You just got offered a load: $2,800 for 1,000 miles.
$2.80/mile! Great rate, right?
Wait. How far away is the pickup?
300 miles.
Now you're driving 1,300 total miles but only getting paid for 1,000.
Your real rate: $2,800 ÷ 1,300 miles = $2.15/mile
That "great" $2.80/mile load just became a mediocre $2.15/mile load.
Welcome to deadhead miles - the silent profit killer.
Industry data shows new owner operators average 15-25% deadhead. Experienced operators get it under 10%.
That difference equals $15,000-25,000 per year.
Let me show you exactly how to minimize deadhead and maximize your actual earnings.
What are deadhead miles?
Deadhead miles are miles you drive without a paying load. There are three types: pre-pickup deadhead (driving from where you are to the pickup location—e.g., driving 210 miles from Memphis to Nashville), post-delivery deadhead (driving from delivery to your next pickup location—e.g., delivering in Jacksonville and driving 250 miles to Atlanta because no freight is available), and bobtail deadhead (driving without your trailer—e.g., dropping a trailer at the shipper, driving to a truck stop for the night, and driving back).
Why deadhead kills your profit
Every deadhead mile costs you the same as a loaded mile:
Costs per mile (deadhead or loaded):
- Fuel: $0.65-0.85/mile
- Maintenance: $0.15-0.25/mile
- Tires: $0.04-0.06/mile
- Depreciation: $0.10-0.15/mile
- Insurance: $0.05/mile
- Total: $1.00-1.35/mile
Loaded mile: $2.50 revenue - $1.20 cost = $1.30 profit
Deadhead mile: $0 revenue - $1.20 cost = -$1.20 loss
Example: The Hidden Cost
Load 1 (ignoring deadhead):
- Posted rate: $2,800 for 1,000 miles
- Looks like: $2.80/mile
- Gross profit: $2,800 - ($1.20 × 1,000) = $1,600
Load 1 (including deadhead):
- Posted rate: $2,800 for 1,000 miles
- Deadhead to pickup: 300 miles
- Total miles: 1,300
- Real rate: $2.15/mile
- Gross profit: $2,800 - ($1.20 × 1,300) = $1,240
Deadhead cost you $360 on one load.
Do this on every load and you lose $18,720/year (52 loads × $360).
How to calculate your real rate per mile
The formula is simple: Total revenue ÷ Total miles = All-in rate per mile. Total miles = Loaded miles + Deadhead miles.
Consider two scenarios. Low deadhead: $3,500 revenue, 1,400 loaded miles, 50 deadhead to pickup, 1,450 total miles = $2.41/mile all-in. High deadhead: same $3,500 revenue, same 1,400 loaded miles, but 400 deadhead to pickup, 1,800 total miles = $1.94/mile all-in. Same load, 400-mile difference in deadhead equals $0.47/mile difference in profitability.
What's "acceptable" deadhead?
Excellent means under 5% deadhead (e.g., 1,000 loaded miles with 50 deadhead miles—you're a pro). Good is 5-10% deadhead (1,000 loaded miles with 50-100 deadhead)—this is your target. Acceptable is 10-15% deadhead (1,000 loaded miles with 100-150 deadhead)—not terrible but room for improvement. Problem levels are 15-20% deadhead (1,000 loaded miles with 150-200 deadhead)—you're losing significant money. Major problem is 20%+ deadhead (1,000 loaded miles with 200+ deadhead)—this is killing your profitability.
The deadhead rule: when to walk away
Use this rule to decide if a load is worth taking:
Calculate the all-in rate. Then:
If all-in rate is above $2.30/mile: Usually worth it If all-in rate is $2.00-2.30/mile: Only if it positions you well for next load If all-in rate is under $2.00/mile: Walk away
Exception: If you're deadheading HOME (personal decision), factor that separately.
Plan ahead (book backhaul first)
The amateur move is to deliver a load, then search for the next one. The pro move is to book your next load before you deliver the current one.
