What is a reefer fuel surcharge?

A reefer fuel surcharge is the percentage (LTL) or per-loaded-mile fee (FTL) added to refrigerated freight to cover both line-haul diesel and the separate diesel burned by the trailer's refrigeration unit. The reefer unit consumes roughly 0.5-0.9 gallons of diesel per hour depending on set point and ambient temperature, which is why reefer FSC runs 5-8 percentage points higher than dry-van LTL FSC at the same diesel price.

How do I calculate reefer LTL fuel surcharge?

Take the dry-van LTL fuel surcharge from your carrier's published table for this week's EIA diesel price, then add 5-8 percentage points for the reefer unit's separate diesel burn. Major LTL reefer carriers publish a separate reefer FSC table — always verify against the table on your contract. Our tracker shows a composite reefer LTL FSC tied to the live EIA diesel index.

How do I calculate reefer FTL fuel surcharge per mile?

The industry rule of thumb is (current diesel price - $1.20 baseline) / 5.5 mpg loaded factor, returned as dollars per loaded mile. At $3.85 diesel that works out to roughly $0.48/loaded mile in reefer fuel surcharge on top of the line-haul rate. Spot reefer brokers typically quote between $0.40 and $0.65 per loaded mile depending on diesel volatility and lane direction.

Why is reefer fuel surcharge higher than dry van?

A reefer trailer's refrigeration unit runs on its own diesel-fueled engine, separate from the tractor. That second engine burns 0.5-0.9 gal/hr depending on set point. On a 600-mile run at 50 mph that's roughly 6-11 extra gallons of diesel per load. Carriers recover that cost by adding 5-8 percentage points (LTL) or $0.10-0.20 per loaded mile (FTL) on top of dry-van fuel surcharge.

When does reefer fuel surcharge apply?

Reefer FSC applies any time the trailer's refrigeration unit is running — which includes pre-cooling at pickup, all transit time, and any waiting time at delivery if the unit must stay on. Pure protect-from-freeze loads and loads where the unit is set to vent only typically use dry-van FSC. Carriers' tariffs spell out the exact triggers; verify on your contract.

Can I dispute a reefer fuel surcharge on my invoice?

Yes. Common disputes: (1) carrier billed reefer FSC on a load that didn't actually require refrigeration, (2) carrier billed using the wrong diesel-week table, or (3) carrier exceeded their published table. Compare the FSC on your invoice against the carrier's published table and the EIA diesel price for the week of pickup. Use our FSC Auditor to confirm.

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

51.9%

composite, on line-haul

Reefer FTL spot

$0.75

per loaded mile

EIA diesel

$5.35

/gal · 2026-04-27

Reefer vs dry van fuel surcharge

Mode	Current FSC	Note
Dry-van LTL composite	45.4%	OD/XPO/Saia/Estes blend
Reefer LTL composite	51.9%	+6.5 pts for reefer unit diesel
UPS Ground (parcel)	24.00%	no reefer parcel mode
FedEx Ground (parcel)	24.50%	no reefer parcel mode

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

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

$207.60

in fuel surcharge alone

On a 600-mile reefer FTL

$450.00

in fuel surcharge ($0.75/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.

FSC Auditor → Invoice Checker →

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.

Reefer vs dry van fuel surcharge

How reefer fuel surcharge is calculated

What this costs you per load

When does reefer FSC apply?

Audit your reefer invoice

Related