FreightMath Glossary

How profitable the load is on its own, ignoring what it took to get the truck there and what happens after it drops off — the load judged purely on its own merits. Its cost includes the load's empty movements as well as the loaded move — the pre-pickup deadhead, the post-delivery deadhead, or a split of the two, depending on the deadhead slicer.

How the driver performs. The period's total overhead cost is spread evenly across every driver, so each driver carries the same overhead regardless of how much freight they ran. To post a good Driver OR, a driver has to be on profitable freight and on enough of it to generate the margin that covers that fixed share. The freight cost behind it covers each load's empty movements as well as the loaded move — pre-pickup deadhead, post-delivery deadhead, or a split of the two, depending on the deadhead slicer.

FreightMath's headline profitability number. Out of every $100 of revenue tied to this load's full network footprint — the load itself, plus what it took to position the truck beforehand, plus the market it enters afterward — this is how many dollars it costs to run. Lower is better; 100 means break-even. Every cost component, including the load's own, covers the empty movements as well as the loaded move — pre-pickup deadhead, post-delivery deadhead, or a split of the two, depending on the deadhead slicer.

A streamlined version of FM OR that combines Core OR and Outbound OR (excluding Inbound OR). Used exclusively within the FreightMath Spot Check Tool, FM OR2 is used when evaluating loads when the tractor is already positioned in or near the origin market area. As with every FreightMath OR, the cost side includes the load's empty movements — pre-pickup, post-delivery, or split — not just the loaded move.

How profitable, on average, the freight was that positioned trucks at this load's pickup market. A high number means it was expensive to get equipment into this area — a sign the origin market's inbound freight is weak. The inbound freight's cost includes its empty movements as well as its loaded moves — pre-pickup deadhead, post-delivery deadhead, or a split of the two, depending on the deadhead slicer.

How profitable, on average, the freight is that trucks find after dropping this load off. A high number flags a weak reload market at the destination. The outbound freight's cost includes its empty movements as well as its loaded moves — pre-pickup deadhead, post-delivery deadhead, or a split of the two, depending on the deadhead slicer.

The trucking industry's default measure of profitability that shows how much a company spends to earn each dollar of revenue. It's calculated by dividing estimated operating expenses by operating revenue. Example: An OR of 92 means the company spends 92 cents for every dollar it earns, leaving 8 cents profit. In FreightMath, every OR's cost side covers the load's empty movements as well as the loaded move — the pre-pickup deadhead, the post-delivery deadhead, or a split of the two, depending on the deadhead slicer — so no empty mile or empty hour is left out of the ratio.

How the truck performs as an asset. The period's total overhead cost is spread evenly across every truck, so each truck carries the same overhead regardless of how much freight it ran. Think of it as asking "how does the truck perform?" — not only does the truck need to be on profitable freight, it needs to be on enough freight, and generate enough margin, to cover its fixed costs. The freight cost behind it covers each load's empty movements as well as the loaded move — pre-pickup deadhead, post-delivery deadhead, or a split of the two, depending on the deadhead slicer.

The percentage of total analyzed miles delivered within the network, within the specified time range, associated with loads which were procured through brokers.

The percentage of total analyzed loads delivered within the network, within the specified time range, which were procured through brokers.

A measure of network density based on the volume of loads moving into and out of defined KSMTA Market Areas during the specified time range. This is an indexed score ranging from 0 to 100, where higher values indicate greater load concentration and network activity. High density networks are typically correlated with higher profitability freight networks.

The pricing (margin) opportunity, expressed as a percentage of revenue based on a comparison of analyzed loads, for a specified time range, compared to the DAT 30 Day Contact Rate.

The pricing (margin) opportunity, expressed as a percentage of revenue based on a comparison of analyzed loads, for a specified time range, compared to the average of all other loads hauled on the same lane.

The pricing (margin) opportunity, expressed as a percentage of revenue based on a comparison of analyzed loads, for a specified time range, compared to either the DAT 30 Day Contact Rate or the average of all other loads hauled on the same lane.

Calculated profit (excluding overhead costs) generated from all loads delivered within the network during the specified time range. Includes all general and load-specific variable costs. Costing is based on FreightMath standard practical miles.

Expressed as a percentage of Total Revenue, using the calculated profit (excluding overhead costs) generated from all loads delivered within the network during the specified time range. Includes all general and load-specific variable costs. Costing is based on FreightMath standard practical miles.

