In the first article we defined what a backhaul is, as opposed to a linehaul. The purpose of this was to classify a haul more by it's character than by what someone else might be calling it (in other words, just because someone tells you it's a backhaul doesn't mean that it is).This article will build on that and get another layer deeper in breaking out the different components of a haul and help you to calculate your costs. I understand that some don't want to break things up into pieces, run the numbers and see what they come up with. I've found that it's a good way to pass the time and keep the mind sharp - but it will also help you either make better use of your time, or simply make you more money.
To begin, let's look at the different parts we will assess and evaluate.
- Deadhead miles to home base (Std Deadhead = SD). In RV transport from manufacturer to dealer, this is the second half of the trip. This is the half of the trip that you don't get paid on. You need to use this as a baseline for comparison purposes. You'll need to look at time and costs to compare with your other options.
- Deadhead miles to backhaul pickup (Pickup Deadhead = PD). No matter the direction, this is the miles from your outbound delivery to the backhaul pickup point.
- Loaded miles on backhaul (Loaded Backhaul = LB). Again, no matter the direction or number of miles, our calculations will account for these appropriately.
- Deadhead miles to home base after backhaul (Delivery Deadhead = DD). This is self explanatory and may include back-tracking if you go past home base..
We are going to answer the following questions when it is all said and done.
- How much will be in my pocket - will it be better to deadhead or backhaul?
- Will it take too long - would I have made more money by deadheading and taking another load?
