Load boards usually show a rate and the loaded miles. That gives you rate per loaded mile (RPM). It leaves out the empty miles you drive to get to the pickup, and sometimes the miles you must drive empty afterward. Those empty miles are called deadhead, and they change what the load really pays.
Two numbers: loaded RPM and real gross RPM
- Loaded-mile RPM = offered rate / loaded miles
- Real gross RPM = offered rate / (loaded miles + pickup deadhead + any delivery or return miles you must drive empty)
Example (illustrative numbers, not a quote): a dry van load pays $2,100 for 780 loaded miles, and the pickup is 60 miles away.
| Calculation | Result | |
|---|---|---|
| Loaded-mile RPM | $2,100 / 780 | $2.69 |
| Real gross RPM | $2,100 / (780 + 60) | $2.50 |
Comparing two loads
The load with the higher posted RPM is not always the better one. Illustrative example:
| Rate | Loaded miles | Deadhead | Loaded RPM | Real gross RPM | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Load A | $2,400 | 800 | 150 | $3.00 | $2.53 |
| Load B | $2,000 | 700 | 20 | $2.86 | $2.78 |
Load A looks better per loaded mile, but once you count the 150 empty miles, Load B pays more per mile actually driven. Real RPM is not the only number that matters, though. Load A puts $400 more in total on the rate confirmation, and you also have to consider how long each load takes, where it leaves you, and what freight is available at the delivery.
What real RPM still leaves out
Real gross RPM is a planning number. It does not subtract fuel, tolls, maintenance, driver pay, insurance, factoring fees, or dispatch fees. Use it to compare loads on equal footing, then check the result against your own cost per mile.
Ways to reduce deadhead
- Search for the next load before you deliver, not after
- Prefer lanes where the delivery area has plenty of outbound freight
- Ask what the pickup distance is before you agree to a rate
- Set a minimum real gross RPM for each equipment type and stick to it
- Count return miles on power only and other loads that require repositioning a trailer
Our free RPM calculator (linked below) runs this math for any load: enter the offered rate, the loaded miles, pickup deadhead, delivery or reposition miles, required return miles, and your minimum real gross RPM.