Calculated profit generated from all loads delivered within the network during the specified time range. Includes all variable costs, overhead costs, and load-specific costs. Costing is based on FreightMath standard practical miles and limits for operational hours.

Extra charges beyond linehaul and fuel — things like detention pay, layover, or a truck-order-not-used (TONU) fee.

The average accessorial revenue earned per load.

The portion of revenue that passes through the cost of fuel to the customer.

The average fuel surcharge revenue earned per load.

The sum of all Linehaul and Fuel Surcharge revenue generated from all analyzed loads delivered within the network during the specified time range.

The base “hauling” rate charged for moving the freight, before fuel surcharge or any extra fees.

The average linehaul revenue earned per load.

All the money billed on these loads, combined — linehaul plus fuel surcharge plus any extra accessorial charges.

The average revenue earned per load.

What comparable peer carriers are earning in linehaul + fuel per loaded mile on similar freight — an external market benchmark to compare the client's own rate against.

The average market rate reported by DAT (an independent freight-rate data service) for comparable lanes — used as an external pricing benchmark.

Fuel surcharge revenue per TMS-billed mile.

Fuel surcharge revenue collected per loaded mile — a check on how well fuel costs are being passed through.

Linehaul revenue per TMS-billed mile.

Linehaul-only revenue earned per loaded mile — tracks core rate quality without fuel-surcharge noise.

Linehaul revenue per loaded mile, measured on the same mileage standard the cost-allocation engine uses (rather than FreightMath's general practical-mile standard).

Linehaul revenue spread across every mile driven, including empty miles.

Linehaul revenue per total “costing” mile (loaded + empty, on the cost-engine's mileage standard).

Combined linehaul + fuel revenue per mile, measured against what the TMS actually billed rather than FreightMath's standardized mileage.

Combined linehaul + fuel revenue earned per loaded (practical) mile — a core rate-quality indicator used for internal and external benchmarking.

Linehaul + fuel revenue per loaded “costing” mile.

Combined linehaul + fuel revenue spread across every mile driven, including empty miles — shows how deadhead erodes rate performance.

Linehaul + fuel revenue per total “costing” mile.

The linehaul + fuel rate per mile you'd need to be earning to match the network's current OR performance — a pricing target, not an actual rate being earned.

The “breakeven” linehaul + fuel rate per mile — charge less than this on a lane or account and, all else equal, it's losing money on a total-cost basis.

Pay for company (employee) drivers, allocated to these loads based on miles driven.

Average company-driver pay per load.

Pay for lease-purchase drivers, allocated by miles driven.

Average lease-purchase driver pay per load.

Pay for owner-operator drivers, allocated by miles driven.

Average owner-operator pay per load.

Estimated toll cost incurred while driving empty (deadhead) to reach a pickup.

Average empty-mile toll cost per load.

The allocated fixed-overhead portion of cost (tractor depreciation, insurance, admin/management salaries, etc.) assigned to these loads.

Average fixed overhead cost per load.

The fuel cost of running these loads (company and lease-purchase equipment combined), allocated by miles driven.

Average fuel cost per load.

Insurance cost allocated to these loads based on miles driven.

Average insurance cost per load.

Estimated toll cost incurred while driving the loaded portion of the trip.

Average loaded-mile toll cost per load.

All maintenance cost combined — tractors, trailers, and general/indirect shop maintenance that isn't tied to one specific piece of equipment.

Average total maintenance cost per load.

Tractor maintenance cost (company and lease-purchase equipment combined), allocated by miles driven.

Average tractor maintenance cost per load.

Trailer maintenance cost, allocated by miles driven.

Average trailer maintenance cost per load.

All monthly overhead and indirect expenses for running the operation, excluding load-specific costs such as location-specific trailer pool charges. These costs are entirely allocated to each load or group of loads based on the total hours utilized (empty and loaded). Costing is based on FreightMath’s standard limits for operational hours.

All monthly variable and direct expenses associated with moving a load, excluding load-specific costs such as tolls, customer upcharges, and reefer fuel. These costs are entirely allocated to each load based on the total miles attributed to that load or group of loads. Costing is based on FreightMath Standard practical miles.

Pay for non-driver staff (e.g. dispatch, operations support), allocated to these loads based on hours under power.

Average non-driver labor cost per load.

A grouped “other overhead” bucket covering driver recruiting, permits and license fees, and technology costs.

