THE
Loop
Reducing deadhead miles, Minimizing Risk and Maximizing Efficiency
In the fast-paced world of logistics, efficiency is key. That’s where Double Check comes in
A meticulously designed network of strategic routes aimed at significantly reducing deadhead miles and maximizing productivity for carriers and shippers alike.
What is Deadhead in Trucking?
Deadhead Trucking
Deadhead trucking occurs when a truck driver transports an empty trailer after delivering cargo, resulting in wasted fuel, time, and resources. At any given time over 30% of trucks on the road are pulling a empty trailer. This inefficiency is caused by the lack of coordination across the industry, most carrier take a load by load approach to scheduling freight. While this is an unfortunate reality of the industry, deadhead miles can drive up costs for businesses and reduce overall operational efficiency. Below, we explore the drawbacks of deadhead trucking and how companies can minimize these inefficiencies.
Drawbacks of Deadhead Trucking:
Increased Operational Cost
Empty trailers still consume fuel, but they don't generate income during the return trip. This leads to higher fuel consumption, more maintenance costs, and no return on the investment for that portion of the trip.
Limited Efficiency
The more time a truck spends driving empty, the less time it spends hauling cargo. This lack of productivity negatively affects overall operational efficiency, reducing profitability.
Environmental Impact
More miles without cargo means higher carbon emissions and unnecessary wear on roads. This increases the environmental footprint of the transportation process, which could be mitigated with better planning.
Riskier Driving Conditions
An empty trailer behaves differently from a fully loaded one. It is less stable and can be harder to control in certain conditions, such as high winds or sudden stops. This increases the likelihood of accidents, putting both the driver and the cargo at risk.
Lost Revenue Opportunities
Each mile driven without cargo is a missed opportunity to generate income. Over time, these miles add up, contributing to a significant loss of potential earnings for trucking companies and independent operators.
Inefficient Use Of Resources
Wasting fuel, time, and driver hours, especially when coupled with the ongoing driver shortage, creates inefficiencies that could be easily avoided with better planning and coordination.
The Solution: Reducing Deadhead Miles
The Loop is a network of strategic routes designed to minimize deadhead miles
by optimizing the way pick-ups and deliveries are structured.
Here’s how it works:
Strategic Planning
Each route in our system consists of four dedicated pick-ups, with each pick-up strategically paired with a reload located just ten miles from its delivery point. This means that after completing a delivery, a reload is immediately available, ensuring a seamless transition to the next task. The process continues until the fourth and final delivery, creating a well-orchestrated loop that enhances operational efficiency.
Once the final delivery is made, carriers have the flexibility to either continue the loop or opt for another broker, providing them with the freedom to choose the best path forward. This strategic planning eliminates the uncertainty of where the next pick-up will originate, effectively removing the guessing game that often plagues the industry. This ensures that each route remains efficient and minimizes the distance between deliveries and pickup.
Predictable Reloads
For carriers, having pre-planned reloads eliminates the uncertainty of where their next load will come from. This reduces downtime as drivers no longer need to wait around for a reload or waste time traveling to distant pick-up locations.
Reduced Environmental Impact
By lowering the number of deadhead miles, we reduce fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. Less fuel is consumed, fewer empty trucks are on the road, and the environmental footprint of transportation is minimized.
Increased Productivity
For both carriers and shippers, the Loop approach ensures that business remains consistent. Carriers benefit from higher revenue opportunities, while shippers ensure a stable relationship with trusted carriers.
ELD Hours Of Service
Deadhead miles waste valuable ELD (Electronic Logging Device) hours, and optimizing routes ensures that these hours are better utilized, leading to increased profitability.
Minimizing Risk for Shippers and Carriers
For Shippers
The unpredictable nature of shipping freight involves risks like damaged goods, theft, and unexpected delays. By working with trusted carriers that consistently meet expectations, shippers can reduce the risk of these issues. For added security, staying in constant communication with carriers and tracking loads at all times ensures that everything is handled properly from pick-up to delivery.
For Carriers
Idle trucks cost money. For every hour a truck idles it consumes 1 GALLON of fuel, for 5 hours of idling the truck will consume 5 GALLONS of fuel. That means when trucks are empty and waiting for the next load, they incur operational expenses without generating any revenue. By having planned reloads, carriers can reduce idle time, optimize fuel consumption, and keep trucks running efficiently.
Deadhead trucking presents significant challenges in terms of operational cost, efficiency, and environmental impact. However, through strategic route planning like the THE loop network, these challenges can be minimized. For shippers and carriers alike, the goal should be to reduce deadhead miles, optimize fuel usage, and create consistent, efficient routes that lower overall risk while increasing profitability. By building partnerships with reliable carriers and focusing on strategic planning, businesses can significantly reduce deadhead trucking's negative effects, improving the bottom line for everyone involved.