Fuel surcharge calculator
Per mile or percent, with this week's EIA diesel price already filled in.
Add linehaul rate (optional)
Source: U.S. EIA weekly retail on-highway diesel, U.S. average, week of Nov 9, 2026. Calculated at fuelsurchargecalculator.com.
Three lines that keep the surcharge from being argued later
- 1Add a line item“Fuel surcharge $0.400 per mile.” (example)
- 2Name the sourceU.S. EIA weekly retail diesel, with the week.
- 3Write down the base price$1.20 per gallon. Without it, the number means nothing.
Worked examples
Example prices, not today's. Type your own numbers in the calculator above.
Short run, thirsty truck
Diesel $3.80, base $1.20, 6.0 MPG, 250 miles.
(3.80 - 1.20) / 6.0 = $0.433/mi
Total: $108.25
Standard load
Diesel $3.80, base $1.20, 6.5 MPG, 1,000 miles.
(3.80 - 1.20) / 6.5 = $0.400/mi
Total: $400.00
Long haul, higher diesel price
Diesel $5.60, base $1.25, 7.0 MPG, 2,400 miles.
(5.60 - 1.25) / 7.0 = $0.621/mi
Total: $1,490.40
The standard load adds 20% to a $2,000 linehaul. On a percent contract the same diesel price gives 52 full $0.05 steps, or 26% ($520.00 on $2,000).
The total is the per-mile figure times the miles, so what you see on the panel always adds up: $0.433 x 250 miles is $108.25. A lower MPG raises the surcharge for the same price move: the thirsty truck pays more per mile than the one at 6.5 MPG.
What an FSC clause looks like on a rate con
On a rate confirmation the surcharge is one line plus a short clause. Wording differs by broker and shipper. These are typical shapes, not legal advice.
FUEL SURCHARGE. Carrier will be paid a fuel surcharge for every mile when the U.S. EIA weekly retail on-highway diesel price (U.S. average) for the week of pickup is above $1.20 per gallon. Surcharge per mile = (EIA price - $1.20) / 6.5.
FUEL SURCHARGE. Linehaul is increased by 0.5% for each full $0.05 that the U.S. EIA weekly retail on-highway diesel price for the week of pickup is above $1.20 per gallon.
Find three things in yours before you accept the load:
- The base. The price your linehaul already covers. At or below it, nothing is paid.
- The index. Which EIA price: the U.S. average or a region, and the week of pickup or the week before.
- The divisor. The MPG for per-mile contracts, or the step and the percent per step for percent contracts.
If one is missing, ask for it in writing. Our table generator prints a schedule you can attach.
Why the diesel price differs by region
EIA publishes 9 weekly diesel prices: the U.S. average, the East Coast split into three, then the Midwest, Gulf Coast, Rocky Mountain and West Coast, and California on its own. Prices differ because of state fuel taxes, distance from Gulf Coast refineries and pipelines, and local fuel rules. California is listed separately because its taxes and fuel standards put it well above the rest of the West Coast.
For the week of Nov 9, 2026 the lowest region is Lower Atlantic at $5.69 and the highest is California at $7.90, a gap of $2.20 per gallon. At 6.5 MPG that gap alone is $0.339 per mile, so use the region your contract names.
| Region | $/gal |
|---|---|
| U.S. average | $6.13 |
| New England (PADD 1A) | $6.35 |
| Central Atlantic (PADD 1B) | $6.41 |
| Lower Atlantic (PADD 1C) | $5.69 |
| Midwest (PADD 2) | $6.20 |
| Gulf Coast (PADD 3) | $5.74 |
| Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) | $6.21 |
| West Coast (PADD 5) | $7.11 |
| California | $7.90 |
Source: U.S. EIA weekly retail on-highway diesel prices, week of Nov 9, 2026. All regions and 52-week charts.
Questions
How do you calculate a fuel surcharge?
Subtract the base price from the diesel price, divide by the truck's miles per gallon, and multiply by the miles. With this week's U.S. average of $6.13, a $1.20 base and 6.5 MPG that is $0.758 per mile, or $758.00 over 1,000 miles. At or below the base the surcharge is $0.
What are fuel surcharge rates?
There is no single rate. A trucking surcharge is quoted in dollars per mile ($0.758 this week at a $1.20 base and 6.5 MPG, U.S. average) or as a percent of the linehaul that rises with each price step. The contract sets the base, MPG and step, so two carriers can have different rates for the same diesel price.
What is the average fuel surcharge for trucking?
Over the last 52 weeks (from Nov 17, 2025), the U.S. average surcharge at a $1.20 base and 6.5 MPG was $0.580 per mile, between $0.348 and $0.820. Your own average depends on your base and MPG.
How to work out fuel surcharge percentage?
Count the full price steps between the base and the diesel price, then multiply by the percent per step. At $6.13 with a $1.20 base, a $0.05 step and 0.5% per step, that is 98 steps, or 49%.
What is a fuel surcharge?
An extra charge on top of the linehaul rate that moves with the diesel price, so a rate agreed weeks ago still covers fuel today. It starts when diesel passes the base price in the contract and is $0 at or below it.
How much is the surcharge on fuel?
At 6.5 MPG, each $0.10 above the base adds $0.015 per mile ($0.10 / 6.5). This week the U.S. average is $4.93 above a $1.20 base, which is $0.758 per mile.
How much should you charge for fuel surcharge?
Charge what the contract says. If you set the terms, use the EIA price, a base your linehaul already covers and your truck's real MPG. This week that is $0.758 per mile at a $1.20 base; a $1.50 base would give $0.712.
What is the going fuel surcharge?
For the week of Nov 9, 2026 the U.S. average diesel price is $6.13, so the surcharge is $0.758 per mile at a $1.20 base and 6.5 MPG. See the full table by region on the fuel surcharge this week page.