Deadhead
Also known as: deadhead miles, deadhead mileage, DH
Deadhead is any distance a vehicle travels without a passenger on board, such as the drive from the garage to a pickup location or the return trip after a drop-off.
Deadhead miles are a direct cost with no corresponding fare, so operators track them closely. Reducing deadhead is one of the main reasons companies group trips geographically or position vehicles near expected demand.
Related terms
- Garage-to-Garage
Garage-to-garage is a billing method that charges for the entire time a vehicle is away from its base, beginning when it leaves the garage and ending when it returns, rather than only the time a passenger is aboard.
- Farm-Out
Farming out is the practice of passing a booked trip to another transportation company to fulfil, typically because the originating operator has no vehicle available or the trip falls outside its service area.
- Spotting
Spotting is positioning a vehicle at or near a pickup location ahead of the scheduled time, so the chauffeur is in place before the passenger is ready.