High shipping rates are often driven by empty miles. It’s a hidden efficiency killer that turns logistics budgets into moving targets.
When a truck travels without freight, the cost of those empty miles is almost always passed down to the shipper through higher invoices.
Whether a driver is deadheading to a pickup or repositioning after a drop-off, these miles generate zero revenue but incur 100% of the operating costs.
While this might look like a carrier’s problem on paper, it is a primary reason why capacity vanishes and rates spike unexpectedly.
Why Does Deadhead Distance Matter in Flatbed Shipping?
Flatbed transportation is inherently complex.
Unlike standard dry vans, flatbed loads are often irregular and delivery points are less predictable.
Oversized cargo transport frequently requires specific routing that limits reload opportunities.
When a trailer delivers a heavy haul shipment to a remote job site, there is rarely a “backhaul” waiting next door.
The truck might drive 100 miles to the next freight lane.
Those non-revenue miles don’t just disappear. They are baked into your initial quote.
Understanding this relationship is the first step toward lowering your long-term freight spend.
What Is The Real Cost Behind the Rate?
Shippers often assume a rate reflects only the loaded distance. In reality, carriers calculate the “all-in” trip.
Fuel, driver wages, maintenance, and insurance still accumulate when the truck bed is empty.
If a carrier knows a lane typically results in high empty miles, they must charge a premium to stay profitable.
This is why two shipments of the same distance can have vastly different price tags.
Why Are Empty Miles Hard to Eliminate?
Some empty miles are unavoidable. Flatbed manufacturers ship to locations far from major freight hubs.
For instance, construction sites and energy projects are not always near backhaul freight. Weather, permits, and scheduling constraints add more friction.
Still, many empty miles are preventable with better planning and coordination.
Knowing how fleets can reduce empty miles helps shippers become part of the solution. Here are five strategies on how to eliminate shipping waste.
1. Smarter Lane Planning
Efficiency starts with the map.
Flatbed logistics works best when lanes are treated as round trips rather than one-way moves.
By sharing volume forecasts and being flexible with pickup windows, you allow carriers to pair your delivery with a nearby outbound load, reducing the need for costly deadhead transit.
2. Consistency Over Volume
Carriers favor predictability over sheer size.
When flatbed freight moves sporadically, it’s nearly impossible to plan reloads.
Consistent shipping patterns allow carriers to align their assets. Reliability reduces the risk of empty miles, which in turn stabilizes your pricing.
3. Precision in Load Information
Inaccurate load details are a frequent cause of failed pickups. If the weight or dimensions are wrong and the carrier has to reject the load, that truck leaves empty.
For oversized cargo transport, precision is mandatory.
Providing exact specs ensures the right equipment shows up, preventing wasted trips and unnecessary repositioning fees.
4. Leveraging Regional Expertise
Not every load requires a national fleet.
Regional flatbed providers often have a deeper understanding of local freight flows.
They know where the reloads are hiding. Using the right carrier for the right lane minimizes the distance between a drop-off and the next pickup.
5. Proactive Communication
Visibility is the ultimate waste-killer.
When you share site access issues or weather delays in real-time, carriers can adjust their routes before they commit to a deadhead leg.
The more informed the carrier, the fewer wasted miles occur across the network.
How Efficiency Becomes a Competitive Advantage
Lowering empty miles directly increases carrier utilization.
When trucks spend more time under a load, the fixed costs are spread across more revenue-generating miles. Shippers who help carriers stay loaded gain the following.
Stable Pricing
Less exposure to market volatility.
Priority Access
Carriers prioritize shippers who respect their time and equipment.
Reduced Risk
Fewer “bobtail” or empty trips reduce the overall carbon footprint and road exposure.
How Does Jansson Help Reduce Empty Miles?
At Jansson, we look beyond the single invoice.
We analyze your entire network to identify “dead zones” where empty miles are driving up costs.
By aligning your freight with the right carriers and optimizing your routing patterns, we turn logistics waste into a strategic advantage.
We balance this efficiency with a “Safety First” mindset.
Proper flatbed load securing and realistic transit times ensure that while we are cutting waste, we are never cutting corners on compliance.
Is There a Smarter Way to Eliminate Empty Miles?
Wasted miles may be invisible on a map, but they are loud and clear on your balance sheet.
By focusing on efficiency and reducing the distance trucks travel without cargo, U.S. businesses can stabilize their capacity and lower their rates.
Ready to stop paying for empty space?
Book a call with a Jansson expert today to audit your lanes and start shipping smarter.
