Deadhead Calculator — Cost of Empty Miles
Empty miles burn fuel and hours for $0. Price them at your CPM and see what the loaded leg must earn.
EMPTY LEG COSTS YOU
$—
Deadhead share—
Loaded rate needed (break-even)—
Extra per loaded mile vs CPM—
Worked example: 850 loaded + 150 empty at $2.22
Deadhead share 15%, empty leg costs $333. Break-even loaded rate $2.61/mi — $0.39 above CPM before any margin.
Empty miles, answered
What does deadhead cost per load?
Empty miles × your all-in CPM. At 150 empty miles and $2.22 CPM, $333 of cost the shipper never sees — the loaded rate must carry it.
How much extra per loaded mile does deadhead need?
All-miles cost ÷ (1 − deadhead %). At 15% deadhead, every loaded mile must earn ~18% more: $2.22 becomes $2.61 before margin.
What deadhead % should I target?
Under 10–12% on most van lanes. Above 15%, the reload — not the rate — is usually the problem.