Loading calculators...
Fetching calculator categories and tools for this section.
Preparing tools and content for you. This usually takes a second.
Fetching calculator categories and tools for this section.
Quick answer
Freight cost = linehaul + fuel surcharge + accessorials + insurance. With September 28, 2026 diesel at $6.38/gal: two pallets (1,500 lb, 48×40×48 in) going 900 miles cost about $608 by LTL (class 85, $0.41/lb); a full dry-van truckload costs about $3.03 per mile all-in ($3,034 for 1,000 miles). LTL fuel surcharges are 51.9–60.4% of linehaul this week.
Enter weight, pallets and miles to price LTL and full truckload side by side, with freight class from density, the current fuel surcharge and accessorials. Carriers and brokers can switch tabs to calculate round-trip load margins and broker margin vs markup.
Last updated October 2, 2026. Free, no sign-up. Planning estimate, not a carrier quote. · LTL vs truckload · freight class from density
Use the mileage calculator for an exact route.
Include the pallet itself.
EIA average $6.38, September 28, 2026
LTL accessorials (typical 2026 cost)
Truckload equipment
Default rate = DAT national spot linehaul, September 20–26, 2026.
−20 = your negotiated discount; +15 = premium carrier.
Ask your insurer; 0 value = no coverage.
LTL (less than truckload)
Cheaper by $2,123$608
$40.52/cwt · $0.41/lb · ~3 business days
| Linehaul ($25.76/cwt × 15 cwt) | $386 |
| Fuel surcharge (57.3% of linehaul) | $221 |
| Total | $608 |
Full truckload (dry van)
$2,730
$3.03/mile all-in · $1.82/lb · ~2 days
| Dry van linehaul ($2.17/mile × 900 mi) | $1,953 |
| Fuel surcharge (($6.38 − $1.20) ÷ 6 mpg = $0.86/mile) | $777 |
| Total | $2,730 |
Volume
106.7 ft³
Density
14.1 lb/ft³
Freight class
85
2025 NMFC density scale
LTL per pallet
$304
Planning estimate from public market benchmarks — not a carrier quote. Real rates vary by lane, carrier, season and your contract.
Freight cost is the total price to move goods by truck, rail, air or ocean — not the price of the goods. For ground freight it equals the base linehaul charge (set by weight, distance and freight class for LTL, or miles for a full truckload) plus a fuel surcharge, accessorial fees such as liftgate or residential delivery, and optional cargo insurance.
For the example above: 2 pallets at 48×40×48 in = 106.7 ft³, so density is 14.1 lb/ft³ — class 85. LTL linehaul is about $25.76 per 100 lb × 15 cwt = $386, plus a 57.3% fuel surcharge ($221) = $608. The same freight in a dedicated dry van would cost 900 × ($2.17 + $0.86 fuel) = $2,730, so LTL wins by $2,123.
DAT national average broker-to-carrier spot rates for September 20–26, 2026. The fuel column uses (EIA diesel $6.38 − $1.20) ÷ mpg (6 van, 5.5 reefer, 5 flatbed). Contract van linehaul averaged $2.41 in August 2026.
| Equipment | Linehaul /mile | Fuel /mile (this week) | All-in /mile (calculated) | DAT all-in (prior week fuel) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dry van | $2.17 | $0.86 | $3.03 | $3.01 |
| Reefer | $2.71 | $0.94 | $3.65 | $3.63 |
| Flatbed | $2.59 | $1.04 | $3.63 | $3.60 |
Linehaul plus fuel surcharge at national spot rates, before tolls and accessorials. Contract freight and busy lanes can differ by 20% or more.
| Distance | Dry van | Reefer | Flatbed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 mi | $303 | $365 | $363 |
| 250 mi | $758 | $913 | $907 |
| 500 mi | $1,517 | $1,826 | $1,813 |
| 750 mi | $2,275 | $2,739 | $2,720 |
| 1,000 mi | $3,034 | $3,652 | $3,626 |
| 1,500 mi | $4,551 | $5,478 | $5,440 |
| 2,000 mi | $6,067 | $7,304 | $7,253 |
| 2,500 mi | $7,584 | $9,130 | $9,066 |
| 3,000 mi | $9,101 | $10,957 | $10,879 |
Estimated all-in LTL cost including a 57.3% fuel surcharge, commercial dock to dock, no accessorials. Minimum charge assumed at $125 before fuel.
| Weight | 250 mi | 500 mi | 1,000 mi | 2,000 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500 lb | $197 | $202 | $282 | $421 |
| 1,000 lb | $262 | $339 | $474 | $708 |
| 1,500 lb | $355 | $460 | $642 | $960 |
| 2,500 lb | $521 | $675 | $942 | $1,408 |
| 5,000 lb | $876 | $1,135 | $1,585 | $2,368 |
| 10,000 lb | $1,474 | $1,908 | $2,665 | $3,983 |
1,000 lb shipped 1,000 miles, including fuel.
