If i get paid for percentage of a load....

Let's look at some numbers:

If a load is paying $2/mile + $1/mile FSC for a 250 mile trip:

The truck makes $500 on the rate, and $250 on the FSC.

If the driver is making 23%, he gets 23% of $500...or $115.

If the truck averages 6 mpg, loaded 1-way empty return (500 mile round trip), 83.333 gallons were burned round-trip...and at $3.759/gallon, that's $313.25 in fuel.

If the driver of the truck is paid a percentage AFTER fuel...

$500 rate + $250 FSC = $750
$750 - $313.25 = $436.75
28% of $436.75 is $122.29

If the driver has a lead foot and only gets 5.5 mpg, 90.909 gallons of fuel are burned for a fuel expense of $375.90.

$750 - $341.73 = $408.27
28% of $408.27 = $114.32

However...if the driver does what he can to save fuel and bumps the mileage up to 6.5 mpg, fuel consumption is reduced to 76.923 gallons for a fuel expense of $289.15.

$750 - $289.15 = $460.85
28% of $460.85 = $129.04


Granted those figures are based upon a hypothetical short-haul situation, however you can see that the 23% vs. 28% numbers are pretty close. Either way COULD potentially work to the driver's benefit...just as either way COULD see the driver on the short end of the stick. It all depends upon the fuel surcharge and the ability of the driver to get decent fuel mileage in the truck he's driving.

Exactly. If you aren't paying for the fuel, the fuel surcharge should not be considered as part of the "gross" your percentage is taken from.