Owner-operators
Deadhead cost calculator.
Empty miles cost the same as loaded ones. Enter the loaded and empty miles for a trip or a month and your cost per mile to see the deadhead percentage and the rate you need on each loaded mile.
480 loaded miles plus 95 empty miles is 16.5% deadhead. At $1.85 per mile the empty miles cost $175.75, and the load must pay at least $2.22 per loaded mile to break even.
Your numbers
Result
Method and limits
Formulas. Total miles = loaded + empty. Deadhead percentage = empty ÷ total miles. Deadhead cost = empty miles × cost per mile. Break-even rate per loaded mile = (total miles × cost per mile) ÷ loaded miles. If you enter the load's total pay, profit = pay − trip cost.
Definition. Deadhead means miles driven without freight. State IFTA instructions count these as non-revenue miles that still belong in your total mileage. Whether the empty leg to the pickup counts is up to you: enter the miles you actually drive.
Use your own all-in cost per mile from the cost per mile calculator. Nothing you type leaves your browser.
Sources
- West Virginia State Tax Dept., IFTA return instructions (retrieved 2026-10-15): total miles traveled include non-revenue (deadhead, bobtail) miles.
FAQ
What is deadhead in trucking?
Deadhead is driving a truck without a paid load, for example the empty miles to reach a pickup or the empty return after a delivery.
How do I calculate deadhead percentage?
Divide empty miles by total miles (loaded plus empty) and multiply by 100.
How do I price deadhead into a load?
Multiply total miles by your cost per mile and divide by loaded miles. The result is the minimum rate per loaded mile to break even.
Are deadhead miles included in IFTA?
State IFTA instructions say total miles traveled include non-revenue miles such as deadhead and bobtail. See the IFTA fuel tax calculator.