How to Reduce Empty Miles and Boost Your Bottom Line

Empty miles are the silent profit killer in trucking. Every mile your truck runs without a load is money out of your pocket—fuel costs, driver time, and equipment wear with zero revenue to show for it. Here's how to fight back.

Understanding the Problem

The average truck in the U.S. runs empty about 20-25% of the time. For a truck averaging 100,000 miles per year, that's 20,000-25,000 miles of pure cost. At $2 per mile in operating costs, you're looking at $40,000-$50,000 in wasted expense per truck annually.

Strategy 1: Plan Return Loads Before Dispatch

The best time to think about the return trip is before you accept the outbound load. Before committing to a lane, check what freight is available for the return. A load that pays slightly less on the outbound but has strong return options may be more profitable overall.

Strategy 2: Leverage Load Boards Strategically

Load boards are powerful tools, but only if you use them strategically. Set up alerts for your common return lanes. Check availability before confirming pickup times. Build relationships with brokers who consistently have freight in your lanes.

Strategy 3: Develop Direct Shipper Relationships

Brokers add value, but direct shipper relationships often provide better rates and more consistent freight. Focus on building relationships with shippers in markets where you frequently deliver.

Strategy 4: Consider Triangle Routes

Instead of thinking in terms of out-and-back, consider triangle routes. For example: pick up in Chicago, deliver to Dallas, pick up in Dallas, deliver to Atlanta, pick up in Atlanta, deliver back to Chicago. More complex to plan, but potentially more profitable.

Strategy 5: Use Technology

Modern dispatch software can analyze load availability and pricing across multiple sources simultaneously. AI-powered systems can even predict which loads will become available based on historical patterns.

The Math That Matters

Let's say you reduce empty miles from 25% to 15%. On a truck running 100,000 miles annually:

• Before: 25,000 empty miles = $50,000 in costs with no revenue
• After: 15,000 empty miles = $30,000 in costs with no revenue
• Savings: $20,000 per truck per year

For a 25-truck fleet, that's $500,000 in annual savings—without working any harder or driving any more miles.

Start Today

Reducing empty miles requires intentional effort and the right tools. But the payoff is substantial and immediate. Start by tracking your current empty miles percentage, then set a goal to reduce it by 5% over the next quarter.

Need help? CargIQ's dispatch tools include built-in analytics to track deadhead percentage and suggest more efficient routing.