Hourly Fuel Surcharge

Discussion in 'Ask An Owner Operator' started by Caterpillar Cowboy, Mar 5, 2011.

  1. Mar 5, 2011 #1
    Caterpillar Cowboy

    Caterpillar Cowboy Heavy Load Member

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    Hello, A bit of background we have (for now) a 07 T800 Dump Truck and a 3 axle Trailmax equipment trailer. We do all of our work fairly local and in the excavation world, so we charge hourly instead of per mile. With the prices of fuel the way they are, I'm trying to figrue out a fuel surcharge system, but am having a hard time figuring out a way to do so for trucks on a hourly rate. Any suggestions?
     
    Caterpillar Cowboy, Mar 5, 2011
    Caterpillar Cowboy, Mar 5, 2011
    #1
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  3. Mar 5, 2011 #2
    rjones56

    rjones56 Heavy Load Member

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    You`re probably better off adjusting your rates per job as the fuel increases.
     
    rjones56, Mar 5, 2011
    rjones56, Mar 5, 2011
    #2
  4. Mar 5, 2011 #3
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Yeah, I was a company driver for various dirt movers in S.Ca. over the years. When fuel started going up, they just raised the hourly rates to adjust. However, all the companies have to agree to do this, which can be a problem, as you know. Even tho it's to their advantage, some cuthroats will underbid to try to get the job.
     
    Allow Me., Mar 5, 2011
    Allow Me., Mar 5, 2011
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  5. Mar 5, 2011 #4
    Caterpillar Cowboy

    Caterpillar Cowboy Heavy Load Member

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    Cutthroats? What are those? :smt027 That was kinda the plan to run a hourly fuel surcharge was to try to keep our rates where they should really be at compared to their shenanigans :evil3: . If things keep going the way that they are then its starting to look like we may have to be adjusting our rates monthly, which really screws up our dirt guys's estimating on their jobs several months out. Say that I scrap the fuel surcharge idea have any of you got a truck cost calculator formula or sheet / spread sheet any information on calculating rates. I have one refrence but I feel I'd be able to do a better job figuring it with a couple different sources...

    Thanks
     
    Caterpillar Cowboy, Mar 5, 2011
    Caterpillar Cowboy, Mar 5, 2011
    #4
  7. Mar 5, 2011 #5
    Caterpillar Cowboy

    Caterpillar Cowboy Heavy Load Member

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    On a side note from experience, do any of you know of a good way to run the cutthroat truckers out of town? Or at least out of trucking?:smt068
     
    Caterpillar Cowboy, Mar 5, 2011
    Caterpillar Cowboy, Mar 5, 2011
    #5
  8. Mar 5, 2011 #6
    Allow Me.

    Allow Me. Trucker Forum STAFF Staff Member

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    Ah, the "old estimating a job months in advance" routine. Ya' gotta love it, right ? You bid with todays fuel prices and, bamm, 7 months later fuel is up 70 cents a gallon. Yikes, now what ? Do the job for the original bid or sweetalk the contractor into a higher rate. (not likely). BTW, I've never seen a contractor older than 45. They die from stress and heart attacks, because they're so dang tight. They cry about minutes, literally, with their load counters checking trucks. One contractor cried when I told him I stopped to take a wee-wee, he said to wee-wee in a cup while driving. I said, sign me out.
     
    Allow Me., Mar 5, 2011
    Allow Me., Mar 5, 2011
    #6
  9. Mar 7, 2011 #7
    rjones56

    rjones56 Heavy Load Member

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    Most of the average sized companies in my area will only give a 30 day estimate.
     
    rjones56, Mar 7, 2011
    rjones56, Mar 7, 2011
    #7
  10. Mar 8, 2011 #8
    Donk

    Donk Have a Cup Of Concrete

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    fuels surcharge on hourly jobs should be set at a % based upon cost of fuel, and be written into a quote as a sliding scale based upon a govt source for average fuel prices.

    that way your covered when the fuel has gone up, and you still get your rate.
     
    Donk, Mar 8, 2011
    Donk, Mar 8, 2011
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