For pay miles most trucking companies use “Map Miles” or the shortest route mileages, like the Rand McNally mileage guides. Often, the trip cannot be made driving the shortest distance as used in Map Miles for one reason or another. This means you’re driving more miles than are shown on your settlement and this can seem unfair.
 
Using Map Miles or short route miles have been accepted trucking industry standards for many years. When numerous aspects of the trucking industry are continuously evolving and changing, it’s surprising that this has been something that’s stuck around just because it is the “industry standard.” However, using Map Miles is what shippers are accustomed to.  Shippers trust them, and since they are paying the bills, change will likely be slow.
 
Until this process changes, here are some things to consider:

  • Carriers use the same miles to calculate the shipper’s rate and the driver’s settlement. An invoice sent to the shipper based on Map Miles for the trip means the driver gets a settlement based on the same Map Miles. There’s no difference in miles for the shipper or the driver.
  • Map Miles may not be the practical miles but the size of the revenue pie isn’t going to change much just because the miles paid better match the miles driven. It might make you feel better seeing miles driven match closer to miles paid, but it’s probably unrealistic to believe there will be more pay by simply changing mileages. Logically, what shipper accepts a rate increase by increasing miles?
  • If you don’t want to use Map Miles, which miles do you want to use? If one driver gets lost, another runs out of route to stop at the store, and another driver’s GPS gives instruction for a longer route, whose miles are going to be accepted? Map Miles at least provide a standard for now that is used between different shippers and carriers.

The “35-inch yardstick” is a common analogy that can be used for understanding the Map Miles practice. An accepted yardstick is actually somewhere between 35-37 inches after it is produced.  Even though each yardstick is not consistent, it makes sense to have a common ground for everyone to use, allowing some accepted error. Because there is a standard, everyone is working on the same basis and it makes things simpler and easier to understand.
 
What about deducting the difference between Map Miles and actual miles from your taxes? The IRS will not accept the difference between actual miles and Map Miles as a separate tax deduction. They see that as “double-dipping” since the cost has already been deducted once in your usual expenses when items such as fuel and maintenance are paid. So the answer is no, the IRS does not consider the mileage difference an extra expense for tax deductions.

The 35-inch yardstick is not perfect. I get it. Map Miles is not perfect either, but until a better system comes along, we can be grateful for a pay standard that makes things simpler across the industry.

Comments (6)

Janette Spencer

Janette started driving a truck in 1981 with her husband after selling a beauty shop she owned and operated. She has experience driving team and solo, long haul and local. After driving, she worked in Safety and Dispatch, Customer Service and eventually became a Terminal Manager for TWX in Kelim, Colorado. After work, Janette enjoys reading and bowling. Janette started at ATBS in February 2003 and works with Daimler Chrysler clients and Independent Drivers who have their own authority.

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I completely agree with Linda on this subject!! Just by saying that that Map Miles is a standard doesn't make it right.

There is nothing more frustrating than being on the west side of a town like Knoxville, TN and getting a dispatch that picks up on the east side of Knoxville, TN and seeing the empty miles as 0 instead of the 25-30 miles that it actually is. That is only one example of the thousands that are out there.

If there's a "standard", then why not at least let the industry standard be PC Miler Practical Miles? At least that's more fair than the short mile standard.

October 11, 2013 7:47:48 AM

This article and all these comments are good and have real value but be aware that this is a "convention" established a long time ago through millions of agreements in the normal course of business between countless manufacturers, shippers, vendors, etc. Drivers including myself have complained for ever about not being properly paid due to this convention. The reality is the people who pay us -- motor carriers -- have very little to say about the terms regarding paid miles designated in these contracts.

We need to understand that chaos would ensue if each party to a contract determined their own distance between A and B. Changing this convention might take an act of Congress and we all see how hard that is to achieve now-a-days...the best a driver can do is take the shortest, safest route and not get lost!

October 11, 2013 7:44:19 AM

With the level of technology currently available, rates should change as quickly as the route does. Wouldn't it be great if the rate increased for the extra miles you now need to run for a situation like a bridge closure, or the construction closure of I-70 in Indianapolis?

October 10, 2013 18:40:03 PM

What is really bad is when a carrier bills on practical and pays on HHG. This happens with smaller operations with small less sophisticated
shippers.

October 08, 2013 7:17:01 AM

I agree with Linda-and when Linda and I agree it should be law. Anything that is not address to address is antiquated.

October 08, 2013 5:11:06 AM

I believe that with technology the dispatched load should have the route address to address and if a hazmat route is needed that should be included in the miles.

We often deliver to military bases and the route is usually to the front gate or the city nearest to the military installation. We have gained experience and have learned about the many bases we deliver to and include those miles when we decide to take a load or not. Many times we have driver over twenty to even 30 miles back into a base to make a delivery. I should mention we are paid on percentage and those extra miles do make a difference.

If we get off track, take a different route, or go site seeing while under a load it is our business and we should eat the extra miles. We should not have to eat the extra miles when the load is dispatched from zip to zip. Those extra miles are paid by who is paying the fuel and are not compensated.

October 08, 2013 3:25:32 AM