Deadhead is miles driven empty between loads — pure cost, no revenue. The deadhead percentage measures how efficiently you keep the trailer loaded.
The example
180 empty, 1,200 loaded.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Value |
| 2 | 180 / 1380 | — |
| 3 | Deadhead | → ~13% |
The formula
The formula:
How it works
How it works:
- Total miles = loaded + empty (deadhead) miles.
- Divide empty miles by total for the deadhead percentage.
- Deadhead is cost with no revenue — lower is better (industry ~10–20%).
- It dilutes the loaded rate: spread load pay over total miles for the true rate per mile.
Deadhead is the hidden tax on a good rate. A load at $2.50 per loaded mile with 15% deadhead really earns about $2.13 per total mile — the empty miles still burn fuel and hours. Minimizing deadhead (backhauls, smart lane selection) is often a bigger margin lever than squeezing rates, because every empty mile is 100% cost.
Try it: interactive demo
Empty and loaded miles.
Variations
Total miles
Loaded + empty:
True rate per mile
Over all miles:
Empty-mile cost
Deadhead cost:
Pitfalls & errors
Total in denominator. Deadhead % is empty ÷ total, not empty ÷ loaded.
Still costs. Empty miles burn fuel and HOS hours.
Zero miles. No miles gives #DIV/0!.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate deadhead percentage in Excel?
Why does deadhead matter?
How does it affect my rate?
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