Definition
Deadhead
Deadhead is the unpaid distance a chauffeur drives to reach the pickup or return from the final drop-off, and it explains why long-distance one-way rates are not simply distance times a mileage figure.
Every reservation has an approach leg and a return leg with no passenger on board. On a short Peninsula transfer those legs are negligible; on a one-way run from Silicon Valley to Napa or Monterey they can double the vehicle's time.
Transparent operators build deadhead into the quoted flat rate instead of adding it later. It is also why a round trip on the same day often costs less than two separate one-way bookings.
Where this applies
More glossary terms
- Black car service — definition linked from Deadhead
- Limousine service — definition linked from Deadhead
- Luxury sedan service — definition linked from Deadhead
- FBO (Fixed Base Operator) — definition linked from Deadhead
- Meet-and-greet — definition linked from Deadhead
- As-directed (hourly) service — definition linked from Deadhead
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