Average “other overhead” cost per load.

A grouped “other variable” bucket covering fines, scale fees, and other miscellaneous driving costs.

Average “other variable” cost per load.

All the costs that scale with time (fixed overhead like tractor depreciation, insurance, admin) plus load-specific overhead items like trailer pool charges — allocated to these loads based on hours under power.

Average overhead cost per load.

Overhead cost efficiency, expressed per total mile driven (loaded + empty).

Fixed overhead cost allocated to these loads on a simple per-load basis, as an alternative to the hours-based allocation used in the standard Fixed Overhead figure.

Average per-load-allocated fixed overhead cost per load.

The cost of running refrigeration units on these loads, allocated by hours under power.

Average reefer cost per load.

Company-driver pay measured on an actual settlement basis, rather than the standard mileage-rate allocation.

Average settlement-basis company-driver pay per load.

Lease-purchase driver pay measured on an actual settlement basis.

Average settlement-basis lease-purchase driver pay per load.

Owner-operator pay measured on an actual settlement basis.

Average settlement-basis owner-operator pay per load.

The full allocated cost of running these loads — everything that scales with miles (fuel, maintenance, driver pay, tolls) plus everything that scales with time under power (fixed overhead, insurance, trailer pool, etc.).

Average total allocated cost per load.

All-in cost efficiency, expressed per total mile driven — a single blended cost-per-mile figure.

The fixed cost of company-owned tractors, allocated to these loads by hours under power.

Average company-tractor fixed cost per load.

The fixed cost of trailers, allocated to these loads by hours under power.

Average trailer fixed cost per load.

Combined origin + destination trailer-pool cost.

Average combined trailer-pool cost per load.

The cost of keeping drop trailers staged at this load's delivery location.

Average destination trailer-pool cost per load.

The cost of keeping drop trailers staged at this load's pickup location — higher volume at that location spreads the cost thinner per load.

Average origin trailer-pool cost per load.

All the costs that scale with miles driven — fuel, maintenance, driver pay, tolls and similar — allocated to these loads based on how many miles they drove.

Average variable (mile-based) cost per load.

Variable cost efficiency, expressed per total mile driven.

The miles the carrier actually billed the customer for, per its own system — this can be higher or lower than FreightMath's standardized mileage.

Average TMS-billed miles per load.

The average empty miles driven prior to picking up a load, based on FreightMath standard practical mileage. This includes all empty segments between the destination of a power unit’s last loaded segment and the start of the current order (e.g., driver goes home, trailer repositioning, etc.).

What share of all miles driven were empty (deadhead) rather than loaded — lower is more efficient.

Miles driven with a loaded trailer, using FreightMath's own standardized mileage model — this is the revenue-generating distance.

Average loaded miles per load — a key network characteristic sometimes called “length of haul.”

How many miles FreightMath's standard mileage model counts that the TMS didn't bill for — this can go negative if the TMS billed more miles than FreightMath's standard allows.

Average non-billable mile gap per load.

Empty miles driven to get to this load's pickup point.

Average pre-pickup deadhead miles per load.

Empty miles driven after dropping this load off, before picking up the next one.

Average post-delivery deadhead miles per load.

Empty miles driven by extra trucks used to relay (hand off) this load partway through its trip.

Average relay deadhead miles per load.

The expected number of loaded miles based on FreightMath standard practical mileage for each order. Does not include additional (non-billable) stops or relays between origin and destination.

Total miles driven for these loads — the loaded (revenue-generating) miles plus all the empty miles it took to get positioned.

Average total miles (loaded + empty) driven per load.

The total number of extra stops (beyond the single origin and destination) across these loads.

Average number of extra stops per load.

On average, how many hours a load's actual drive time ran over (positive) or under (negative) the expected standard transit time for that lane.

Delay as a percentage of the actual time spent driving loaded.

The amount of time between initial pick-up and final delivery during which a loaded trailer is not under power. Detached time is excluded from Loaded Time and not subject to overhead costs to avoid penalizing loads at drop yards or while drivers are at home.

The actual number of hours spent driving empty prior to picking up a load. Includes all empty segments between a power unit’s last loaded segment and the start of the current order (e.g., driver goes home, trailer repositioning). Capped based on an allowance under or over lane-specific FreightMath standard practical transit times to eliminate outliers.

