How do I find the current EIA diesel price to use with my FSC schedule?

The U.S. Energy Information Administration publishes the national average retail diesel price on its website each Monday for the prior week. Search for "EIA weekly diesel prices" and look for the "U.S. On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices" table. The most commonly used figure is the national average. Regional averages (Midwest, East Coast, West Coast, Gulf Coast, etc.) are also published on the same page for schedules that specify a regional index. The EIA update schedule typically posts Monday mornings, with the effective date for most FSC schedules running from Monday or Tuesday of the current week through the following Sunday. Bookmark the EIA page and check it each Monday to know what the applicable FSC rate will be for loads dispatched that week.

What happens if the broker pays the wrong FSC amount on my invoice?

Contact the broker's accounts payable department in writing with the correct calculation: cite the EIA index for the applicable week, the per-mile FSC from the schedule, the mileage figure used, and the correct total. Attach the rate confirmation and the FSC schedule if you have it. Most FSC discrepancies are data entry errors or wrong-week calculations and are resolved with a simple correction. If the broker disputes the calculation, ask them to show their math. If they claim a different diesel price applies, compare their source to the EIA published figure for the same week. Keep documentation of all FSC calculations — if disputes are recurring, consider adding a weekly FSC verification step to your invoicing process before billing.

Can a shipper or broker change the FSC schedule during a load?

The FSC amount is typically locked at the time the rate confirmation is issued and signed. If the rate confirmation specifies a fixed FSC amount (e.g., "$0.18/mile") or references the applicable week's rate, that amount controls regardless of fuel price movements between booking and delivery. If the rate confirmation only references the FSC schedule without locking a rate, there may be ambiguity about which week's rate applies if the load spans a pricing update. Read the payment terms section of the rate confirmation carefully. If it is ambiguous, clarify in writing with the broker before dispatch — a written email confirming the applicable FSC rate creates the documentation you need if the invoice is disputed at settlement.

How to Read a Fuel Surcharge Schedule

Q: What is the difference between a fuel surcharge schedule and an all-in rate?

A fuel surcharge schedule separates the linehaul and fuel components. The carrier receives a linehaul rate that does not change with diesel prices, plus a separate per-mile fuel surcharge that adjusts weekly based on a diesel price index. The all-in rate bundles both into a single number. Neither approach changes the total dollars earned on a specific week's load, but they affect how the carrier's revenue responds to fuel price movements. With a separate FSC, rising diesel automatically increases the total pay; with an all-in quote, the carrier must renegotiate to capture fuel price increases. For carriers running on a fuel surcharge schedule with a regular shipper, tracking the weekly index is essential to verifying that each invoice matches the correct FSC amount.

Fuel surcharge schedules are one of the most commonly misread documents in trucking. Carriers verify the linehaul rate on a rate confirmation but rarely verify that the FSC line item matches the schedule for the week in question. The math is straightforward once you know where to find the diesel price, how to locate your rate in the table, and how to calculate the total. Getting it wrong — in either direction — means leaving money on the table or letting payment errors go uncorrected.

Step 1: Identify which diesel price index the schedule uses

The most common reference is the EIA national average retail on-highway diesel price, published weekly on Monday mornings. Some schedules use a regional EIA index, and a few use other published benchmarks. The index specification is usually in the header or footnotes of the FSC schedule document. If you are working from a rate confirmation that references a fuel surcharge schedule but does not show the FSC amount, ask the broker which index and which week's price applies before dispatch.

Step 2: Find the current week's diesel price and locate your rate in the table

Pull the current week's EIA diesel price for the applicable index. FSC tables are organized as price range rows — find the row where the current diesel price falls and read the FSC rate from the adjacent column. That rate is typically expressed as cents per mile or as a percentage of linehaul.

Most FSC schedules specify an effective date range — loads picked up during a specific week use the FSC from the diesel price published on or before that week's effective date. Confirm the effective date applies to your load's pickup date, not the delivery date or invoice date.

Step 3: Calculate the FSC dollar amount for your load

Multiply the per-mile FSC rate by the applicable mileage. Confirm whether the rate confirmation applies FSC to practical miles, loaded miles, or a fixed figure. If the rate confirmation shows an FSC line item that differs from your calculation, flag it before delivery. Example: $0.21/mile × 480 miles = $100.80 FSC. If the rate confirmation shows $84.00, the mileage used may be 400 rather than 480 — check the mileage basis before submitting the invoice.

Step 4: Confirm when the FSC updates and whether it is locked on the rate confirmation

Rate confirmations issued before a Monday FSC update will reference the prior week's rate. If the rate confirmation explicitly states the FSC amount, that amount controls. If it only references the schedule without a locked amount, and the load picks up after the schedule updates, the new rate applies. Loads that span a pricing update period — picked up before Monday, delivered after — are governed by the pickup date's rate in most agreements, but confirm with the broker if the rate confirmation is silent.

Step 5: Compare total freight pay when evaluating offers

Always evaluate total pay — linehaul plus FSC — not the linehaul alone. A broker quoting $1,300 linehaul with a $0.19/mile FSC on 520 miles pays $1,300 + $98.80 = $1,398.80 total. A broker quoting $1,450 all-in pays $1,450. If you compare only the linehauls, the first offer looks $150 lower when it is actually $51.20 lower. The arithmetic is simple but the mistake is common, especially when comparing offers from brokers with different quoting conventions.

Common questions

What is the difference between a fuel surcharge schedule and an all-in rate?

A fuel surcharge schedule shows linehaul and fuel cost as separate line items, with the fuel component adjusting weekly to reflect diesel price changes. An all-in rate bundles both into one number. With a separate FSC, rising diesel automatically increases your total pay through the schedule adjustment. With an all-in rate, fuel price increases are absorbed into your margin unless you renegotiate. For loads with a regular shipper on a contract, the FSC schedule protects the carrier from fuel volatility; for spot loads, all-in rates require the carrier to price fuel exposure into the quoted number.

How do I find the current EIA diesel price?

Search for "EIA weekly diesel prices" and navigate to the EIA On-Highway Diesel Fuel Prices page. The national average and regional averages are published each Monday for the prior week's data. The national average is the most commonly referenced figure. Regional averages (Midwest, East Coast, West Coast, etc.) are listed on the same page and apply to rate confirmations that specify a regional index rather than the national benchmark.

What do I do if the broker pays the wrong FSC amount?

Contact the broker in writing with the correct calculation: cite the EIA price for the applicable week, the schedule rate for that price range, the mileage used, and the correct total. Attach the rate confirmation and FSC schedule. Most discrepancies are calculation errors and resolve quickly. If the broker disputes the index or the applicable week, compare documentation. Keep a weekly log of EIA prices and the FSC calculations for each load so you have a clear record when reconciling invoices.

Can the FSC amount change between booking and delivery?

If the rate confirmation specifies a fixed FSC amount, it is locked regardless of fuel price movements. If the rate confirmation only references the schedule, the rate in effect at pickup typically controls. Loads crossing a Monday update boundary may fall into a gray area if the rate confirmation is silent on the effective date — confirm with the broker in writing before dispatch so there is no ambiguity when you submit the invoice.