{
  "slug": "empty-mile-fuel-cost",
  "title": "Empty Mile Fuel Cost Calculator",
  "heading": "Empty Mile Fuel Cost Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/empty-mile-fuel-cost",
  "summary": "Dollar cost of running deadhead miles at current diesel prices.",
  "description": "Beyond the lost opportunity cost, deadhead miles have a direct, easy-to-quantify fuel bill attached to them. This calculator isolates just the fuel cost of your empty miles — separate from the broader deadhead-impact revenue analysis — using your truck's loaded and empty MPG (trucks typically get better mileage empty) and current diesel price. It's a fast gut-check for whether it's worth taking a slightly lower-paying backhaul 40 miles out of the way versus running 90 empty miles home, when the fuel cost alone of those empty miles can exceed the rate difference between two backhaul options.",
  "formula": "Fuel cost = deadhead miles ÷ empty MPG × price per gallon.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=empty-mile-fuel-cost",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "deadheadMiles",
      "label": "Deadhead miles",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 120,
      "unit": "mi",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "emptyMpg",
      "label": "Empty (unloaded) MPG",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 7.2,
      "unit": "mpg",
      "min": 1,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "dieselPrice",
      "label": "Diesel price",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 3.95,
      "unit": "$/gal",
      "min": 0,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "cost",
      "label": "Fuel cost of deadhead run",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "gallons",
      "label": "Gallons burned",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "costPerMile",
      "label": "Fuel cost per deadhead mile",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Deadhead miles: 120 mi",
      "Empty (unloaded) MPG: 7.2 mpg",
      "Diesel price: 3.95 $/gal"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Fuel cost of deadhead run: $65.83",
      "Gallons burned: 16.7",
      "Fuel cost per deadhead mile: $0.549"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter deadhead miles (mi).",
      "Enter empty (unloaded) mpg (mpg).",
      "Enter diesel price ($/gal).",
      "Read your fuel cost of deadhead run on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "deadheadMiles": 70,
        "emptyMpg": 4.32,
        "dieselPrice": 2.37
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "deadheadMiles": 120,
        "emptyMpg": 7.2,
        "dieselPrice": 3.95
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "deadheadMiles": 190,
        "emptyMpg": 11.520000000000001,
        "dieselPrice": 6.32
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "Why is empty MPG usually higher than loaded MPG?",
      "a": "Less weight means less rolling resistance and less engine load to maintain speed, so most Class 8 trucks see 0.5-1.5 MPG better fuel economy empty versus loaded, depending on trailer type and terrain."
    },
    {
      "q": "How do I use this to compare backhaul options?",
      "a": "Calculate the fuel cost for each option's deadhead-to-pickup distance, subtract it from that load's revenue, and compare net figures side by side — sometimes the 'better rate' backhaul actually nets less once you account for the longer empty run to reach it."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does this replace the full cost-per-mile calculation?",
      "a": "No, this only isolates fuel — it ignores wear, tires, and time value of the empty miles. Use the deadhead-percentage-impact calculator for the fuller revenue and cost picture; use this one for a quick fuel-only gut check."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/deadhead-percentage-impact",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/fuel-surcharge-recovery",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/load-board-rate-vs-breakeven"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Empty Mile Fuel Cost Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/empty-mile-fuel-cost)"
}