Did you know that empty miles make up about 16.7% of all truck mileage? To tackle this costly issue, using a Transport Management System (TMS) with AI-driven route optimization and real-time freight matching is key. These smart tools help find backhaul loads, plan efficient routes, and connect with load boards, ensuring your trucks are always loaded. By implementing a modern TMS, you can transform those unprofitable deadhead trips into revenue-generating journeys.
The True Cost of Empty Miles in 2026
Empty miles, often known as deadhead miles, occur when trucks travel without cargo, typically on their return trip after a delivery. Recent data from the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) shows that empty miles average 16.7% across the industry. This inefficiency could lead to a staggering $50 billion in industry-wide losses by 2026.
Driving without cargo wastes fuel, accelerates vehicle wear and tear, and increases unnecessary carbon emissions. To realize significant logistics cost savings, companies must prioritize empty miles optimization. For example, implementing advanced route planning and collaborating with other carriers can significantly reduce empty miles.
How Logistics Software Reduces Deadhead Miles
Modern logistics software tackles the problem of empty miles through several effective strategies. By utilizing a robust TMS and a freight matching platform, fleets can achieve a reduction in empty miles by 20% to 30%.
Here’s how the software functions:
- Automated Backhaul Matching: This software connects your system with load boards to automatically find freight for return trips, ensuring drivers don’t come back empty.
- Route Optimization: The software analyzes traffic, delivery windows, and available loads to create efficient multi-stop routes, minimizing the distance driven without cargo.
- Real-Time Visibility: IoT tracking allows dispatchers to see exactly where trucks are. If a new load is nearby, the software can quickly reroute an empty truck to pick it up.
- Predictive Analytics: Advanced tools use historical data to forecast demand hotspots, helping you position your fleet strategically.
For example, XYZ Logistics implemented a TMS and reduced their empty miles by 25% in just one year. By integrating predictive analytics and real-time tracking, they optimized their routes and significantly improved efficiency.
Essential Software Features: Basic vs. Advanced TMS
When selecting software for TMS empty miles reduction, it’s crucial to recognize that capabilities vary. Here’s a detailed comparison of features you should consider:
| Feature | Basic TMS / Dispatch Software | Advanced TMS (e.g., proLogistik Group) |
|---|---|---|
| Route Planning | Manual or static routing | Dynamic route optimization using advanced algorithms |
| Load Matching | Manual search on single load boards | Automated integration with multiple load boards, enhancing efficiency |
| System Integration | Standalone tool | Seamlessly integrates with Warehouse Management Systems (WMS), ensuring smooth operations |
| Data Analytics | Basic historical reporting | Predictive analytics for forecasting backhaul availability, improving planning accuracy |
| Hardware Support | Web browser only | Compatible with industrial hardware and mobile devices, providing flexibility |
Why proLogistik is Your Partner for Supply Chain Optimization
At the proLogistik Group, we know that cutting down on empty miles involves more than just a standalone app. As a top European provider of logistics solutions with over 750 employees in 19 countries, we offer a comprehensive approach to optimizing your supply chain.
Our scalable, future-ready Transport Management Systems (TMS) and Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) integrate effortlessly. By pairing our software with dependable industrial hardware, we support businesses in wholesale, retail, manufacturing, and e-commerce to digitally transform their intralogistics. Our systems provide real-time data and AI-enhanced routing to maximize fleet usage and substantially reduce deadhead trips. For instance, companies using our solutions have reported a 30% decrease in unnecessary travel.
FAQ
According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), empty miles account for about 16.7% of all miles driven. This inefficiency is expected to cost the logistics industry approximately $50 billion by 2026, primarily due to wasted fuel, labor, and maintenance. Addressing this issue is crucial for improving profitability and sustainability.
What is the best software to reduce empty miles by 25%?
An advanced Transport Management System (TMS) is the most effective solution for reducing empty miles by 25%. It utilizes AI-driven route optimization and automated backhaul matching. For instance, systems from the proLogistik Group integrate seamlessly with your Warehouse Management System (WMS), providing the detailed data required to achieve these reduction goals.
How does TMS software match backhaul loads automatically?
A modern TMS connects with digital freight networks and load board software through APIs. When a truck is assigned a delivery, the system searches these networks for available freight near the delivery location that needs to return to the truck’s starting point. This process maximizes efficiency and reduces empty miles.
Reducing empty miles is about more than just finding return loads. It requires smart, integrated logistics software. By using a modern Transport Management System with route optimization and automated backhaul matching, you can lower deadhead mileage, reduce operational costs, and run a more sustainable fleet. Partnering with experienced technology providers like the proLogistik Group ensures you have the right tools to enhance your entire supply chain. Ready to optimize your logistics? Contact proLogistik today and transform your operations.
We will be happy to advise you on our products
We are here for you.Give us a call or send us a message. We look forward to welcoming you.
proLogistik Holding GmbH
Fallgatter 1
44369 Dortmund
Tel.: +49 (0) 231 5194-0
Tel.: +41 (0) 44 200 40-00
Tél.: +33 (0) 251 81 85 85