The actual number of hours spent driving with a loaded trailer, including non-billable stops. Detached hours (when the load is not under power) are removed from this measure. Capped based on an allowance under or over lane-specific FreightMath standard practical transit times to eliminate outliers.

The expected loaded driving time between origin and destination, based on lane-specific FreightMath standard practical transit time and proportionate HOS breaks. Excludes non-billable stops and relays.

Average hours spent at the delivery location unloading the truck, per load.

Average hours spent at the pickup location loading the truck, per load.

Average empty (deadhead) hours per load — how that time is split between the load before and after a gap depends on a dashboard setting.

Average hours spent driving with a loaded trailer, per load.

Average total hours per load, start to finish — driving loaded, driving empty to get there, and dwelling at both pickup and delivery.

Average network miles-per-hour across the full door-to-door clock, including time spent loading and unloading — a high-level read on overall operational speed.

Average road speed while actually driving a loaded trailer — excludes empty miles and dwell time, isolating driving speed itself.

Average road speed across all driving, loaded and empty, with dock/yard dwell time excluded — isolates highway/traffic speed from loading and unloading delays.

The number of individual loads (shipments) reflected in the current selection — the count behind every “per load” average on the dashboard.

Set to "Analyzed" by default, this is a filter flag used to categorize loads that should be included in FreightMath analytics for a defined operation. Common exclusions include loads with incomplete revenue or mileage data. Carrier-specific exclusions may include local moves, roundtrips, dedicated or other freight types that are analyzed outside the FreightMath framework. Loads not categorized as "Analyzed" are grouped under the "Non-Analyzed" filter option.

The classification of a Bill To entity as either a Shipper (typically contract freight) or a Broker (typically spot freight). KSMTA uses AI to automatically categorize Bill Tos, but users can make manual adjustments through KSMTA’s Network Configuration App (available on your SharePoint site).

Power Lanes are the highest-density lanes in the network, selected mathematically by ranking all lanes from most to least dense based on volume. FreightMath accumulates lane volume from the top of this ranked list until reaching roughly 25% of total freight; all lanes in that block are classified as Power Lanes. The 25% threshold is approximate so that groups of similar lanes are not split.

Repeat Lanes are mid-density lanes that sit between the Power Lane block (top ~25% of freight) and the Spider Lane block (bottom ~25%). Together, they make up the middle of the density spectrum—neither the strategic core nor the long-tail noise. They provide additional network fluidity, reload stability, and balanced flow across markets.

Spider Lanes are the lowest-density lanes in the network—the long tail of freight. FreightMath starts at the bottom of the density-ranked lane list and accumulates lane volume upward until reaching roughly 25% of total freight; those lanes are classified as Spider Lanes. These moves are typically infrequent, opportunistic, or imbalancing freight that you would not design a core network around.

Designated FreightMath market areas that define where freight should flow within your network. Your Strategic Footprint is user-defined through FreightMath Network Configuration App (available on your SharePoint site). Both the origin and destination of a load are individually labeled as either IN or OUT of your Strategic Footprint. This classification does not affect any Operating Ratio (OR) metrics.

Displays performance in distinct, non-overlapping twelve-week time blocks. Like the 4-week period view, each new period begins the day after the previous one ends. One of four default views on your KSMTA Power BI Dashboard pages.

Displays performance in distinct, non-overlapping four-week time blocks. Each period begins the day after the previous one ends. One of four default views on your KSMTA Power BI Dashboard pages.

Displays performance in a continuous, rolling view of four-week performance. Each new week adds the most recent week’s data and drops the oldest, maintaining a four-week window at all times. One of four default views on your KSMTA Power BI Dashboard pages.

Displays performance in distinct, non-overlapping seven-day (weekly) increments. Each column represents one week of load activity. One of four default views on your KSMTA Power BI Dashboard pages.

The KSMTA market area where the load was delivered. KSMTA market areas are defined by groups of 3-digit postal codes and may extend beyond the named metro area.

The next KSMTA market area where the delivery driver for the current order picked up their subsequent load. KSMTA market areas are defined by groups of 3-digit postal codes and may extend beyond the named metro area.

The KSMTA market area where the load was originally picked up. KSMTA market areas are defined by groups of 3-digit postal codes and may extend beyond the named metro area.

The KSMTA market area where the pick-up driver for the current order last delivered. KSMTA market areas are defined by groups of 3-digit postal codes and may extend beyond the named metro area.