# How to Calculate Fuel Surcharge for Trucking > How to calculate a trucking fuel surcharge per mile and per trip, with the formula, a worked example, and a free calculator using this week's diesel price. Canonical: https://gpsleaders.com/blog/how-to-calculate-fuel-surcharge Last updated: 2026-10-22 Fleet Tracking ## How to Calculate Fuel Surcharge for Trucking How to calculate a trucking fuel surcharge per mile and per trip, with the formula, a worked example, and a free calculator using this week's diesel price. By [Nick Muratore](https://gpsleaders.com/about) GPS Veteran & CEO, GPS Leaders·October 19, 2026·3 min read A fuel surcharge is the extra amount a carrier adds to the linehaul rate when diesel costs more than the price the rate was built on. It moves with the weekly diesel price, so the base rate doesn't have to be renegotiated every time fuel goes up or down. Here's how to work it out. ### What is a fuel surcharge in trucking? When a carrier and a shipper agree on a rate, they also agree on a base fuel price, sometimes called the peg. As long as diesel stays at or below that price, there's no surcharge. When diesel goes above it, the carrier bills the difference, spread across the miles driven. Most contracts use the U.S. Energy Information Administration's weekly national average for on-highway diesel as the current price, because it's public and updated every Monday. ### The fuel surcharge formula **Surcharge per mile = (current diesel price - base price) / truck MPG** Then: **Trip surcharge = surcharge per mile x billed miles** If the current price is at or below the base price, the surcharge is zero. ### A worked example These numbers are only an example. Use the base price and MPG from your own contract and trucks, and the current week's diesel price. - Base price in the contract: $1.25 per gallon - Example current diesel price: $3.75 per gallon (a round figure for the math, not a real weekly price) - Truck fuel economy: 6.5 MPG - Trip: 500 billed miles Surcharge per mile = (3.75 - 1.25) / 6.5 = $0.3846, about 38 cents per mile Trip surcharge = 0.3846 x 500 = $192.31 If the linehaul rate is $2.50 per mile, the surcharge is 0.3846 / 2.50 = about 15% of linehaul. ### Using a fuel surcharge table Many shippers publish a table instead of the formula: each row is a 10-cent band of diesel prices and the surcharge per mile for that band. It's the same math, figured at the low end of each band. Our [fuel surcharge calculator](https://gpsleaders.com/tools/fuel-surcharge) builds that table from this week's national diesel price, your base price and your MPG. ### What the surcharge doesn't cover The surcharge pays for fuel on the miles you bill. It doesn't cover fuel burned while a truck idles at a dock, sits running overnight, or drives empty to the next load, unless your contract says otherwise. That fuel is a real cost, and it's easy to miss. A GPS tracker on each truck shows how many hours it spends idling and how many miles it drives empty, so you can see what that fuel costs and price it into your rates. See [fleet GPS tracking](https://gpsleaders.com/fleet-tracking). To see what every mile costs you, fuel and everything else, try our [cost per mile calculator](https://gpsleaders.com/tools/cost-per-mile). ### Fuel surcharge FAQ #### Who sets the base fuel price? It's negotiated in the contract between carrier and shipper or broker. There is no single national base price. #### Which diesel price should I use? Whatever your contract names. Most use the EIA weekly U.S. on-highway diesel average, released each Monday. Some use a regional EIA average instead. #### Is the fuel surcharge charged on empty miles? Usually it's charged on the miles you bill. Check your contract; some lanes include it on deadhead. #### How often does the surcharge change? Most contracts update it weekly, when the new EIA price comes out. #### What MPG should I use? Your contract may set one. If not, use your trucks' real average, not the best case. Lower MPG means a higher surcharge per mile. Fleet Tracking ### Run your fleet on real numbers Live location, driver behavior, idle time, and maintenance in one place — built for small business owners, not enterprise telematics teams. [See fleet tracking](https://gpsleaders.com/fleet-tracking) [Request a quote](https://gpsleaders.com/request-a-quote?from=blog-post) [](https://gpsleaders.com/fleet-tracking) The tracker for this #### Fleet Tracking — OBD2 Plug-In 1-Minute DIY Install $69$149+ $15.98/mo service, billed separately Qty [See the page →](https://gpsleaders.com/fleet-tracking) Most orders ship same day · US only · 3-year warranty Opt in #### Nick's notes, by email. One email when there's something worth knowing: a recovery that worked, a rule that changed, a number that surprised us. No drip campaigns. ![Nick Muratore](https://gpsleaders.com/team/nick-muratore-160.webp) [Nick Muratore](https://gpsleaders.com/about) GPS Veteran & CEO, GPS Leaders Nick Muratore is the founder and CEO of GPS Leaders, a vehicle intelligence company he established in 2015 and continues to lead from California. Over a 32-year career he has evaluated more than 120 GPS hardware and software products, developing the comparative expertise that underpins the company's approach: recommending systems on evidence of field performance rather than specification. Under his direction GPS Leaders serves vehicle finance, dealership, rental, fleet and equipment operators nationwide, on a model built around transparent pricing, no annual fees, and owner-level accountability. Fleet Tracking ### Run your fleet on real numbers Live location, driver behavior, idle time, and maintenance in one place — built for small business owners, not enterprise telematics teams. 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