Fuel surcharge calculator
Per-mile and per-load surcharge from the current DOE weekly diesel index — pre-filled with this week's number.
Fuel-surcharge schedules pass fuel-cost swings through to the shipper. The standard method pegs the surcharge to the EIA weekly on-highway diesel price (the “DOE index”):
Calculator
Worked example with this week's real number
- This week's DOE index (U.S. average, week of ): $5.134/gal.
- Contract terms in this example: $1.20 base price, 6 MPG.
- Surcharge per mile: ($5.134 − $1.20) ÷ 6 = $0.656/mile.
- On a 500-mile load: 500 × $0.656 = $328.00 fuel surcharge.
Schedules that use a bracket table instead of the straight formula: see the printable FSC matrix built from this week's index. Regional schedules: pick your region's price on the index page.
FAQ
What is a fuel surcharge?
A fuel surcharge (FSC) is a separate per-mile or percentage charge added to a freight rate to pass fuel-cost changes through to the shipper. Most schedules peg it to the U.S. EIA weekly on-highway diesel price (the “DOE index”): when the index rises above an agreed base price, the surcharge rises with it. The base price, escalator, and update day are contract terms — there is no federally mandated formula.
How is a fuel surcharge calculated?
The most common method: surcharge per mile = (current DOE diesel price − base fuel price) ÷ truck miles per gallon. Example with this week's index: ($5.134 − $1.20) ÷ 6 MPG = $0.656 per mile, or $328.00 on a 500-mile load. Many schedules instead publish a bracket matrix that maps each 5¢ price range to a fixed per-mile surcharge.
When does the DOE diesel price update?
The U.S. EIA surveys on-highway diesel prices every Monday and publishes the weekly average that same week (holiday weeks can slip a day). The current release covers the week of July 20, 2026; the next release is July 28, 2026.