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Ever feel that sinking feeling as a trucker or dispatcher when you’re staring at a long, empty haul back home? The open road is a beautiful thing, but a trailer full of air doesn’t pay the bills. This is the all-too-common reality of “deadhead” miles, a costly and inefficient part of the trucking industry. But what if there was a way to turn that empty return trip into a profitable third leg of your journey? Enter the trihaul, a savvy strategy that’s changing the game for owner-operators and dispatchers across the US.
In this deep dive, we’re going to unravel the concept of the trihaul, explore its incredible economic potential, navigate its logistical challenges, and look at the tools that make it all possible. Smart operators who master how to minimize deadhead miles know that trihauls are one of the most powerful weapons in their arsenal. So, grab a cup of coffee, and let’s get rolling on how you can make your routes smarter, not just harder.
What Exactly is a Trihaul?
At its core, a trihaul is a simple yet brilliant concept. Instead of the traditional round trip, which involves driving from Point A to Point B with a load and then returning to Point A (often with a low-paying backhaul or, even worse, empty), a trihaul adds a third destination to the mix. It looks something like this:
This A -> B -> C -> A route creates a triangular path, hence the name “trihaul.” The goal is to replace that unprofitable backhaul from B to A with two paying loads: one from B to C, and another from C back to A. This strategy is all about maximizing your loaded miles and keeping your truck earning money for as much of the journey as possible. It’s essentially mastering how to turn backhaul into profitable legs but taking it to the next level.
The Economic Appeal: Why Three Legs are Better Than Two
Let’s be honest, in the trucking business, it all comes down to the bottom line. And this is where the trihaul truly shines. By strategically adding that third leg, you can significantly boost your revenue for a single trip. Think about it: instead of one high-paying headhaul and one low-paying backhaul, you have the potential for three profitable loads.
But don’t just take our word for it. A report from DAT, a leading logistics data provider, found that a well-planned trihaul can increase a carrier’s revenue by as much as 40% for a single trip. Let’s break this down with a real-world example.
Imagine you’re based in Atlanta and you’ve just delivered a load to Houston. A direct trip back to Atlanta might be a low-paying route. But what if you could find a load from Houston to Chattanooga, and then another from Chattanooga back to Atlanta? You’ve just turned a single, potentially unprofitable, return journey into two paying legs.
To put this into perspective, here’s a comparison of a standard round trip versus a trihaul:
Dispatching Strategy Comparison
| Metric | Standard Round Trip (Atlanta -> Houston -> Atlanta) | Trihaul (Atlanta -> Houston -> Chattanooga -> Atlanta) |
|---|---|---|
| Leg 1 (A to B) | Atlanta -> Houston (profitable) | Atlanta -> Houston (profitable) |
| Leg 2 | Houston -> Atlanta (low-paying backhaul) | Houston -> Chattanooga (profitable) |
| Leg 3 | N/A | Chattanooga -> Atlanta (profitable) |
| Total Loaded Miles | Lower | Higher |
| Overall Profitability | Moderate | High |
As the table clearly shows, the trihaul strategy is designed to keep your wheels turning and your bank account growing. It’s a proactive approach to dispatching that can make a massive difference in your profitability.
The Logistical Puzzle: It’s Not Always a Straight Line
Of course, if trihauling was easy, everyone would be doing it. The reality is that planning a successful trihaul can be a complex logistical puzzle. It requires careful planning, excellent timing, and a bit of foresight. Here are some of the key challenges you’ll need to navigate:
Understanding route optimization becomes crucial when you’re juggling three different loads with different pickup and delivery windows.
Tools of the Trade: Your Arsenal for Smart Dispatching
In the modern trucking industry, you don’t have to plan your trihauls with a paper map and a rolodex. There are powerful tools available that can help you find profitable triangular routes with just a few clicks.
The undisputed champion in this arena is the load board. Platforms like DAT are the dispatcher’s best friend, providing real-time information on available loads, rates, and routes. What makes DAT particularly powerful is its “TriHaul” feature. This tool allows you to input your origin and destination, and it will automatically suggest profitable triangular routes based on current market data. It takes the guesswork out of the equation and can uncover opportunities you might have missed. As a DAT blog post explains, the tool can help you build a profitable trihaul in just a few simple steps.
But here’s the thing – choosing the right load board can make or break your trihaul game. Understanding DAT vs Truckstop loadboard is crucial because each platform has different strengths when it comes to multi-stop loads and market coverage.
Beyond load boards, a robust Transportation Management System (TMS) is also invaluable. A TMS can help you manage the complexities of a trihaul, from dispatch and routing to HOS tracking and invoicing. It’s the central nervous system of your operation, keeping everything organized and running smoothly.
The Market Reality: Know Your Territory
Here’s what most dispatchers don’t understand about trihauls – they’re not possible everywhere, all the time. Success depends heavily on understanding what are the freight spot market dynamics in different regions. Some markets are naturally better for triangular routing than others.
For instance, the Texas Triangle (Dallas-Houston-San Antonio) is a trihaul goldmine because all three cities are major freight hubs with consistent loads flowing between them. But try to set up a trihaul through rural Montana, and you’ll be waiting longer than a DOT inspection at a weigh station.
The Bigger Picture: More Than Just a Paycheck
The benefits of trihauling go beyond just increasing your revenue. Adopting a trihaul strategy can have a positive impact on your entire operation and even the environment.
The Bigger Picture: More Than Just a Paycheck
The trihaul isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a powerful strategy that can fundamentally change the way you approach dispatching. It requires a shift in mindset from simply finding a load to get you home to strategically planning a profitable journey.
Yes, there are challenges, but with the right tools and a bit of ingenuity, the economic and strategic benefits are undeniable. By embracing the trihaul, you can reduce your empty miles, increase your revenue, and build a more resilient and profitable trucking business. So, the next time you’re faced with a long and lonely backhaul, ask yourself: is there a triangle hiding in plain sight? The answer could be your ticket to a more profitable future.
FAQ about Trihauls.
1. What’s the main difference between a trihaul and a regular backhaul?
2. Are trihauls always more profitable than a standard round trip?
3. How can I start finding trihaul opportunities for my truck?
4. What are the biggest risks associated with planning a trihaul?
5. Do I need expensive software to plan trihauls?
6. Can a trihaul work for any lane or route in the US?
