By Norman Ford · Updated October 2026

Fuel surcharge calculator for trucking

Current diesel price (e.g. EIA weekly average) ($/gal)Base price in the agreement (peg) ($/gal)EXAMPLE peg; use the base in your contractMPG in the agreement (mpg)Load miles (mi)

RESULT · FUEL SURCHARGE

Fuel surcharge result
Surcharge per mile	$0.433/mi
Surcharge for this load	$390.00
Price difference covered	$2.600 per gallon

Check the current US on-highway diesel average on the EIA weekly price page.

Show the math

Surcharge per mile = (current price - base price) / MPG
Surcharge per load = per mile x load miles
No surcharge when the current price is at or below the base

This load should carry about $390 in fuel surcharge. We check the surcharge on every rate confirmation we negotiate, at 5% of gross.

Start dispatch

This fuel surcharge calculator returns the surcharge per mile and per load from the current diesel price, the base price and MPG in your agreement, and the load miles.

Fuel surcharges exist so the carrier does not carry the full risk of diesel price swings. When diesel rises above the base price in the agreement, the surcharge rises with it. Knowing how to work it out lets you check a surcharge on a rate confirmation and spot one that is wrong.

How it works

Surcharge per mile = (current diesel price - base price) / MPG
Surcharge per load = surcharge per mile x load miles

If the current price is at or below the base, the surcharge is zero. The current price is usually a published weekly average; the US Energy Information Administration publishes weekly on-highway diesel prices nationally and by region.

Source: US Energy Information Administration, Gasoline and Diesel Fuel Update, checked October 2026

The base price and MPG in the calculator are EXAMPLE values. Use the numbers in your agreement.

A worked example

An agreement sets a base price of $1.25 and an MPG of 6. The weekly average is $3.85.

Difference: $3.85 - $1.25 = $2.60 per gallon
Surcharge per mile: $2.60 / 6 = about $0.433
On a 900 mile load: about $390

If the rate confirmation shows $310, something is off: a different week, region, base or MPG. Ask before you sign.

Base price and MPG

The base price is the diesel price built into the linehaul rate. Above it, the surcharge pays the difference. A low base produces a large surcharge and a high base a small one, so a surcharge alone tells you little; the linehaul and surcharge together are what matter.

The MPG in the agreement is a stated assumption, not your truck's real fuel economy. If your truck does worse than the agreed MPG, the surcharge will not fully cover your fuel. If it does better, you keep the difference. Your real numbers come from the semi truck MPG calculator and the trip fuel cost calculator.

Spot loads and all-in rates

Many spot market loads are quoted all-in, with fuel built into a single rate and no separate surcharge. That is fine as long as the total covers your costs. Judge an all-in rate against your cost per mile, which already includes fuel at today's price.

Fuel is more than diesel

DEF is a separate cost not covered by most surcharge schedules; our guide to DEF cost and usage per gallon of diesel shows what it adds. Tank size matters for planning fuel stops around price differences between regions; see the guide to the semi truck fuel tank.

Fuel surcharge and dispatch fees

If you use a percentage-based dispatcher, ask whether the fee applies to the surcharge as well as linehaul. With our desk, the fee is a percentage of the gross on loads you haul. The dispatcher fee calculator shows what that comes to on a load or a week.

When diesel moves fast

Weekly averages lag the pump. When prices rise quickly, the surcharge on a load may be based on last week's lower average, so the carrier covers the difference until the next update. When prices fall, the lag works the other way. Over months it tends to even out, but a sharp spike can squeeze margins on loads booked at the old number. Watch the trend, and when prices are climbing, give it extra weight when you judge an all-in rate.

Checking a surcharge before you sign

Before signing a rate confirmation with a separate surcharge, check three things: which weekly price and region it uses, the base price and MPG, and the miles it is applied to. If any of them differ from the agreement or from what was discussed, ask the broker to correct the rate confirmation before you sign. A corrected document is easier than a short payment later.

Where we fit

We negotiate the rate and the surcharge, check the numbers, and bring you the final offer. You say yes, counter or no, and the broker sends the rate confirmation to you to sign. Running one truck? See how we dispatch for owner-operators.

Questions

How is a fuel surcharge calculated in trucking?

A common method takes the current diesel price, subtracts a base or peg price set in the agreement, and divides by an agreed MPG. The result is the surcharge per mile, which is then multiplied by the load miles. The current price is often the US Energy Information Administration weekly on-highway diesel average for a stated region.

What base price do fuel surcharges use?

Whatever the shipper, broker or contract says. Base prices vary between agreements, and some older schedules use a low peg that makes the surcharge larger. There is no single industry base. Read the fuel surcharge section of your agreement to find the base, the MPG and which weekly price it uses.

Do brokers always pay a fuel surcharge?

No. Many spot loads are quoted as an all-in rate with fuel built in, and no separate surcharge is listed. Contract freight is more likely to carry a surcharge schedule. When a load is quoted all-in, compare the whole rate with your cost per mile, which already includes fuel at today's price.

Where do I find the weekly diesel price?

The US Energy Information Administration publishes weekly retail on-highway diesel prices for the US and for regions, usually updated each Monday. Many fuel surcharge schedules point to that series. Use the same region and week your agreement names, because regional prices can differ noticeably from the national average.