Is this load worth taking once deadhead, fuel and waiting time are included?

A load is generally worth considering when what you keep per mile, after deadhead, fuel and unpaid waiting time, still covers your costs and leaves the profit you want. The posted rate per mile is only a starting point. It usually counts loaded miles only, while you pay for every mile the truck turns. The numbers that matter are your net per total mile and per hour of your time.

This guide is general education, not tax, legal or financial advice.

Loaded miles vs total miles

Loaded miles are the miles you haul freight from pickup to delivery. Total miles are every mile you drive for that job. That includes the empty miles to the pickup, the loaded miles, and often the empty miles afterward to reach your next load or get home.

A rate quoted per loaded mile hides the empty driving. Fuel, tires, maintenance and wear accrue on all of it. Work out the full trip, not just the part shown on the rate confirmation.

Deadhead miles

Deadhead is driving without freight. There are two kinds to count:

• Inbound deadhead: from where you are now to the pickup.
• Outbound deadhead: from the delivery to where the next good load is, or to where you want to be.

Outbound deadhead is the one people forget. A high-paying load into a remote area can leave you driving a long way empty or taking a cheap load to get out. Before accepting, check how much freight is typically available near the delivery point.

A worked load example

These numbers are round and made up for illustration. Replace them with your own.

Sample load:

• Posted rate: $2.00 per loaded mile
• Loaded miles: 500
• Inbound deadhead: 50 miles
• Outbound deadhead: 100 miles
• Total miles: 650 (50 + 500 + 100)
• Truck fuel economy: 6 miles per gallon
• Fuel price: $4.00 per gallon
• Unpaid waiting time: 3 hours

Step 1, revenue: 500 × $2.00 = $1,000.

Step 2, fuel: 650 ÷ 6 = about 108 gallons. 108.3 × $4.00 = about $433.

Step 3, other per-mile costs: Suppose your tracked costs for maintenance, tires and similar items are $0.30 per mile. 650 × $0.30 = $195.

Step 4, net: $1,000 − $433 − $195 = about $372.

Step 5, per mile: $372 ÷ 650 total miles = about $0.57 per total mile. Against the posted $2.00, that is a big gap.

Step 6, per hour: Driving 650 miles at roughly 60 mph takes about 11 hours. Add 3 hours of waiting and the job takes about 14 hours. $372 ÷ 14 = about $27 per hour. This is before fixed costs such as insurance, truck payment and permits, which still have to come out of this number.

Waiting time did not change the fuel bill, but it cut your hourly return. Without the wait, $372 ÷ 11 is about $34 per hour. Also, 11 hours of driving plus 3 hours of waiting sits right at the edge of the hours-of-service limits (see below), so this schedule leaves no slack.

Net per mile vs the posted rate

The posted rate tells you what the broker will pay. Net per total mile tells you what you keep. To compare loads fairly, use the same steps each time:

1. Start with revenue.
2. Subtract fuel on all miles.
3. Subtract your other per-mile costs.
4. Divide by total miles, and again by total hours.

Know your own cost per mile, including fixed costs spread over your typical miles. Your records, not a rule of thumb, should supply this. If a fuel surcharge, detention pay or accessorial fee is in writing on the rate confirmation, include it. If it is only promised verbally, treat it as uncertain.

Fuel-tax and mileage reporting (for example under IFTA) and any deductions for these costs depend on your situation. Confirm details with the official IFTA or IRS sources or a qualified tax professional.

When to say no

You may want to pass on a load when:

• Net per total mile or per hour falls below your own minimum.
• The outbound deadhead is long and freight near the delivery is thin.
• The pickup or delivery has a reputation for long waits and there is no detention pay in writing.
• The timing would push you against federal hours-of-service limits (generally 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window, with other rules on top) or tempt you to cut corners. Check the current FMCSA rules for details.
• The numbers only work if everything goes perfectly.

You can also counter. Asking for a higher rate or written detention terms is ordinary practice.

Common mistakes

• Dividing revenue by loaded miles only and ignoring empty miles.
• Forgetting the deadhead after delivery.
• Using an old fuel price or an optimistic fuel economy figure.
• Ignoring unpaid waiting time when comparing loads.
• Counting verbal promises as part of the pay.
• Leaving fixed costs out of the minimum you set for yourself.
• Using someone else’s cost per mile instead of your own records.