| Class | Total | Per lb |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | $302 | $0.30 |
| 55 | $327 | $0.33 |
| 60 | $353 | $0.35 |
| 65 | $377 | $0.38 |
| 70 | $402 | $0.40 |
| 85 | $474 | $0.47 |
| 92.5 | $509 | $0.51 |
| 100 | $544 | $0.54 |
| 125 | $658 | $0.66 |
| 175 | $876 | $0.88 |
| 250 | $1,186 | $1.19 |
| 300 | $1,385 | $1.38 |
| 400 | $1,768 | $1.77 |
13-tier scale from Docket 2025-1, effective July 19, 2025. Density in pounds per cubic foot, measured with the pallet.
| Density (lb/ft³) | Class |
|---|---|
| 50 or more | 50 |
| 35 to under 50 | 55 |
| 30 to under 35 | 60 |
| 22.5 to under 30 | 65 |
| 15 to under 22.5 | 70 |
| 12 to under 15 | 85 |
| 10 to under 12 | 92.5 |
| 8 to under 10 | 100 |
| 6 to under 8 | 125 |
| 4 to under 6 | 175 |
| 2 to under 4 | 250 |
| 1 to under 2 | 300 |
| Under 1 | 400 |
Percent of linehaul from each carrier’s published table (late September–early October 2026). A year earlier most were under 30%.
| Carrier | Fuel surcharge |
|---|---|
| TForce Freight | 60.4% |
| Saia | 59.6% |
| ABF Freight | 59.3% |
| Estes Express | 57.9% |
| XPO | 57.3% |
| Averitt Express | 55.9% |
| Old Dominion | 54.3% |
| Southeastern Freight Lines | 51.9% |
Typical charged range vs FedEx Freight’s undiscounted 2026 tariff.
| Service | Typical | FedEx list |
|---|---|---|
| Liftgate at pickup | $115–$185 | $207 |
| Liftgate at delivery | $115–$185 | $207 |
| Residential pickup or delivery | $150–$225 | $243 |
| Limited access (school, church, site) | $95–$155 | $229 |
| Inside delivery | $6–$12/cwt, $120–$135 min | $18.92/cwt, $200 min |
| Delivery appointment / notify | $50–$85 | — |
| Hazmat handling | $45–$75 | $68 |
A carrier’s profit depends on the whole loop, not one load. Margin = (outbound revenue + backhaul revenue − cost per mile × all miles − trip costs) ÷ revenue. Use cost per total mile, because empty miles cost the same as loaded ones.
Revenue $3,708 · cost $3,459
$248 (6.7%)
Break-even $2.88 per loaded mile
Revenue $3,612 · cost $3,459
$153 (4.2%)
Break-even $2.88 per loaded mile
Revenue $2,113 · cost $3,527
−$1,414 (-67.0%)
Break-even $5.43 per loaded mile
Cost basis: ATRI’s 2025 non-fuel cost of $1.85/mile plus diesel at $6.38 ÷ 7.43 mpg = $2.71/mile. Replace it with your own cost per mile in the Round-trip tab for a real bid worksheet.
ATRI 2025 average by line item, and the same costs with fuel repriced at today’s diesel.
| Cost item | 2025 (ATRI) | With current diesel |
|---|---|---|
| Driver wages | $0.82 | $0.82 |
| Fuel | $0.48 | $0.86 |
| Truck/trailer lease or purchase payments | $0.40 | $0.40 |
| Repair & maintenance | $0.22 | $0.22 |
| Driver benefits | $0.21 | $0.21 |
| Truck insurance premiums | $0.11 | $0.11 |
| Tires | $0.05 | $0.05 |
| Tolls | $0.04 | $0.04 |
| Permits & licenses | $0.01 | $0.01 |
| Total | $2.34 | $2.71 |
Price needed on a $2,000 carrier cost. Truckload brokers averaged roughly 12–15% gross margin in 2025.
| Margin | Markup | Shipper price |
|---|---|---|
| 5% | 5.3% | $2,105 |
| 8% | 8.7% | $2,174 |
| 10% | 11.1% | $2,222 |
| 12% | 13.6% | $2,273 |
| 15% | 17.6% | $2,353 |
| 18% | 22.0% | $2,439 |
| 20% | 25.0% | $2,500 |
| 25% | 33.3% | $2,667 |
| 30% | 42.9% | $2,857 |
Truckload fuel uses (diesel − $1.20) ÷ mpg, which reproduces DAT’s published all-in rates within one cent for all three equipment types. The LTL model is anchored to Old Dominion’s Q2 2026 yield (a 1,503 lb, 909-mile shipment ≈ $29.71/cwt before fuel) and scales by class, weight break and distance — an approximation of carrier tariffs, not a published rate. Every table on this page is generated by the same code as the calculator.
Need an exact class first? Use the freight class calculator. Freight broker, 3PL or TMS? We build branded freight quoting calculators.
Get Custom Calculator for Your BusinessSuggested hashtags: #Freight #Logistics #Trucking #Shipping #Calculator