Routes & Operations
Deadhead Miles
Deadhead miles are the distance a truck travels without a loaded trailer generating revenue, typically between dropping off one load and picking up the next. Minimizing deadhead is a core dispatch efficiency goal since drivers (especially those paid per mile) and carriers both earn nothing for empty miles while still incurring fuel and time costs.
Deadhead (or “empty”) miles occur whenever a truck repositions without freight — after delivering a load with no immediate backhaul lined up, or being dispatched some distance to pick up the next assignment. Dispatchers and planners work to minimize deadhead through better load planning and backhaul matching, since every empty mile costs fuel and driver hours without producing revenue. For drivers paid strictly per loaded mile, high deadhead on a route can mean their actual weekly earnings fall well short of what a quoted cents-per-mile rate implies, which is a common source of driver dissatisfaction when it isn't addressed upfront.
Why it matters for recruiting and operations
Deadhead expectations directly affect whether a driver's real paycheck matches what a recruiting pitch implied, so being upfront about a route's typical deadhead percentage (or paying all miles, loaded and empty) helps set accurate expectations and reduces early turnover from pay disappointment. It's a frequent point of friction when recruiters emphasize a per-mile rate without mentioning how much of a route is typically unpaid empty travel.
Related terms
Where this shows up in Fleegital
See Fleegital run on your fleet's data
20-minute live walkthrough. We'll map your current tools to Fleegital and show you exactly where the savings come from.
Trusted by fleets across North America