Why Logistics Companies Still Drive 40% Empty — And How AI Can Fix It

Every day across Europe, trucks are driving millions of kilometers — and nearly 40% of those kilometers are driven empty. That means wasted fuel, lost revenue, and avoidable CO₂ emissions polluting our air.

It’s one of the biggest hidden inefficiencies in logistics — and one of the easiest to solve with the right technology.

The Root Causes of Empty Kilometers

1. Fragmentation in the market
   Europe’s logistics ecosystem is highly fragmented. Thousands of small and medium-sized carriers operate independently, often without visibility into one another’s capacity. This makes it difficult to match supply and demand efficiently.
2. Outdated tools
   Many SMEs still rely on spreadsheets, phone calls, or even pen and paper to plan their routes and loads. These manual methods leave trucks underutilized and make it nearly impossible to react in real time.
3. Lack of visibility
   Shippers, carriers, and drivers rarely have a shared view of available capacity or routes. Without transparency, trucks leave warehouses half-full or return from deliveries with no backhaul.

The result: lost time, lost money, and unnecessary emissions.

How AI Can Turn the Tide

This is where technology changes the game. AI and digital platforms like Maxmove make it possible to:

• Match loads with capacity in real time: Instead of calling around to fill a truck, AI can instantly connect shippers with the nearest available carrier.
• Optimize routes dynamically: Algorithms adapt to traffic, demand, and weather, ensuring fewer empty runs and faster deliveries.
• Increase fleet utilization: By reducing downtime and connecting fragmented carriers, more kilometers are driven with goods on board.
• Cut CO₂ emissions at scale: Filling trucks smarter means fewer trips overall — reducing fuel use and emissions by up to 30%.

What was once an impossible coordination problem is now solvable, thanks to AI.

Maxmove’s Role

At Maxmove, we’re building the operating system for logistics. Our platform connects drivers, fleets, and businesses on one seamless network:

• For carriers: Fewer empty miles, fairer pricing, and more revenue per kilometer.
• For shippers: Faster booking, real-time tracking, and reliable delivery.
• For the planet: A smarter way to cut emissions without slowing down commerce.

Ready to Move Smarter?

We’re working with early partners in Germany’s Rhein-Ruhr region to prove what’s possible when logistics goes digital. If you’re a transport company, driver, or business ready to reduce empty kilometers and boost efficiency, we’d love to hear from you.

👉 Join our waiting list at www.maxmove.com

Together, let’s put an end to empty miles — and build the future of logistics.