2 days before delivery:
- Search load boards from your delivery city
- Call brokers about loads picking up in 1-2 days
- Have 2-3 backup options lined up
Benefits:
- Zero deadhead after delivery (pick up same city)
- Less stress
- Better negotiating power (you're not desperate)
Example:
Amateur:
- Deliver in Tampa Tuesday 8am
- Tuesday 10am: Start searching for load
- Realize Tampa has terrible outbound freight
- Deadhead 300 miles to Atlanta
- Find load Wednesday
- Lost 1 day + 300 deadhead miles
Pro:
- Monday: Search for loads out of Tampa picking up Tuesday/Wednesday
- Find load picking up Wednesday in Tampa
- Tuesday 8am: Deliver
- Tuesday 10am: Head to Wednesday pickup (across town, 15 miles)
- Wednesday 7am: Pick up and moving
- Deadhead: 15 miles
Difference: 285 deadhead miles saved = $340 saved
Learn your "home base" radius
Define your preferred operating area:
Most profitable for most O/Os: 500-mile radius from home base
Why:
- Get home weekly/biweekly
- Know the lanes well
- Build broker relationships in those markets
- Know which cities have good freight
Example: Chicago home base
Within 500 miles:
- Milwaukee, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Kansas City
- Indianapolis, Louisville, Cincinnati, Detroit
- Nashville, Memphis
Strong freight all directions = Easy to find loads = Low deadhead
Know your "death zones"
Death zones: Areas with terrible outbound freight
Common death zones:
- Florida (except Miami port)
- Small towns in Mountain West
- Far upstate New York
- Northern Maine
- Western Texas (El Paso area)
Strategy with death zones:
Option A: Avoid them entirely
- Don't go there unless paid premium
Option B: Only go if premium rate
- Florida inbound: Need $3.00+/mile to justify bad backhaul
- Calculate: Will the extra $0.50/mile inbound cover deadhead out?
Option C: Have guaranteed backhaul
- Before accepting Florida load, secure return load
- Never go to death zone without exit plan
Use "deadhead pay" negotiation
When load has high deadhead, negotiate it into the rate.
Script:
You: "Load pays $2,400 for 800 miles, but I'm 250 miles away. That's 31% deadhead. Can you bump the rate to $2,700 to cover my deadhead?"
Broker: "Best I can do is $2,550."
You: "That works. Booking it."
Result:
- Without negotiation: $2,400 ÷ 1,050 miles = $2.29/mile
- With negotiation: $2,550 ÷ 1,050 miles = $2.43/mile
- Extra $150 = $0.14/mile more
When brokers will negotiate deadhead pay:
- Load needs to move urgently
- You're one of few available trucks
- Pickup location is remote
- They're desperate
When they won't:
- 10 other trucks closer than you
- Common pickup location
- Not urgent
Multi-load planning (circuits)
Stop thinking single loads. Start thinking circuits.
Example Circuit: Texas Triangle
Week 1:
- Monday: Houston to Dallas (240 miles) - No deadhead
- Tuesday: Dallas to San Antonio (275 miles) - No deadhead
- Wednesday: San Antonio to Houston (200 miles) - No deadhead
- Thursday: Houston to Dallas (240 miles) - No deadhead
Total miles: 955 Deadhead: 0 miles (0%)
Why this works:
- Staying in freight-rich region
- Short runs = quick turnarounds
- Always freight available
Compare to:
Amateur:
- Monday: Houston to Tampa (1,100 miles, 50 deadhead)
- Deliver Tuesday
- No freight out of Tampa
- Wednesday: Deadhead 350 miles to Atlanta
- Thursday: Atlanta to Columbus (500 miles)
Total miles: 2,000 Deadhead: 400 miles (20%)
Circuit strategy reduces deadhead from 20% to 0%.
Partial deadhead loads
Sometimes taking a lower-rate load with less deadhead makes more money.
Example:
Load A:
- Rate: $3.50/mile
- Miles: 1,200
- Deadhead: 400 miles
- All-in: $3.50 × 1,200 = $4,200 ÷ 1,600 = $2.63/mile
Load B:
- Rate: $2.80/mile
- Miles: 1,400
- Deadhead: 75 miles
- All-in: $2.80 × 1,400 = $3,920 ÷ 1,475 = $2.66/mile
Load B pays $280 LESS but you make $0.03/mile MORE after deadhead.
Plus: Load B gets you done faster (less deadhead time) so you can book next load sooner.
