Backhaul

Backhaul refers to the return leg of a freight trip, where a truck, container, or vessel carries cargo back toward its point of origin after completing its primary delivery. Because carriers need to reposition their equipment regardless of whether they have freight to carry, backhaul loads represent an opportunity for shippers to secure lower rates and for carriers to offset the cost of what would otherwise be an empty return trip.

The Economics of Empty Miles

The American Trucking Associations estimates that empty miles account for roughly 15% to 20% of all truck miles driven in the United States each year. Every empty mile costs the carrier in fuel, driver wages, insurance, and equipment wear without generating revenue. A dry van running from Chicago to Los Angeles at $2.50 per mile generates approximately $5,250 on the outbound leg. If that truck returns empty, the carrier absorbs roughly $1.50 to $1.80 per mile in operating costs for the deadhead run back, totaling $3,150 to $3,780 in pure loss.

This is why backhaul rates are almost always cheaper than headhaul (outbound) rates on the same lane. A carrier who would normally charge $2.50/mile outbound might accept $1.40 to $1.80/mile for a backhaul load, because any revenue above operating cost on the return trip is better than running empty.

Trade Lane Imbalances

Backhaul economics are shaped by directional freight imbalances. Some lanes consistently generate more freight in one direction than the other. Well-known examples include:

Port markets to inland cities: Long Beach, Savannah, Charleston, and Houston see heavy outbound volume as imported containers get distributed inland. Trucks heading back to these port cities often have lighter loads, creating backhaul opportunities for shippers near inland destinations who need freight moved toward the coast.

Agricultural corridors: The Central Valley of California ships massive produce volumes eastbound during harvest season. Trucks returning westbound to reload often have available capacity at reduced rates.

Manufacturing belts: The Midwest (Michigan, Ohio, Indiana) ships finished vehicles and auto parts outbound in high volume. Return capacity into these regions can be significantly discounted.

How to Leverage Backhaul Rates

Freight brokers and load boards (DAT, Truckstop, Uber Freight) are the primary tools for matching backhaul capacity with available freight. Shippers who can offer flexibility on pickup windows (a 2 to 3 day window rather than a specific date) are more likely to land favorable backhaul pricing, because the carrier can time the return load to align with their schedule.

Building direct relationships with carriers who regularly run your lane is another effective approach. If a carrier delivers to a warehouse near your facility three times per week, establishing a standing backhaul arrangement at a negotiated rate saves both parties the friction and commission cost of going through a broker each time.

Timing matters significantly. Backhaul availability fluctuates with seasonal shipping patterns. During peak produce season (April through September in many regions), westbound backhaul capacity out of the East Coast tightens because trucks are repositioning for agricultural loads. During the holiday peak (October through December), nearly all capacity tightens and backhaul discounts shrink.

Backhaul in Container and Drayage Operations

The backhaul concept applies to ocean containers and drayage as well. The United States imports far more containerized goods than it exports, creating a persistent container imbalance at ports. Steamship lines must reposition empty containers back to Asia, which is why export ocean freight rates from the U.S. to China typically run far below the import rate on the same lane.

In drayage, a trucker who picks up a loaded import container from the Port of Long Beach and delivers it to a warehouse in the Inland Empire might look for an export load or empty container return near that warehouse to fill the return trip to the port. Drayage companies that operate near major prep and fulfillment hubs benefit from this dynamic. MeisterPrep’s Long Beach location, for instance, sits within the natural drayage radius of the San Pedro Bay port complex, a zone where backhaul drayage opportunities are plentiful due to the sheer volume of inbound containers.

For sellers managing inbound freight to prep centers or Amazon fulfillment centers, asking your freight broker about backhaul availability on your specific lane can yield savings of 20% to 40% compared to standard spot rates. The trade-off is flexibility: backhaul loads often come with less predictable pickup timing and may require a wider delivery window.