Fuel Surcharge Rates 2026

As of February 2026, fuel surcharge rates typically range from $0.38 to $0.50 per mile based on DOE diesel prices of $3.50-$4.20/gallon. The exact rate depends on the broker's FSC table and calculation method. Check the current DOE diesel price at eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/ to find where you fall on the table.

Most FSC tables update weekly, following the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) diesel price report released every Monday. Some brokers use the prior week's average, while others use real-time pricing. Contract lanes typically lock FSC schedules quarterly but still adjust weekly within the schedule.

Brokers use different base prices, MPG assumptions, and calculation methods. A broker using 5.5 MPG and a $1.00 base will show higher FSC than one using 6.5 MPG and a $1.25 base. Regional variation also matters — a load originating in California may warrant higher FSC than one starting in Texas due to diesel price differences.

Standard FSC tables don't account for equipment type, but they should. Reefer units burn 0.5-1.5 additional gallons per hour running the refrigeration unit. This means reefer carriers are chronically undercompensated by standard FSC. Negotiate a reefer fuel premium of $0.08-0.15/mile on top of standard FSC.

Yes, diesel prices typically rise in winter due to increased heating oil demand (diesel and heating oil are similar products). Winter 2025-2026 saw diesel prices climb $0.15-0.25/gallon above summer levels in northern states. This automatically increases FSC if your table updates weekly.

Industry standard is loaded miles only — the empty deadhead between loads is the carrier's cost to absorb. But this is one of the most common areas where carriers leave money on the table. On long deadheads (200+ miles between loads), some brokers will negotiate FSC on total miles for the right relationship, especially if you're running consistent capacity for them. The IRS treats fuel as a deductible business expense regardless of whether the miles were loaded or empty, so there's no tax-side reason to limit FSC to loaded miles. When negotiating with a new broker, ask the question directly: 'Is FSC paid on loaded or total?' If they only pay on loaded, factor your average deadhead percentage into your real per-mile rate when deciding whether the lane is profitable. A run that pays $2.85/loaded-mile with 25% deadhead is actually paying about $2.28 per total-mile-driven.

First, calculate what their table actually pays at the current DOE price and compare to a standard 6 MPG / $1.25 base table — show them the gap in writing. Most brokers will negotiate within their table by adjusting either the base price or the MPG assumption rather than rewriting the whole document. If the broker won't budge on FSC, ask for a higher linehaul rate that covers the FSC shortfall — same total revenue, different label, easier to approve internally on their side. For repeat lanes, propose an all-in rate that locks linehaul + FSC into a single per-mile number tied to a quarterly fuel-price review. The brokers most willing to negotiate FSC are mid-size 3PLs with 50-500 carriers under contract; mega-brokers like CH Robinson and TQL almost never adjust their tables individually but will sometimes adjust linehaul. Smallest brokers (under 25 contracted carriers) usually have the most flexibility but the least transparent process.

Every standard FSC table uses the same underlying formula: FSC per mile = (Current DOE diesel price − Base diesel price) ÷ Assumed MPG. The variables are what differ. A typical table uses a $1.25 base price and 6.0 MPG. So at $4.00/gallon DOE: ($4.00 − $1.25) ÷ 6 = $0.458/mile FSC. Step the formula: every $0.06 in diesel = $0.01/mile additional FSC at 6 MPG. Every $0.30/gallon diesel move = $0.05/mile FSC change. Broker tables get aggressive by raising the base price (e.g., $1.50 base instead of $1.25 cuts your FSC by $0.04/mile) or raising the MPG assumption (6.5 MPG instead of 6.0 cuts FSC by $0.03/mile). When evaluating a new broker's table, plug today's DOE price into the formula and compare to what you'd expect at a clean $1.25/6.0 baseline. The gap is the negotiation room.

Yes — and most reefer carriers leave money on the table by not asking. Reefer units (Thermo King, Carrier Transicold) burn 0.5-1.5 gallons of diesel per hour while running. For a 10-hour day with 8 hours of reefer-on time, that's an additional 4-12 gallons consumed beyond what the tractor uses. Standard FSC tables assume tractor-only fuel consumption. Industry-best practice: negotiate a reefer fuel premium of $0.08-$0.15 per loaded mile on top of standard FSC for produce, frozen, or pharmaceutical loads. Some brokers will agree to a flat reefer surcharge of $25-$50 per load instead. For loads requiring reefer pre-cooling (typically frozen and pharma), add a one-time $25-$75 pre-cool charge. Track your reefer-on hours per load — if you average 6+ hours running, the per-mile premium math favors you over the flat-fee approach. Reefer-experienced dispatchers know to ask for this premium during rate confirmation; new owner-operators often miss it for years.

Almost no legitimate FSC table uses the retail pump price you pay at the truck stop. The industry standard is the U.S. EIA (Energy Information Administration) National Average On-Highway Diesel Fuel Price — commonly called the DOE diesel index — published every Monday at eia.gov/petroleum/gasdiesel/. That single national number is what drives most broker tables, which is exactly why your FSC can feel low when you're fueling in a high-cost region like California: the table pays off a national average even though your real pump price is higher. Some larger shippers and contract lanes use a regional PADD average instead of the national figure, which is more favorable if you run primarily in an expensive district. When a broker's rate confirmation lists FSC, ask which index and which week's reading they used — if they can't tell you, that's a red flag the number may be arbitrary.

Yes. For an owner-operator, the fuel surcharge is part of your gross freight revenue and is taxed as ordinary business income — it is not a tax-free reimbursement. The offset is that your actual diesel purchases are a fully deductible business expense, so in practice the FSC revenue and the fuel cost it covers largely cancel out on your Schedule C or business return. Keep every fuel receipt and your IFTA mileage records so the deduction holds up. This is general guidance, not tax advice — confirm your specific situation with a trucking-focused CPA, and see our cost-of-operating resources for how to track fuel against the rest of your per-mile costs.

A good dispatcher specializing in your equipment type has rate history across 50-500+ broker relationships and knows which brokers' FSC tables are below-market vs competitive. When booking with a broker, the dispatcher can reference comparable rates from the past 90 days and push back specifically: 'We just hauled an identical lane last month at FSC + $0.06.' Brokers respect data-backed negotiation. O Trucking's dispatch service tracks FSC tables across 40+ active brokerage relationships and refuses loads where the FSC math doesn't pencil out. We negotiate equipment-specific premiums (reefer fuel, flatbed tarping) directly. See O Trucking dispatch services for owner-operators and small fleets — 6% commission, no contracts. (Available at /services/ and /dispatch/ on otrucking.com.)