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Deadhead Miles Calculator for Owner Operators

See what your empty miles cost and the revenue they miss. Many fleets treat under 15% empty as good.

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Miles

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Costs & Revenue

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Enter your miles and costs, then click Calculate

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This tool is free. If it shows you are leaving money on the road, Grow Trucking finds loads, negotiates rates and does the paperwork for owner-operators and small fleets.

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How do I calculate deadhead miles and their cost?

Deadhead miles are the empty miles between your last delivery and your next pickup. Deadhead percentage is empty miles divided by total miles, times 100. The cost of those miles is real. Fuel and driver pay go out on every empty mile. Fixed bills like the truck payment are owed either way, so the tool shows them spread over the empty miles but keeps them apart from the cash cost.

  1. Deadhead miles = total miles - loaded miles.
  2. Deadhead percent = deadhead miles / total miles x 100. Example: 1,000 empty miles out of 5,000 total is 20 percent.
  3. Cash cost of deadhead = (deadhead miles / empty-truck mpg x fuel price) + (deadhead miles x driver pay per mile).
  4. Fixed costs spread over deadhead = deadhead miles x fixed cost per mile. You owe these whether or not you drive the empty miles.
A rough guide to what a deadhead percentage means
Deadhead %General read
Under 15%Good for most freight; efficient lane balance
15% to 20%Worth watching; look for backhauls or better lane pairs
20% or moreHigh; empty miles are eating into the trip's real profit

There is no federal or industry-standard cutoff for these bands. They follow a rule of thumb: a FreightWaves benchmark calls under 15 percent good and over 20 percent a serious cost problem. ATRI surveys, as reported by FreightWaves and Penske, have put empty miles at roughly 16 to 21 percent of all miles. Empty miles driven for business are generally treated as deductible business miles. Confirm the details with your accountant.

Last reviewed October 2026. Sources: FreightWaves: what you need to know about empty miles in trucking; Penske Truck Leasing: deadhead miles and efficiency.

Frequently Asked Questions - Deadhead Miles Calculator

What are deadhead miles?
Deadhead miles are miles driven without a paying load, typically from your last delivery to your next pickup. They cost fuel, time and wear on the truck just like loaded miles, but earn no revenue.
What percentage of deadhead is normal in trucking?
It depends on equipment, lane and how well you plan backhauls, and there is no official standard. ATRI surveys, as reported by FreightWaves and Penske, have put empty miles at roughly 16 to 21 percent of all miles. A FreightWaves benchmark calls under 15 percent good, under 10 percent excellent and over 20 percent a serious cost problem. One-way and seasonal lanes can run much higher. Track your own percentage over time and work to bring it down.
How can I reduce deadhead miles?
Plan your backhaul before you deliver the current load, use load boards to find freight near your delivery point, build relationships with shippers in lanes you run often, and avoid committing to a one-way lane without checking the return freight first.
Should I charge for deadhead miles?
Where you can, negotiate deadhead pay into the rate, especially for a long drive to pickup. Some shippers and brokers will pay for disclosed deadhead if you raise it during rate negotiation rather than after the fact.
How do I calculate my deadhead percentage?
Deadhead percentage is empty miles divided by total miles, times 100. For example, 1,000 empty miles out of 5,000 total miles is 20 percent. Deadhead miles themselves are simply total miles minus loaded miles.
Are deadhead miles tax deductible?
Generally yes. Empty miles driven in the course of your trucking business are still business miles, so the fuel and operating costs of driving them are part of your deductible business expenses. Exactly how you claim them depends on the deduction method you use, so confirm the details with your tax preparer.
Do fixed costs count as the cost of deadhead?
Not as extra cash. You owe your truck payment and insurance whether the miles are empty or loaded. The calculator spreads them over the empty miles so you can see their share, but it keeps them apart from the cash cost, which is fuel and driver pay. The cash cost is what you save when you cut an empty mile.

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Go Further With Deadhead Miles Calculator

Guides, services and reference pages that go with this tool.

Terms explained in the Deadhead Miles Calculator