Why Empty Return Trips Are One of Agriculture’s Hidden Transport Costs

A truck delivering 35 tonnes of agricultural produce might look like a productive journey. But what happens once the load has been delivered?

In many cases, the truck must travel hundreds of kilometres back to its depot or the next collection point without carrying anything.

The delivery may be complete, but the journey isn’t.

For South Africa’s agricultural transport industry, these empty return trips represent a significant operational challenge. They consume fuel, add kilometres to vehicles and occupy drivers without generating revenue from cargo.

Understanding how these journeys affect transport costs can help farmers, suppliers and logistics operators make better decisions.

The cost of a journey doesn’t end at delivery

Imagine a truck travelling from a farming operation in the Free State to a processing facility several hundred kilometres away.

The trailer leaves the farm fully loaded. It reaches its destination, unloads successfully and begins the return journey.

If there is no suitable cargo available for the return trip, the truck travels back empty.

Although the trailer is no longer carrying a heavy load, the vehicle continues to generate operating costs.

These include:

• Fuel consumption: Even an empty heavy vehicle uses considerable fuel.
• Tyre wear: Every kilometre contributes to tyre wear and eventual replacement costs.
• Maintenance: Engines, transmissions, suspension systems and other components accumulate wear.
• Driver costs: Drivers must still be paid for their time.
• Vehicle availability: Time spent travelling empty cannot be used for another productive delivery.
• Tolls and other expenses: Route-related operating costs may continue regardless of the load.

This means the revenue earned from one delivery may need to cover expenses associated with the entire round trip.

What are backhaul loads?

In transport logistics, a backhaul is a load carried on a return journey or on a route that brings a vehicle closer to its next planned assignment.

Rather than returning empty, a transporter identifies suitable cargo travelling in the opposite direction.

Consider a truck delivering agricultural produce from the Free State to a distribution centre near Johannesburg.

If compatible cargo needs to travel back towards the Free State, the transporter may be able to arrange a return load.

Instead of generating revenue on only one part of the journey, the vehicle earns income in both directions.

For transport operators, this can improve vehicle utilisation and help distribute operating costs across more paying kilometres.

For customers, efficient route planning can contribute to more competitive and sustainable transport pricing.

However, finding a return load is not always straightforward.

Why agricultural transport is particularly challenging

Agricultural logistics presents several complications that make backhaul planning more difficult than it might initially appear.

1. Agricultural demand is seasonal

Freight volumes fluctuate throughout the year.

During planting season, large quantities of seed, fertiliser and other agricultural inputs move towards farming regions.

During harvest, the movement often changes direction as crops are transported to storage facilities, processors and markets.

This creates an uneven flow of goods.

A route with strong demand in one direction may have very little suitable cargo travelling in the opposite direction.

2. Different products require different trailers

Not every trailer can transport every commodity.

Sumeil’s fleet includes side tippers for bulk commodities, tautliners for suitable general freight and specialised aluminium livestock trailers.

Each trailer type serves a different purpose.

A side tipper that has delivered bulk grain cannot automatically collect any available return load. The cargo must be compatible with the vehicle, its loading and unloading arrangements, and the condition of the trailer.

Livestock trailers present an even more specialised situation, where animal welfare, sanitation and biosecurity requirements affect how vehicles can be used.

Finding a return load is therefore about more than identifying available freight. It must also be suitable freight.

3. Collection and delivery times must align

Agricultural deliveries often operate around harvesting schedules, depot operating hours, processing capacity and other time-sensitive requirements.

A return load might be available along the correct route, but collecting it could require a lengthy delay.

If a truck must remain stationary for an additional day, the potential income from the return load needs to justify the time and associated expenses.

A backhaul that disrupts the next scheduled delivery may ultimately cost more than it earns.

Is an empty return journey always a waste?

Not necessarily.

Although reducing empty kilometres is desirable, transport efficiency cannot be measured by vehicle utilisation alone.

Sometimes returning empty is the most practical and economical decision.

A transporter may need the vehicle back at a farm for another scheduled collection. Taking a return load could delay that assignment.

A proposed load might also require a substantial detour, involve unsuitable cargo or introduce cleaning and handling costs that outweigh the additional revenue.

This is especially important in agricultural transport, where cargo contamination, product quality and livestock biosecurity must take priority over filling available trailer space.

The objective is not to keep every truck loaded at all times.

It is to make the best use of vehicles without compromising safety, reliability or the requirements of the customer.

How better coordination can reduce unnecessary kilometres

While transport operators are responsible for managing their fleets, customers can also help create opportunities for more efficient journeys.

Plan recurring deliveries where possible

When farmers and suppliers communicate expected transport requirements in advance, operators have more opportunities to coordinate vehicle movements.

Regular or predictable collections are generally easier to integrate into a wider transport schedule than isolated, last-minute bookings.

Allow reasonable scheduling flexibility

Not every delivery requires an exact arrival time.

Where the operation allows it, a wider collection or delivery window can give transporters more flexibility to combine compatible movements.

This does not mean accepting unreliable service. It means identifying where scheduling flexibility is possible without disrupting farm operations.

Communicate cargo requirements clearly

Accurate information about commodity type, quantity, collection location and delivery requirements helps operators determine which vehicles are suitable.

It also reduces the likelihood of unnecessary journeys, rejected collections or equipment being sent to unsuitable loading facilities.

Look beyond the price of a single trip

The lowest quoted rate does not always represent the best transport solution.

Reliability, vehicle suitability, delivery timing and cargo protection all influence the actual cost of moving agricultural products.

A well-planned transport service may provide greater value than a cheaper arrangement that introduces delays or operational risk.

Why transport efficiency matters to South African agriculture

Transport connects farms with suppliers, storage facilities, livestock markets, processors and consumers.

When transport costs increase, those expenses can place additional pressure on the wider agricultural supply chain.

Improving route planning, reducing unnecessary kilometres and making better use of available vehicles can help transport businesses manage operating costs more effectively.

These improvements may also reduce fuel consumption and emissions per tonne of cargo delivered, although the environmental benefit depends on the routes, vehicles and loads involved.

For agricultural customers, efficient logistics supports the availability of dependable transport services over the long term.

Moving more intelligently, not simply more often

At Sumeil Transport, agricultural logistics involves more than moving goods from one destination to another.

Operating across South Africa with a fleet that includes side tippers, tautliners and specialised livestock trailers requires careful consideration of equipment, routes, cargo requirements and delivery schedules.

The challenge of empty return trips demonstrates an important principle of professional transport management: efficiency comes from understanding the complete journey.

A truck’s work does not end when its cargo has been unloaded.

By looking at the bigger picture, farmers, suppliers and transport operators can make better decisions that support safer, more efficient and more sustainable agricultural logistics.

Looking for dependable agricultural transport? Contact Sumeil Transport to discuss your bulk freight, general cargo or livestock transport requirements.