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- Deadhead miles are the empty miles you drive without a paying load.
- Deadhead % = deadhead miles ÷ (loaded + deadhead miles).
- The all-in rate per mile spreads the load pay over every mile, loaded or empty.
- The tool shows profit, the break-even rate and how many empty miles a load can absorb.
How to use the deadhead miles calculator
Enter the miles
Add the loaded miles and the deadhead miles driven empty to the pickup.
Enter the rate
Type the rate per loaded mile, or divide the load payment by the loaded miles.
Add your costs
Enter the fuel price, miles per gallon and other costs per mile such as maintenance, insurance and truck payment.
Read the result
See the deadhead percentage, the all-in rate, the profit and the break-even rate.
How deadhead is calculated
Empty miles earn nothing but cost the same to drive as loaded miles. The calculator adds all miles together, applies your cost per mile to each one and compares the total with what the load pays.
Deadhead formulas
Deadhead % = deadhead miles ÷ (loaded miles + deadhead miles) × 100
All-in rate = load revenue ÷ total miles
Cost per mile = fuel price ÷ MPG + other costs per mile
Break-even rate = total miles × cost per mile ÷ loaded miles
Include driver pay, truck payment and insurance in other costs per mile if you want a full profit figure.
Deadhead miles examples
Example 1: 500 loaded and 80 empty miles
Rate $2.20 per loaded mile, diesel $3.90 a gallon at 6.5 MPG and $0.55 of other costs per mile.
- Deadhead percentage 13.8%
- Load revenue $1,100
- Cost per mile $1.15
- Total cost (580 miles) $667
- Profit $433
- All-in rate per mile $1.90
- Cost of the empty miles $92
- Break-even rate per loaded mile $1.33
The 80 empty miles cut the rate from $2.20 to $1.90 per mile.
Example 2: no deadhead
The same load with no empty miles.
- Deadhead percentage 0.0%
- Profit $525
- All-in rate per mile $2.20
Removing the 80 empty miles adds $92 of cost back to profit.
Example 3: a long empty leg
The same load with 300 deadhead miles.
- Deadhead percentage 37.5%
- Profit $180
- All-in rate per mile $1.38
- Break-even rate per loaded mile $1.84
More than a third of the miles are empty, and profit drops from $433 to $180.
Where a deadhead calculator helps
Judge a load
Check the profit after the empty miles to the pickup.
Negotiate the rate
Know the rate per loaded mile you need to break even.
Reduce empty miles
Compare a nearby load with a better-paying one far away.
Plan routes
Chain loads so the drop-off is close to the next pickup.
Many carriers aim to keep deadhead under roughly 10 to 15 percent, but the right number depends on lane, equipment and rate. The cost inputs here are examples, so replace them with your own. Related tools: Gig Driver Cost Per Mile Calculator and Freelancer Hourly Rate Calculator.
Deadhead miles calculator FAQ
What are deadhead miles?
Deadhead miles are miles a truck drives empty, for example from the last drop-off to the next pickup.
How do I calculate deadhead percentage?
Divide the deadhead miles by the total miles, loaded plus empty, then multiply by 100. For 80 empty miles out of 580, that is 13.8%.
Are deadhead miles paid?
Usually the rate covers only loaded miles, so the empty miles lower your real rate. Some brokers or carriers pay for long repositioning, so ask before you accept.
How do deadhead miles change my rate per mile?
They are added to the miles but not to the revenue. In Example 1, $1,100 over 500 loaded miles is $2.20 a mile, but over 580 total miles it is $1.90.
What is a break-even rate per loaded mile?
It is the lowest rate per loaded mile at which the load pays all your costs, empty miles included.
How can I reduce deadhead miles?
Look for loads that start near your last drop, plan return loads before you deliver and compare the all-in rate, not only the rate per loaded mile.