Short answer: Freight charges are everything you pay to move a shipment. On a U.S. truck freight bill they usually come in three layers: the line haul (the base cost of moving the freight from origin to destination), the fuel surcharge (an adjustment tied to the weekly diesel price), and accessorial charges (fees for extra services like a liftgate, an appointment or waiting time). For LTL shipments, weight and freight class drive the line haul; for full truckloads, distance and the lane do.
If a freight invoice has ever come in higher than the quote, it was almost always one of those three layers that moved. This guide breaks down each charge, shows how they differ between full truckload and LTL, explains who pays under different freight terms, and covers what to do when a bill looks wrong.
The three parts of a freight charge
| Charge | What it covers | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Line haul | Moving the freight from pickup to delivery | Distance, lane, equipment, market rates; for LTL also weight and freight class |
| Fuel surcharge | The carrier's fuel cost above a baseline | The weekly U.S. average diesel price published by the EIA |
| Accessorial charges | Services beyond a standard dock-to-dock move | What the shipment needs: liftgate, residential or limited-access delivery, appointments, inside delivery, waiting time |
Line haul: the base rate
The line haul is the core price for moving your freight. How it's calculated depends on the mode.
Full truckload (FTL). You're buying the whole trailer, so carriers price by the trip, usually quoted per mile or as a flat rate for the lane. Weight matters less as long as you stay within legal limits. The market moves this number a lot: for the week of October 24 to 30, 2026, DAT reported an average van spot linehaul rate of $2.23 a mile, about a third higher than a year earlier (The Trucker).
Less-than-truckload (LTL). You're sharing a trailer, so carriers price by weight (often per hundred pounds, called "cwt"), distance and freight class. Freight class runs from 50 to 500, and lower-density freight gets a higher class and a higher rate. Most LTL rates start from a carrier's base tariff with a discount applied, and every shipment has a minimum charge. Our freight class and NMFC guide explains how class is set.
Fuel surcharge
Almost every carrier adds a fuel surcharge that rises and falls with diesel. It's usually tied to the U.S. on-highway diesel average the Energy Information Administration publishes every week, using a table or formula in the carrier's tariff or your contract. For truckload it's often a cents-per-mile figure; for LTL it's usually a percentage of the line haul.
It matters a lot right now. The U.S. average diesel price was $6.292 a gallon on November 2, 2026, about $2.54 higher than a year earlier (EIA). Our guide to the fuel surcharge in trucking shows how the math works.
Accessorial charges
Accessorials are fees for anything beyond a standard pickup and delivery at a business with a dock. They're where most invoice surprises come from, because they're often added after the fact when the driver finds out the delivery needs something extra.
The common ones:
Liftgate. For a pickup or delivery without a dock, where the truck needs a hydraulic lift to lower freight to the ground.
Residential or limited-access delivery. For homes, schools, churches, construction sites, storage units and other locations that are harder for a truck to reach.
Appointment or notify before delivery. When the carrier must schedule delivery or call ahead.
Inside delivery. When freight goes beyond the dock door or the first room.
Detention. Waiting time beyond the free time allowed at pickup or delivery.
Reweigh and reclass. When the carrier finds the weight or class on the bill of lading was wrong and corrects it, usually upward.
Prices vary a lot by carrier. In current LTL tariffs, a liftgate delivery runs from a $75 minimum at Estes to a $200 minimum at TForce Freight, and that's before the per-hundred-pound part of the charge. We track the published rates side by side in our LTL accessorial fee index, and our accessorial charges guide explains each fee in detail.
FTL vs LTL: how the bill looks different
A truckload bill is usually short: line haul, fuel surcharge, and maybe detention or a stop-off charge. An LTL bill tends to have more lines, because LTL pricing is built from weight, class, discounts, minimums and a longer list of possible accessorials.
That's also why LTL bills change more often after delivery. If you want to know why an LTL invoice came in above the quote, see why your LTL invoice is higher than the quote. For help choosing between the two modes, see our FTL vs LTL comparison.
Who pays the freight charges
The freight terms on the bill of lading decide who gets the bill.
Prepaid. The shipper pays the carrier (or broker) and may add the cost to the customer's invoice.
Collect. The consignee pays on delivery or on a credit account.
Third-party billing. Someone else, often a broker or a logistics company, receives and pays the bill.
Freight terms are separate from who owns the goods in transit, which is set by the sales terms such as FOB. Our guide to FOB shipping point vs FOB destination explains how the two fit together.
How to keep freight charges in check
Describe the freight accurately. Correct weight, dimensions, pallet count and freight class on the bill of lading prevent reweigh and reclass charges.
Tell the carrier about delivery conditions up front. If the delivery is residential, has no dock, or needs an appointment, include it when you get the quote, not after.
Watch fuel. With diesel above $6, the fuel surcharge can be a big share of the bill; check that it matches the agreed table.
Respect free time. Load and unload on schedule, and make sure detention terms are clear before the truck arrives.
Compare like with like. When you compare quotes, compare the total with fuel and expected accessorials, not just the line haul.
Book earlier in a tight market. Last-minute loads go to the spot market, where prices are highest.
What to do if a freight bill looks wrong
Start with the paperwork: compare the bill against the quote, the bill of lading and the delivery receipt. Most disputes come down to a weight or class correction, an accessorial nobody expected, or a fuel surcharge that doesn't match the agreed table. Ask the carrier or broker for the inspection or reweigh certificate if they changed weight or class.
Don't sit on it. Under federal law, a shipper must contest an original or later freight bill within 180 days of receiving it to keep the right to contest the charges (49 U.S.C. 13710). Many carrier tariffs set shorter deadlines for disputes, so check yours.
Frequently asked questions
What are freight charges?
Freight charges are the total cost of moving a shipment: the line haul, the fuel surcharge and any accessorial charges for extra services. Who pays them depends on the freight terms, such as prepaid or collect.
What is the difference between freight charges and freight rates?
The freight rate is the price per unit, such as dollars per mile for a truckload or per hundred pounds for LTL. Freight charges are the total you actually pay once the rate is applied and fuel and accessorials are added.
Why is my freight bill higher than the quote?
Usually because of a reweigh or reclass, an accessorial the quote didn't include (like a liftgate or residential delivery), detention, or a change in the fuel surcharge.
How are LTL freight charges calculated?
LTL charges start from the carrier's rate for the shipment's weight, distance and freight class, usually with a discount and a minimum charge, then add the fuel surcharge and any accessorials.
How long do I have to dispute a freight bill?
Federal law gives shippers 180 days from receiving a bill to contest it and keep the right to do so. Carrier tariffs and contracts may set shorter dispute windows, so check your terms.
Want a quote that shows the full cost up front, with fuel and accessorials included? Request a quote and tell us about your shipment.
Cover photo: Kindel Media on Pexels.
