Fuel Surcharge Calculator
Percentage of linehaul, or cents per mile from the pump price.
Calculate a freight fuel surcharge either as a percentage of the linehaul or per mile from the diesel price, base price and the truck's fuel economy.
The published index rate for the week, applied to the linehaul only.
Fuel surcharge
$280.00
$1280.00 all in
The surcharge normally applies to the linehaul only. Check whether your tariff also applies it to accessorials, which is where quotes diverge.
How the Fuel Surcharge Calculator works
There are two fuel surcharges in freight and they are computed completely differently. Parcel and forwarding carriers publish a percentage applied to the linehaul, which moves weekly with a published index. Truckload contracts instead price the actual extra diesel: the amount the pump price sits above an agreed base, divided by the truck's miles per gallon. Both are here, because a shipper comparing quotes usually has one of each.
Also known as: FSC calculator · diesel surcharge calculator
Not financial advice. Marketplace fees change, and they vary by country, plan and seller status. Every rate here is an editable default, not a quoted price, check the platform's current fee schedule before you price a product against it. This is not tax or business advice.
Frequently asked questions
How is a fuel surcharge calculated?
Two ways. As a percentage of the linehaul, so a 28% surcharge on a $1,000 linehaul adds $280. Or per mile in truckload: the pump price minus the base price, divided by miles per gallon. At $4.25 diesel against a $1.25 base at 6 mpg, that is 50 cents a mile.
What is the base fuel price in a surcharge formula?
A price agreed in the contract, below which no surcharge applies; historically often around $1.25 a gallon. It is a negotiated reference point rather than a market figure, so two carriers quoting the same cents-per-mile can be using different bases.
Does the surcharge drop when diesel falls?
It falls toward zero and stops. Below the base price carriers do not rebate, so the surcharge floors at nothing rather than turning negative. This calculator applies that floor rather than showing a credit that will never appear.
Is the fuel surcharge negotiable?
The mechanism usually is, even when the index is not. The base price, the mpg assumption and whether the surcharge applies to accessorials are all contract terms, and a truck averaging 7 mpg costed at 6 collects a surcharge above its actual fuel cost.