Enter the truck base
Add the vehicle starting location in Fleet Profile settings. This becomes the origin of the optional empty positioning route.
Deadhead and positioning cost
Empty Mileage Calculator
Calculate the empty positioning run from the truck base to the first loading point. Include deadhead kilometres in total distance, country-rate cost, fuel use, transit planning and the final freight price instead of treating them as free kilometres.
Starting base
Deadhead route
Country rates
Full trip cost
Positioning workflow
How to calculate empty mileage
LogicCalc creates a separate positioning leg between the configured truck base and the first route point. That leg is shown as empty deadhead and is included in route distance and distance-based cost.
Build the transport route
Add the first loading point and the remaining loading, unloading or intermediate stops.
Review complete trip economics
LogicCalc adds deadhead distance to the loaded route and includes its country-rate cost, fuel use and effect on the final price.
Complete distance model
Total planned distance = empty positioning distance + sum of all loaded and intermediate route legs
Deadhead inputs
What changes empty mileage cost?
The financial effect of deadhead depends on the distance from the base, the countries crossed, configured kilometre rates and how the positioning run affects fuel and transit time.
Truck starting base
The saved base location determines where the empty positioning route begins.
First loading point
The first active route point becomes the destination of the empty leg.
Positioning distance
LogicCalc calculates a real road leg instead of using straight-line distance.
Country rates
Each country segment of the empty route can use its own configured euro-per-kilometre rate.
Empty vehicle fuel use
Fuel reporting can distinguish the positioning run and apply the empty-vehicle consumption factor.
Commercial recovery
Deadhead cost becomes part of internal route economics before margin and client price are calculated.
Worked example
Example empty mileage calculation
Assume the truck is based 145 km from the first loading point. The loaded route after pickup is 690 km, giving a complete planned distance of 835 km.
In this simplified example, the empty and loaded legs use different average kilometre rates. A 10% fuel surcharge is then calculated from the combined distance-based route cost.
| Route component | Example result |
|---|---|
| Empty positioning distance | 145 km |
| Loaded route distance | 690 km |
| Total planned distance | 835 km |
| Empty positioning cost | €181.25 |
| Loaded route cost | €931.50 |
| Fuel surcharge (10%) | €111.28 |
| Base route cost plus fuel | €1,224.03 |
Illustrative example only. Actual results depend on the road route, country split, configured rates, fuel settings and vehicle profile.
Operational advantages
Why include deadhead in freight pricing?
Stop treating empty kilometres as free
Recover the cost of moving the truck to the first loading point.
See the complete vehicle movement
Keep the positioning leg visible beside every loaded route segment.
Improve margin decisions
Compare the client price with internal cost after deadhead has been included.
Measure fuel and time more honestly
Empty kilometres affect consumption, driver time, vehicle use and total trip duration.
Frequently asked questions
Empty mileage calculator FAQ
What is empty mileage in trucking?
Empty mileage, deadhead or positioning distance is the distance a truck travels without the transport cargo, for example from its base to the first loading point.
How does LogicCalc calculate deadhead?
When a truck starting base is entered, LogicCalc builds a separate road route from that base to the first route point and stores it as the positioning leg.
Is deadhead included in the total distance?
Yes. The positioning distance is added to the sum of the remaining route legs for route KPIs, transit planning and cost calculation.
Can different country rates apply to the empty leg?
Yes. The deadhead route has its own country breakdown, and the configured rate for each country can be used to calculate its cost.
Does empty mileage affect fuel surcharge?
Because the deadhead distance-based cost is included in the base route calculation, it also affects a percentage-based fuel surcharge.
Should the client always pay for every empty kilometre?
That is a commercial decision. LogicCalc shows the cost so the dispatcher can decide how much of it must be recovered in the quoted price.
Live product preview
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This is a real LogicCalc workspace view. Use your own route, cargo, fleet and commercial settings for the actual calculation.
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Choose the right calculator for the route.
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Price the complete truck movement
Set the truck base, add the first loading point and let LogicCalc include the empty positioning run in the full route calculation.
Empty mileage results are planning estimates based on routing data and configured rates. Verify route access, real vehicle position, operational timing and commercial agreement before dispatch.