The Truth Behind Backhauls - What Qualifies as a Backhaul



Did they tell you the backhaul was an airplane?

There are as many views on backhauls as there are on politics and religion (What's the old saying, "never bring up politics or religion"?).  If you're hauling single RV's then you know it's just as important to know about backhauls as it is any other aspect of RV transport.  But with so many different opinions it can be difficult to determine if you are doing the right thing by coming back empty, routing to another part of the country or getting a load coming back to the Indiana (or where ever your point of origin).  We'll lay out some of the opinions and throw some facts in there to clear things up for you.

By the time you finish this series of articles you'll have the information you need to be assured that you're doing the right thing when it comes to backhauls.  You should also be able to articulate why you are doing it and how much it is making you (or costing you, as the case may be).

First - let's define backhaul as applied in the world of RV transport - What Qualifies as a Backhaul

This is where the first debate begins, as some drivers say, "there is no such thing as a backhaul, all loads are
outbound loads and should be paid accordingly".  Others believe backhauls pay the fuel costs that would otherwise come out of your pocket and that you should "always" take the backhauls offered by your company.  Well, rule #1 - never say "never" or "always".

So, removing that from the argument, a simple definition of a true backhaul is something like "a load that will get the driver back to home base to get another outbound load".

Now, that also gets a bit distorted, so to further demonstrate that definition, let's take a quiz!
Please answer Yes or No to the question "Is this a backhaul" and explain your answer:

1. I drop in Dallas, TX and am ready to go back to Elkhart County, IN.  I have the opportunity to stop in Oklahoma City for a horse trailer to take to the North side of Elkhart.
• YES - this IS a backhaul.
• This is a backhaul because the pickup and delivery points almost overlay the route I was taking to get back to my point of origin in order to take another load (it adds only 40 or 50 miles).
2. I drop in Dallas, TX and have the opportunity to pickup in Fort Worth, TX - the load delivers in Fargo, ND.
• NO - this is NOT a backhaul.
• This load gets me 300 miles closer to my home base, but I must travel too far (over 1,000 miles) to get that 300 miles closer.  This is in no way a backhaul.  This is an outbound load.
3. I drop in Dallas, TX and have the opportunity to pickup in Fort Worth, TX - the load delivers in Elkhart, but I cannot pickup the load for 2 days and I have 4 more days until I need to reset my clock.
• YES - this is a backhaul, but not a good one since you have two days of time and expenses piling up while you wait.
• One of the easiest ways to lose money in the RV Transport business is to hurry up and wait.  Driving efficiently to your drop-off only to sit for a couple of days so you can get your fuel paid on the way back is not good business.  It costs you money out of your pocket (meals, lodging) and it costs your time.  That means you are losing the opportunity to make money.  If you're wheels aren't turning, you aren't earning.
• Note:  This may qualify as a good backhaul if you already planned to visit family close by or just take time off - - however, if you have other freight to move and wouldn't stick around if you could get back quickly, then the answer is still no because it wasn't your plan to layover.

Okay, so you get the point.  Not everything your dispatcher calls a backhaul is truly a backhaul, and sometimes when it is, that doesn't mean it's a good backhaul.  The examples above are a good start at determining this.  I say good start because there are other aspects that will be discussed in future articles.  One of them being the math behind the backhaul - another tool in determining if it is worth your time and effort.

In addition to the quiz items, there are also a few other things to keep an eye on.

Other things to consider:

1. Know your cargo - make sure you get a concise description of what you are being asked to haul.
• Is it an old trailer you need to pull from it's 3 year home in a cow pasture?
• Is it a NEW trailer you need to pull from it's 3 year old home in a cow pasture? (new doesn't always mean "new" if it's been sitting for too long)
• Does it require special equipment? (different sized ball hitch, pintle hook, gooseneck... etc)
• Is it road-worthy? (brakes, lights, wheels...etc)
2. Know your pickup and delivery points
• IS IT A REPO EXTRACTION?  (it takes a special person to do these - make sure you are that person and make sure you build in special pay for any "incidents" that may occur)
• Is it a personal residence or hard to get to location?
• Can you get there (subdivision? dirt lane? narrow downtown streets?)
• Can you get back out with the cargo? (or will you have to back up 1/2 mile on a dirt path?)
3. Know your costs - are there any additional costs or fees specifically associated with the haul?
• Storage fee, impound fee
• pay for break downs (old / inop trailers or cargo)
• excessive tolls
4. Know your schedule
• What are the hours of service at pickup and delivery
• Don't get stranded if they don't have weekend hours or only evening hours... etc
• Work your schedule out ahead of time to account for any variation the backhaul may cause with lanes, weather, ... etc.

The first step in the process of evaluating a backhaul is to define it.  A proper definition leads to a proper solution.  Next, you look at the timing, direction and dollars associated with the haul.  With all of the pieces of the puzzle in place, you'll be able to determine if it is good or bad business for you.

The next piece of the puzzle:  Backhaul Math, considering time and money in backhauls.