Drop and hook vs live load
Drop and hook = Less deadhead opportunity
Why:
- Pick up pre-loaded trailer at shipper
- Drop it at receiver
- Immediately grab another trailer
- No waiting for loading/unloading
- Can chain multiple drop and hooks with almost zero deadhead
Live load = More deadhead typically
- Wait 2-4 hours for loading
- Wait 2-4 hours for unloading
- More downtime = more likely to have gap between loads
Preference for low deadhead: Drop and hook > Live load
Tools to reduce deadhead
Load board backhaul search: When booking a load on DAT/Truckstop, immediately search from your destination. Save loads near your delivery city and call those brokers proactively. Text them: "I'm delivering Tuesday in Atlanta, what do you have?"
Broker relationships: Call your top 10 brokers and ask them directly. "I'm delivering in Miami Wednesday. What do you have out of Florida that day?" They'll check their loads and give you first dibs.
Routing software: Apps like Trucker Path and SmartHop handle route optimization, fuel stop planning, and show you freight density on your route.
Trailer tracking: Know where empty trailers are located. If you're dropping a trailer at one location, know where your next one is and plan to pick up your next load near that trailer drop.
The hidden cost: time deadhead
Deadhead isn't just about miles - it's about TIME.
Scenario:
- Load pays $3,000 for 1,000 miles
- 300 miles deadhead to pickup
- Total time: 18 hours (1,300 miles at 72 mph average with breaks)
Your effective hourly rate: $3,000 ÷ 18 hours = $166/hour
If you had zero deadhead: $3,000 ÷ 14 hours = $214/hour
Deadhead costs you $48/hour in earning potential.
Deadhead tracking spreadsheet
Track this weekly:
Week of: [Date]
Load 1:
- Revenue: $______
- Loaded miles: ______
- Deadhead miles: ______
- All-in rate: $______
Load 2:
[repeat]
Weekly totals:
- Total revenue: $______
- Total loaded miles: ______
- Total deadhead miles: ______
- Deadhead %: ______ (deadhead ÷ total miles)
- Average all-in rate: $______
Goal: Reduce deadhead % by 1-2% every month until under 10%.
How FF Dispatch minimizes your deadhead
Finding backhauls takes time and expertise. New owner operators often take the first available load without optimizing. What if someone planned your loads strategically?
We plan multi-load circuits. Not just single loads—we think 2-3 loads ahead to minimize total deadhead.
We know the freight markets. We know which cities have good outbound freight, which to avoid, and seasonal patterns.
We negotiate deadhead pay. When a load has high deadhead, we push for a higher rate. Brokers take us more seriously and give better results.
We line up backhauls before delivery. You're never searching after delivery. Zero post-delivery deadhead. More miles, less stress.
Real client results:
"My first 3 months solo: Averaged 18% deadhead. Killed my profits.
With FF Dispatch: Average under 8% deadhead. They plan my routes strategically. Same miles driven but $1,200/month more profit just from reducing deadhead."
The bottom line
Deadhead miles are profit killers:
- Cost you $1.00-1.35/mile in expenses
- Reduce your effective rate per mile
- Waste time you could be earning
Target: Under 10% deadhead
Strategies: Plan ahead by booking backhauls before delivery. Know your home base radius. Avoid death zones. Negotiate deadhead pay. Think in circuits, not single loads. Track your deadhead percentage.
The difference between 20% deadhead and 8% deadhead:
- 150,000 miles per year
- At 20%: 30,000 deadhead miles
- At 8%: 12,000 deadhead miles
- Savings: 18,000 miles × $1.20 = $21,600/year
Reduce deadhead. Increase profit. It's that simple.
Related Posts:
- Understanding Freight Factoring: Is It Worth 3-5%?
- Surviving Slow Freight Season: A Complete Guide
- Most Profitable Trucking Lanes in 2026
- How to Negotiate Broker Rates Like a Pro
- The Real Cost of Running an Owner Operator Business
Resources:
- Download: Deadhead Tracking Spreadsheet
- Tool: All-In Rate Calculator
- Guide: Backhaul Finding Strategies
Sources:
- Owner operator cost per mile calculations (fuel, maintenance, depreciation)
- Deadhead percentage benchmarks from TruckersReport.com forums
- Lane analysis and backhaul patterns from load board data
- Industry efficiency studies on deadhead reduction strategies
- Owner operator profitability analysis (2025-2026)