Freight rate calculator

For a truckload, multiply the loaded miles by the line haul rate per mile, then add the fuel surcharge and any accessorial charges. For example, 650 miles at $2.40 is $1,560. Add $292.50 in fuel at $0.45 per mile and $150 in accessorials, and the total is $2,002.50.

It is the total rate, including fuel surcharge and accessorials, divided by the loaded miles. In the example above, $2,002.50 over 650 miles is about $3.08 per mile.

Deadhead is the empty miles a truck drives to reach the pickup. The carrier is not paid for them directly, so they lower what the truck really earns. With 50 deadhead miles, the same $2,002.50 load pays about $2.86 for every mile driven.

A fuel surcharge is an extra amount, usually charged per mile, that covers changes in the price of diesel. It is normally set from a published fuel price index and agreed between the shipper, the broker and the carrier.

Accessorials are charges for services beyond the basic haul. Common ones are detention for waiting at a facility, lumper fees for loading or unloading, extra stops, layovers and tarping.

No. It adds up the numbers you enter. Market rates change by lane, season, equipment type and capacity, so use a current rate source for the per-mile figure.

Brokers compare what the shipper pays per mile with what the carrier is paid per mile. The difference, across the miles of the load, is the broker's gross margin.

Raise the density. Pack the freight more tightly, use the smallest pallet and packaging that protects it, and avoid overhang and empty space. Then measure accurately, because carriers re-measure and re-class shipments that were described wrongly.