Here's a number most people outside trucking don't know 👇

Up to 20% of miles driven by truck drivers every year are deadhead miles.

That means empty trailer. No freight. No pay.

For a driver covering 100,000 miles a year — that's 20,000 empty miles.

Here's what that costs:

💸 Fuel: 20,000 miles ÷ 6 MPG × $4/gallon = $13,300+ per year

Just in fuel. For miles that earned nothing.

And that's not the full picture 👇

❌ Deadhead miles count against your Hours of Service — same as loaded miles

❌ Engine hours still tick up — same wear on the truck

❌ Your time is gone — you can't get those hours back

A real example:

You deliver in Memphis. Next load picks up in Dallas — 450 miles away.

That's $300 in fuel, 7+ hours, and $0 earned.

Before you even touch the next load.

This happens multiple times a month for most drivers.

That's why experienced drivers don't treat deadhead as bad luck.

They treat it as a business cost to be managed.

What smart drivers do 👇

✅ Check load boards before delivery — not after you've already dropped the trailer

✅ Build relationships with brokers who cover your lanes in both directions

✅ Know which regions are "freight deserts" on the return leg and plan around them

✅ Factor deadhead miles into your rate negotiations — it's part of the real cost

The drivers making the most money per mile aren't just fast.

They're strategic about when and where the trailer is empty. 🚛