Start calculation
Enter your tour data. The calculation runs instantly and can be extended with additional lanes.
Notes on the Calculation
- Adjusted empty-run rate = Empty km ÷ Loaded km × 100. This ratio is more meaningful than empty km ÷ total km, because it relates the empty share to the productive share.
- In the Round-Trip Logic the return leg is assessed as part of a tour. A round trip of 680 km outbound and 140 km empty back has an empty-run rate of 20.6%.
- The margin left on the table shows what the difference between your rate and the benchmark costs – calculated as difference km × full cost per km.
- Typical empty-run rates in European FTL road transport are around 15–20 %. Below 12 % is excellent, above 22 % is critical.
Comparison with the FTL value
Your empty-run rate compared to the set industry value and typical thresholds.
Margin lost to empty runs
What does the empty share above the benchmark cost? And what would the potential be with full optimisation?
Start the calculation to get context on your figures.
What does this look like at lane level?
In the premium area: automated lane analysis, carrier scoring and empty-run optimization with real DB data.
What is a “good” empty-run rate?
In the European FTL segment, under 12 % is considered excellent. Many mid-sized forwarders sit at 18–22 %. Above 25 % signals a structural need to act – often due to one-directional traffic or a lack of return-load logic.
Why a "corrected" empty-run rate?
The classic formula (empty km ÷ total km) systematically underestimates the problem. The corrected version (empty km ÷ loaded km) shows the empty share relative to productive output – and is the better control metric.
Levers for reduction
Return-freight exchanges, regional bundling, carrier networks with backhaul traffic and proactive lane management in dispatch are the most effective measures. Even a 3–5 percentage-point improvement has a significant impact on margin.