Deadhead

Deadhead miles refer to the distance a truck travels with an empty trailer, producing no revenue for the carrier while still consuming fuel, wearing down equipment, and using the driver's available hours of service. In the trucking industry, deadhead miles are a primary driver of inefficiency and a significant factor in freight rate calculations.

When a carrier delivers a load and cannot find a return load from the delivery location, they must drive empty (deadhead) to an area where freight is available. The cost of this empty running gets built into the rates carriers charge on the outbound leg. Lanes with high deadhead rates, typically shipments going to areas with little outbound freight, carry premium rates because the carrier knows they will need to absorb the cost of empty return miles.

The average deadhead percentage in the US trucking industry is approximately 15 to 20 percent of total miles driven. For refrigerated carriers, deadhead rates can be higher because reefer freight is more concentrated in specific regions and seasons, creating geographic imbalances between where trucks deliver and where they need to pick up their next load.

Reducing deadhead is a priority for both carriers and brokers. ArrowLane's network optimization matches outbound shipments with complementary backhaul opportunities, reducing empty miles for carriers and lowering rates for shippers. By connecting carriers with return loads near their delivery points, everyone in the supply chain benefits from improved efficiency.