Deadhead / Deadhead Miles

Deadhead miles are the empty miles a truck drives between dropping off one load and picking up the next. Every mile a truck runs without freight on board costs the carrier in fuel, driver wages, wear, and time – with no revenue to offset it. Deadhead is a fundamental cost driver in trucking and one of the primary factors behind spot-market rate volatility. When a lane requires significant deadhead to reach the pickup, carriers price that repositioning cost into the rate or decline the load altogether.

The industry average deadhead percentage hovers around 15–20% of total miles driven, though it varies significantly by lane, region, and market balance. Outbound lanes from major consumption markets – like the Northeast – tend to carry higher deadhead because there's less freight originating there to fill trucks heading back. Conversely, lanes out of high-production areas like California's Central Valley or the Southeast offer carriers better reload opportunities and lower deadhead exposure, which translates to more competitive rates for shippers.

Deadhead directly affects what shippers pay for freight, especially on the spot market. When a carrier quotes a lane, they're pricing the round trip – or at minimum, the likelihood of finding a backhaul. Lanes with poor backhaul options command a premium because the carrier is effectively charging the shipper for miles they'll drive empty. Shippers who understand deadhead dynamics by lane can negotiate more effectively and time their spot-market purchases to avoid peak-deadhead periods.

From a sustainability perspective, deadhead miles represent pure waste – fuel burned and emissions generated with no productive output. Industry efforts around load matching, backhaul optimization, and continuous-move planning all aim to reduce deadhead, benefiting carriers, shippers, and the environment simultaneously.