revenue. For this example, no other mileage or revenue is included.
- Total miles: 100 + 500 = 600 miles.
- Revenue per loaded mile: $1,500 ÷ 500 = $3.00.
- Revenue per total mile: $1,500 ÷ 600 = $2.50.
- Empty-mile percentage: 100 ÷ 600 × 100 = 16.7%, rounded.
Both revenue-per-mile figures are mathematically correct. They answer different questions. The $3.00 figure describes the loaded portion; $2.50 spreads the same revenue over all 600 miles in the example.
Formulas you can reuse
Revenue per total mile = trip revenue ÷ (loaded miles + empty miles).
Empty-mile percentage = empty miles ÷ total miles × 100.
Use a consistent revenue basis. If comparing revenue that includes a fuel surcharge with revenue that excludes it, identify that difference first. The denominator also needs to cover the same trip or accounting period as the numerator.
Revenue per mile is not profit per mile
The example does not subtract fuel, maintenance, driver compensation, insurance, equipment costs, or other expenses. It also does not account for unpaid waiting time. A revenue figure cannot establish profitability without the relevant costs.
ATRI’s operational-cost survey asks carriers to report costs against total cost-bearing mileage. For your own analysis, use your actual records and a consistent cost basis rather than treating an industry average as your truck’s exact expense.
Questions to ask before comparing two loads
- How far is the truck from each pickup?
- What loaded distance is being used, and does the route match the equipment?
- Is a further empty move already part of the plan?
- Are the revenue figures using the same treatment of fuel and additional charges?
- How much time does each option require, including appointments and waiting?
A higher loaded-mile rate does not automatically make a load the better choice. Review the full movement, time commitment, and your own costs together.
Is there a universal acceptable deadhead percentage?
No single percentage in this example determines whether a trip works for a particular carrier. Equipment, operating area, available freight, schedule, and costs differ. Use the calculation to compare consistent options, not as a promise of a profitable load.
Explore National Load Board’s carrier tools and review the details of freight visible to your account. Availability and a successful booking are separate from whether a load meets your business requirements.
Sources
Sources reviewed October 24, 2026. All dollar amounts and distances in the worked example are illustrative. Calculations describe revenue, not earnings or profit.