Fuel surcharge
An extra per-mile amount added to a load's rate to help cover diesel when fuel prices climb.
A fuel surcharge is an extra amount added to a load’s pay to help cover the cost of diesel. The idea is that the base rate cannot chase the pump every week, so a surcharge floats on top of it, going up when fuel is expensive and easing when it drops.
It is usually figured per mile, tied to a fuel price index. When diesel goes above a set price, the surcharge kicks in at so many cents per mile, and it climbs as the price climbs. On a long haul when fuel is high, the surcharge can be a real piece of what the load pays.
Do not confuse it with the IFTA fuel tax or the surcharge that a few states like Indiana, Kentucky, and Virginia charge. Those are taxes on the fuel you burn. A fuel surcharge is part of what the broker pays you, meant to offset the price at the pump. You can estimate what a trip actually costs in diesel with the fuel cost calculator.
Related: rate per mile, deadhead, IFTA.