Empty miles — driving without a load — are the biggest controllable cost in bulk haulage. Fuel, driver time, tyre wear and vehicle depreciation all continue when the tipper is running light. On a typical 8-wheel tipper doing 200 miles per day, empty running can cost £80–£150 per shift in fuel alone.
The scale of the problem
UK industry estimates suggest that between 25–35% of all HGV kilometres driven are empty. In bulk haulage, the figure can be higher — particularly for specialist vehicles like low-loaders and tankers that run one-way jobs.
For a regional tipper operator running 5 trucks, cutting empty running from 35% to 20% could save £30,000–£50,000 per year in fuel and driver cost. That's meaningful margin improvement without winning a single new customer.
Estimated annual cost of empty miles in UK haulage
£8bn+
Wasted fuel, driver time and vehicle wear from empty running across the industry.
How return load boards work
A return load board is a marketplace where hauliers register available empty vehicles and shippers post loads that need collection. The idea is simple: instead of driving empty from Coventry back to Birmingham, you pick up a load that's going in that direction.
Generic freight exchanges do this for general cargo. The problem for bulk haulage is that a tipper can't take a pallet load, and a potable water tanker can't carry contaminated soil. The vehicle type has to match the load — and so does the compliance profile.
A return load board built for bulk haulage filters by vehicle type and compliance — so a grab lorry operator in the Midlands only sees loads that match their truck and their certifications.
Practical tips for cutting empty miles
Work in circuits, not out-and-back
Rather than delivering to site A and returning empty, plan routes so delivery to A enables collection from B, which enables delivery to C. This takes scheduling discipline but can dramatically improve utilisation.
Build relationships with operators in your region
If you're running empty from a site where another operator is loading, you may be able to swap loads. Informal networks do this today — technology will make it systematic.
Register empty vehicle windows in advance
When you know you'll have an empty vehicle between jobs, register the window in a return load system as early as possible. The earlier you list, the more time shippers have to match a load to your run.
Accept shorter-notice loads at a discount
A load that fills an otherwise empty run is worth taking at a discounted rate — the marginal cost of the run is mostly fuel and driver time. Any revenue above marginal cost improves your overall position.
Understand your material compatibility
A tipper that's been carrying waste cannot take aggregates for a potable water infrastructure project without thorough cleaning. Know your vehicle's history and be honest about it when quoting on return loads.
The technology gap
Most return load matching in bulk haulage today happens informally — phone calls, WhatsApp groups, drivers flagging availability to their office. It works, but it's slow, limited to known contacts, and relies on someone being in the right place at the right time.
A digital return load board designed for bulk haulage — with compliance filtering, vehicle type matching and real-time availability — would give operators access to a much wider pool of return loads, with less admin.
BulkMatch is building a return load board for bulk haulage
The BulkMatch return load board is a core feature launching Summer 2026. Compliance-matched, vehicle-type filtered, and built for tippers, tankers and low-loaders. Join the waitlist to be first to use it.
Join the waitlist