A fuel surcharge (FSC) is an adjustable fee added to a freight bill to cover the changing cost of diesel. Instead of rewriting base rates every time fuel prices move, carriers keep a stable base rate and add a separate fuel surcharge that rises and falls with a published diesel index. It appears across trucking, LTL, drayage, and parcel shipping as a standard line item.
How a fuel surcharge is calculated
Most carriers tie their fuel surcharge to a reference price, commonly the U.S. national average diesel price published weekly by the Energy Information Administration (EIA). The carrier sets a baseline price and a step schedule: for every defined increase in the diesel index, the surcharge goes up by a set percentage of the linehaul (in truckload and LTL) or by a set dollar amount per mile or per container (in drayage and FTL). When diesel falls, the surcharge drops automatically.
Percentage vs. flat fuel surcharges
In LTL, the fuel surcharge is usually a percentage applied to the freight charges, updated weekly. In truckload and drayage, it is often a per-mile or per-move amount. Because the method differs by mode, two carriers can quote similar base rates but very different totals once fuel is added, so always compare all-in pricing.
Why fuel surcharges exist
Diesel is one of a carrier’s largest and most volatile costs. A surcharge lets carriers price the linehaul fairly while passing through fuel swings transparently, rather than padding base rates to hedge against spikes. For shippers, the upside is that surcharges fall when fuel falls; the downside is less predictability. Reading the surcharge methodology in your contract is the best protection.
Controlling fuel costs in your supply chain
You can’t change the price of diesel, but you can reduce the miles and idle time that fuel surcharges multiply. Efficient routing, fewer empty miles, and avoiding port congestion all shrink the base the surcharge applies to. Go Freight is an asset-based Miami 3PL with 100+ company-owned trucks and its own chassis pool, and our AI drayage platform predicts gate times at PortMiami and Port Everglades to cut wait time and wasted trips, so the fuel-exposed portion of your move stays lean. For less-than-truckload moves, our LTL service consolidates freight to spread fuel cost across more shipments.
Frequently asked questions
Are fuel surcharges negotiable?
The surcharge schedule itself is often standardized to a public diesel index, but the baseline, step size, and how it’s applied can be negotiated with committed volume. Ask the carrier for its fuel matrix in writing.
Do fuel surcharges go down?
Yes. Because most are tied to a weekly diesel index, the surcharge decreases automatically when diesel prices fall, which is a key advantage over baking fuel into the base rate.
Is a fuel surcharge the same as an accessorial?
A fuel surcharge is a type of accessorial, but it specifically tracks diesel costs. Other accessorials, like liftgate, detention, or chassis split fees, cover different services.
Get transparent, asset-based freight pricing
Go Freight quotes clear all-in rates with no double brokering. Request a quote or call (786) 445-0150 for Miami drayage, LTL, and warehousing.