Should You Take That Load?
Five numbers most rate checks skip: what it pays, how far you drive loaded and empty, what it costs you to run, and what factoring takes off the top. A big gross on an ugly deadhead can still lose money — this tells you before you dispatch.
How this is calculated
total miles = loaded + deadhead
profit = gross − (total miles × your cost per mile) − factoring fee
rate per loaded mile = gross ÷ loaded miles
FAQ
What's a good rate per mile right now?
There's no single honest number here — spot and contract rates differ by lane, equipment type, and season. The DAT Trendlines publish public national and regional trends if you want a market reference point. But the number that actually decides whether to take a load is your own cost per mile above, not someone else's average.
How much does deadhead really cost?
Take the same $2,200 load at 850 loaded miles. Add 120 deadhead miles to reposition for pickup and you're running 970 total miles for that same $2,200 — the rate confirmation never changes, but your mileage does. At $1.33/mile, those 120 empty miles cost you about $160 in profit before you've hauled a single loaded mile.
How do factoring fees affect profit?
3% of gross sounds small, but it's 3% of the top line, not 3% of your profit — it comes straight off before costs are even counted. On a load that's already thin after deadhead and operating costs, that fee can turn a small profit into a loss. See the factoring cost calculator to compare what different fee structures cost you over a month.
Per loaded mile vs per total mile — which matters?
Both, for different jobs. Quote and negotiate in rate per loaded mile — it's the language brokers use. But judge whether to take the load on profit per total mile, because that number includes the deadhead miles you drove for free. Totals are what pay the bills.