Live tracker
Reefer Fuel Surcharge Tracker
Live reefer fuel surcharge for LTL and FTL refrigerated freight — composite percentage and per-loaded-mile, both tied to this week's EIA on-highway diesel price.
Reefer LTL FSC
60.0%
composite, on line-haul
Reefer FTL spot
$0.90
per loaded mile
EIA diesel
$6.13
/gal · 2026-11-09
Next update: Monday 16 November, based on the EIA diesel price for the week of 9 November.
Recomputed when EIA publishes the new weekly diesel price.
Every fuel surcharge we track, this week
EIA week of Nov 9, 2026 · national diesel $6.13/gal
| Carrier / service | This week |
|---|---|
| UPS Ground View → | See UPS |
| FedEx Ground View → | See FedEx |
| LTL dry van (composite) View → | 54.00% ▼ down 1.60 from last week |
| Reefer LTL (composite) This page | 60.00% → unchanged from last week |
| Reefer FTL ($/loaded mile) This page | $0.90 ▼ down $0.03 from last week |
UPS and FedEx Ground percentages are shown only from the carriers’ own published tables; otherwise follow the link for this week’s rate on the carrier’s page. LTL and reefer figures are CargoTools composites derived from the same EIA diesel price — see each page for the method.
The LTL dry-van composite (10 × diesel − 7.3) is a CargoTools estimate fitted to published carrier tables, updated October 2026: Old Dominion 53.32% and Estes 56.8% at $6.276, Saia 42.1% at $4.796 (as published by OilPriceAPI). Earlier weeks are recomputed with the same formula.
This is a free calculator and it can make mistakes. Always confirm with your carrier before you ship.
Reefer vs dry van fuel surcharge
How reefer fuel surcharge is calculated
A reefer trailer carries two diesel-fueled engines: the tractor pulling the load and the refrigeration unit on the trailer. The reefer unit burns roughly 0.5–0.9 gallons of diesel per hour at typical set points (33–38°F for produce, 0°F for frozen), which is why reefer fuel surcharges run higher than dry-van.
Reefer LTL composite (this site):
Reefer FSC % = Dry-van LTL FSC + 6.5 percentage points
Reefer FTL spot ($/loaded mile):
$ / mile = (EIA diesel − $1.20 baseline) ÷ 5.5
Dry-van LTL composite (this site): 10 × EIA diesel ($/gal) − 7.3, rounded to 0.1, never below 0. It is a CargoTools estimate fitted to these published carrier tables, updated October 2026: Old Dominion 53.32% at $6.276 (EIA week of 10/19/2026); Estes 56.8% at $6.276 (its table’s Note A: 44.1% at $5.00, +0.1% per cent; PDF dated 27 Mar 2026); Saia 42.1% at $4.796 (effective July 15, 2026, as published by OilPriceAPI from Saia’s schedule).
These are industry-typical composites, not specific carrier tables. Always verify against the published reefer FSC table on your carrier contract — major reefer carriers (CRST, KLLM, FFE Transportation, C.R. England) each publish their own.
What this costs you per load
On a $400 reefer LTL line-haul
$240.00
in fuel surcharge alone
On a 600-mile reefer FTL
$540.00
in fuel surcharge ($0.90/loaded mile × 600)
When does reefer FSC apply?
- ✓Any continuous-cool load — produce, dairy, meat, frozen, pharmaceuticals where the unit must hold a temperature window.
- ✓Pre-cool time at pickup — the reefer unit must run before loading, billed by most reefer carriers.
- ✓Detention with unit running — if the trailer waits at receiver and the unit stays on to maintain temp, the FSC clock keeps running.
- ✗Vent-only loads — protect from freeze with no temperature spec: typically dry-van FSC, not reefer.
- ✗Empty repositioning — empty miles after delivery don't carry reefer FSC unless contract says otherwise.
Audit your reefer invoice
Carrier overcharges on reefer FSC happen most often when (1) the wrong diesel-week table was applied or (2) reefer FSC was billed on a vent-only load. Run the line items through our auditor.
Related
Dry-van Fuel Surcharge Tracker →
UPS, FedEx, and LTL composite for non-refrigerated freight.
Monthly Freight Report →
Diesel, FSC, and border waits — published the 1st of every month.
Freight Class Calculator →
NMFC class for any LTL shipment, including reefer.
Parcel vs LTL Breakeven →
When does it make sense to pivot from parcel to LTL.