Finance Fuel Surcharges
What is the Fuel Surcharges Page?
The Fuel Surcharges page allows you to manage carrier fuel surcharge percentages used when calculating shipping costs.
Many carriers apply fuel surcharges that fluctuate over time based on fuel costs. Rather than manually calculating these charges for every shipment, Pimento allows surcharge percentages to be configured and maintained centrally.
The page displays:
Carrier name
Current fuel surcharge percentage
Last update information
Available actions
This ensures shipping charges remain aligned with the latest carrier pricing.
Why are Fuel Surcharges Used?
Fuel surcharges help carriers recover fluctuating fuel costs.
Instead of constantly changing shipping prices, carriers often:
Publish a base shipping rate
Apply a fuel surcharge percentage separately
This allows shipping costs to increase or decrease as fuel prices change.
Updating a Fuel Surcharge
To update a surcharge:
Navigate to Finance → Fuel Surcharges
Locate the carrier
Select Edit
Enter the updated surcharge percentage
Save your changes
Once updated, future shipping calculations will use the new percentage.
Working Out the Fuel Surcharge
Fuel surcharges are normally calculated as a percentage of the shipping cost.
Example:
Shipping Cost = £10.00
Fuel Surcharge = 8%
Fuel Charge = £10.00 × 8%
Fuel Charge = £0.80
Total Shipping Cost = £10.80
Pimento performs these calculations automatically once the surcharge has been configured.
When Should Fuel Surcharges Be Updated?
Fuel surcharges should generally be updated whenever:
• A carrier publishes new surcharge rates
• Shipping contracts are updated
• Carrier pricing reviews occur
Many organisations review fuel surcharges monthly.
Important Notes
Fuel surcharges affect shipping costs only.
Different carriers may have different surcharge percentages.
Changes only affect future calculations.
Always verify surcharge information against carrier documentation.
FAQs
Do all carriers use fuel surcharges?
No. This depends on the carrier and service being used.
How often should surcharges be updated?
Typically whenever a carrier publishes updated fuel rates.
Are fuel surcharges added automatically?
Yes. Once configured, calculations are performed automatically.
Can different carriers have different fuel surcharges?
Yes. Each carrier can have its own surcharge percentage.
