Sometimes it seems like operating a truck costs more than it brings in — and this is especially true if you’re racking up a ton of deadhead miles. Not only are these miles bad for your bottom line, but they are also harmful to the environment. The good news is that there are ways to reduce deadhead miles to improve your bottom line and help save the environment. Here’s how you can tailor the right strategy with the best tools:
What Are Deadhead Miles?
Deadhead miles are miles that are driven without any actual cargo. Without cargo, truckers aren’t making money — so deadhead miles are not profitable. Instead, you’re actively losing money by driving these miles. Not only that, but driving deadhead is also more dangerous than driving with cargo.
Why Is It Called “Deadhead”?
The term “deadhead” can be traced to the early 19th century. It was used to describe people admitted into shows or events without actually paying for a ticket or otherwise contributing. By the end of the 19th century, the term shifted to refer to a vehicle that was traveling without cargo or passengers. Although the term was typically used in the late 19th century in reference to trains, it is now used in reference to trucks.
Does the Trucking Company Pay for Deadhead?
Some trucking companies will pay drivers for deadhead up to a certain amount. For instance, drivers may get paid for up to 100 miles of deadhead, but any distance longer than that would go unpaid. On the other hand, if you’re an independent trucking owner-operator, these costs will have to come out of your pocket because if you’re not hauling a load, you’re not getting paid.
Can Logistics Managers Write Off Mileage?
Many people falsely assume that you can write off deadhead mileage for tax purposes. However, these costs should already be incorporated into your expenses and profits. And since you’re only taxed on your profits, deadhead miles are effectively “written off” already. As a result, you should not write off these miles as you would basically be deducting them twice.
How to Calculate Deadhead Miles
Deadhead miles can be costly, but it’s difficult to calculate and quantify these costs. Here are some factors to keep in mind to give you a better idea of what deadhead miles are costing you:
• Diesel fuel: The most obvious cost associated with deadhead miles relates to the cost of fuel. Fuel isn’t cheap these days, and these costs can quickly add up. Right now, the national average for a gallon of diesel fuel is $3.51. On the other hand, the average semi-truck only gets 6.5 miles per gallon. So, if you were to drive 250 miles based on these average numbers, you would be wasting $135 on fuel alone.
• Time: But fuel costs aren’t the only thing you have to worry about with deadhead miles. You also have to pay the driver for their time — whether or not they’re actually hauling anything. Truck drivers earn on average $26 an hour. If they were driving 60 miles per hour over 250 miles, the trip would take just over four hours. As a result, you would have to pay the driver $108 for their time.
• Equipment wear and tear: Adding miles to a truck will also cost you in terms of equipment wear and tear. According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) the average cost per mile for repairs and maintenance in 2018 was around $0.17, which means that driving 250 miles will cost you $42.50 in wear and tear.
• Safety risks: Finally, driving deadhead comes with more safety risks compared to driving full loads. It’s hard to assign a specific number to this category, but we will discuss deadhead safety issues more in-depth later on.
How to Limit Trucking Deadhead
Clearly, deadhead miles are quite costly, so you should work to limit them however you can. The best way to limit trucking deadhead is to utilize technology. For instance, there are load boards that you can use to locate loads so that you no longer have to waste time and money driving without any cargo. If you don’t want to locate the right loads on your own, there are smart tools out there that use algorithms to match you with the best loads based on your route to eliminate deadhead miles effectively.
If you’re looking for a great tool to help you limit deadhead miles, then you need to check out RPM Drive app. This tool helps with quick-load matching that offers fair pricing on all loads and one-to-one support. It also offers digital capture of all documents and real-time capture for damage claims. With RPM managing thousands of shipments a day, we have the quantity and the tools necessary to help you avoid costly deadhead miles.
Dangers of Driving with an Empty Trailer
Deadhead driving doesn’t just waste time and money — but it’s also dangerous for drivers and the environment.
1. Truckers Aren’t Trained for Deadhead
Truckers are required to complete training courses to obtain a commercial driver’s license or CDL. However, these training courses are based on the assumption that the driver will actually be transporting goods. Even with a full load and adequate training, trucking in adverse weather can be dangerous.
Driving with an empty trailer or without a trailer altogether completely changes the equation when driving in adverse weather, making it even more dangerous for even the most experienced drivers. To safely drive deadhead in severe weather, drivers should know the truck’s sail area, secure all doors and loose items, lower speeds, observe road signs, and pull over if needed.
2. Roadway Challenges
The roadway presents a whole host of challenges to deadhead drivers. High wind speeds can pose a substantial risk as empty trailers are more likely to sway or even flip over. As a result, many deadhead drivers choose to avoid bridges where they might encounter high wind speeds. That being said, these issues cannot always be avoided.
Black ice on the road also presents a substantial risk to deadhead drivers. Drivers will have less control over their lighter-than-usual vehicles if they start to slide on black ice. Drivers should avoid sudden braking or steering if they encounter black ice while on the road.
3. Truck Vulnerability
Deadhead trucks themselves are more vulnerable to weather conditions like high winds. This is because trucks have wide sail areas that can be affected by high wind speeds. Even though a truck may look sturdier than an SUV or sedan, a deadhead truck is a different story. In fact, the same winds that may slightly shake a normal-sized passenger car can easily flip an empty truck.
4. Environmental Consequences
Finally, deadhead driving isn’t safe for the environment either. Empty loads produce unnecessary carbon dioxide emissions contributing to environmental issues, including global warming, severe weather, and pollution. While more than 205 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions are produced by heavy-duty full truckload freight, 72 million metric tons are produced by deadhead miles. Reducing deadhead miles and emissions, as a result, will benefit the environment
Conclusion
As you can see, reducing deadhead miles is good for your bottom line and the environment — truly a win-win scenario. If you’re looking for the best solution for wasteful deadhead miles, then you need to check out RPM and their revolutionary driver application.
Sources:
The Owner-Operator's Quick Guide to Taxes | Truckstop.com
An Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking: 2020 Update | ATRI
How Trucking Will Eventually Kill Wasteful Deadhead Miles | Trucks.com
