Fuel Surcharge Calculator
- Linehaul
- Fuel surcharge
Each 10¢ rise in diesel adds about $12.31 to this load.
How the fuel surcharge calculation works
A trucking fuel surcharge per mile and per load from the diesel price, your base peg and mpg.
Subtract the peg from the current diesel price
The peg is the fuel price already priced into your linehaul rate. At $6.18 diesel and a $2.50 peg, the gap is $3.68 a gallon.
Divide by the truck's mpg
$3.68 ÷ 6.5 mpg = $0.566 per mile. That's the extra fuel cost for each mile driven.
Multiply by the miles
$0.566 × 800 miles = $452.92 for the load.
Compare it with the linehaul
At $2.20 a mile, the 800-mile linehaul is $1,760, so the surcharge adds 25.7%. Update the diesel price each week from the EIA average.
Worked example. Diesel is $6.18, the peg is $2.50 and the truck gets 6.5 mpg. The surcharge is $3.68 ÷ 6.5 = $0.566 a mile, or $452.92 on an 800-mile load, which is 25.7% of a $1,760 linehaul.
Fuel Surcharge FAQ
What is a fuel surcharge?
It's an extra charge on top of the freight rate that covers the rise in fuel cost above a base price. It goes up and down with the weekly diesel price, so the base rate doesn't have to be renegotiated.
How do you calculate a fuel surcharge?
Subtract the base peg price from the current diesel price and divide by the truck's mpg to get a surcharge per mile. Multiply by the miles for the load.
What diesel price should I use?
Most contracts use the U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly on-highway diesel average, updated weekly, usually on Mondays. Use the regional figure if your contract says so.
What is a base peg price?
It's the diesel price your linehaul rate already covers. The surcharge only pays for the difference above that price, and it's set in your rate agreement.
How do I work out the fuel surcharge as a percentage?
Divide the surcharge by the linehaul charge. $452.92 on a $1,760 linehaul is 25.7%.
What is a fuel surcharge chart?
It's a table in a rate agreement that lists diesel price bands and the surcharge for each band, either in cents per mile or as a percent of the freight charge. Read off the row for this week's diesel price, or use the formula above if your contract uses the cents-per-mile method.
Do LTL carriers use the same method?
Usually not. LTL and parcel carriers publish a percentage table tied to the weekly diesel price and apply it to the freight charge.