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#60883 01/12/06 09:35 AM
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 197
L
Member
Wanted to touch on this again as fuel prices are rising. [like everything else]
We are discussing an across the board fuel surcharge. Is anyone els doing this? Flat charge? By the mile? By the invoice? Just looking for some ideas or alternatives.
Bill

#60884 01/12/06 09:57 AM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,064
D
Member
My trash company has just started this, charging a fuel surcharge. So i ask them, since fuel dropped from $3.30/gal to $2.20/gal, when will this go away?

I got the "duh, well, sometimes when,Duh, I really don't know....."

I'm starting to think if they can do it, why not us?


Dnk....

#60885 01/12/06 10:34 AM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 44
M
Member
All of my sub-contractors charge what is called a "temporary fuel surcharge" The surcharge is around $8.00-$10.00 per service call. This can add up fast for me as I may have several service calls a day for various trades. We are able to negociate this with them by having them charge us for one service call and fuel surcharge and we try to line up several calls so they only have to make one trip.

#60886 01/12/06 12:31 PM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
S
Member
Sorry guys, but this seems a bit too underhanded for my taste.

If fuel prices are rising, why not just up the total price you charge for a job instead of adding surcharges here and there? I would think it's normal that prices rise as the cost of doing business goes up.

When and IF the fuel price drops, then the rate you charge can drop in proportion, no?

No offense, but this has always kind of 1) riled me and 2) made me scratch my head in confusion.

#60887 01/12/06 02:38 PM
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 1,438
Member
The service company I work for charges a certain "service charge" just for starting the truck and going to a call. If we actually do the work, the service charge goes away (unless its an after hours call, then it's additional) but either way, my overhead is figured in... no matter what gas prices do.

#60888 01/12/06 04:55 PM
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 349
Member
To me, it kinda makes a difference on how you run your business. For example, if you generally figure all your costs for a job, then apply an overall markup to take care of overhead (OH) and prifit (P), then the anticipated or current cost of fuel can simply be figured into the project cost estimate (and marked up like everything else).

On the other hand, if you generally quote a billing labor rate, and add your material costs with a nominal markup, you can't very well have your labor billing rate bounce up and down every day, so maybe a fuel sur-charge is an acceptable way to go.

Different business models demand a different approach. What's your business model?

Radar


There are 10 types of people. Those who know binary, and those who don't.
#60889 01/12/06 05:27 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 680
W
Member
I charge .55 cents a mile but all my work is for oil companies [Linked Image]
The oil companies have a fuel surcharge for delivery of gas to the stations.

Every delivery company I do business with has a fuel surcharge, UPS changes daily it seems and they even post their formula at their locations and probaly on their website.

#60890 01/12/06 06:11 PM
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 1,064
D
Member
I like Svens idea....
It's simple...

Dnk...

#60891 01/12/06 11:09 PM
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 687
A
Member
I think it should be included in the cost of doing biz. I about fell out of my chair laughing when I ordered a crane not long ago from a place not far from the job. Guy on the phone said "$350 for an hour.... PLUS GAS".

Just seems better to include it in your price.

Tom

#60892 01/14/06 01:42 AM
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 200
U
Member
What I notice when I'm charged a fuel surcharge on a delivery, is that its usually not quoted. It just shows up on the bill like an extra sales tax.

[rant]
IMO its an underhanded technique that lets the cut-throat transport industry quote artificially low rates.

Why not have a driver surcharge, and truck surcharge, and a load/unload surcharge? Then quote FREE delivery!
[/rant]

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