Community Chat

[MorningLover]

(NEXSTAR) – Rising fuel prices may not only be causing pain at the pump – it could make shipping your packages more costly.

As gas prices remain higher, two companies are preparing to adjust their fuel surcharge for customers.

Starting on April 4, FedEx will raise its fuel surcharge for all three shipping services: Express, Ground, and Freight.

FedEx regularly reviews its fuel surcharge,” a statement shared with Nexstar reads. “This change will allow FedEx to provide customers the best service possible as rising fuel costs add to the cost to serve.”

The impact of fuel prices is largely the same for UPS.

“UPS updates its fuel surcharge periodically to reflect the changes in the cost we incur for fuel to serve our customers,” a UPS spokesperson told Nexstar. “Our delivery charges are competitive, and our customers choose UPS because we offer a broad range of shipping, tracking and customer-service solutions and industry-leading service.

The impact of these adjustments is included in the price we charge our customers.”  Fuel surcharges have been on the rise in recent weeks at UPS. The ground surcharge, for example, is 15.25%, up from 13% the week prior. For the week starting on March 28, the surcharge will drop to 15%.

UPS rolled out an updated post-sales ground fuel surcharge earlier this month, setting the rate at the highest seen in the last year.

Both carriers update their fuel surcharges each week based on new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

[millieshops]

Surcharges seem to be the way companies are coping with increased costs right now.   The only good part of that could be that increased cost could change faster if and when the cost of fuel goes down.

  In the meantime, we pay.  Last week I heard of 2 --  a $150 surcharge to ship a car (about 1500 miles), the other an extra $10 on the plumber's bill.

I'd like to say the high cost of gas is reducing traffic, but around me car, boat, and plane traffic is all up.  

[CelticCrafter]

Not a fuel surcharge but privately owned restaurants around here have starting adding a 3.75% surcharge to the bill if you pay with a credit card.

[MorningLover]

Cheaper with cash? Some local restaurants are charging customers more to pay with cards.

If you plan on eating out at local restaurants, you might want to stop at the ATM on the way. 

With food prices increasing and restaurants having to deal with higher costs and lower revenues, some local eateries are charging customers more for credit and debit card payments. 

[Kachina624]

How many of these surcharges do you think will be removed when the price of gas goes down?  My experience says, once you get a tax, it's with you forever. 

[Spurt]

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@Kachina624 wrote:

How many of these surcharges do you think will be removed when the price of gas goes down?  My experience says, once you get a tax, it's with you forever. 

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@Kachina624 

Yep a very good question......

[Spurt]

Instacart is adding 40 cents for fuel surcharge.....

I had to laugh reading UPS's statement, I just went through a hassle with them regarding paying extra for UPS Premium Service to have a 7 lb package delivered to my front door instead of our Condo Mail Center, but what did the UPS driver do---delivered it to the CONDO MAIL CENTER and NOT my front door which is what I paid EXTRA for!!!  I filed a complaint with UPS, called HQ and told them that I wanted the extra cost of premium delivery refunded they told me to get that through the VENDOR, why the VENDOR when it was the UPS DRIVER'S FAULT that didnt follow instructions on the label and on UPS MY CHOICE! ---😖 UPS CS is now as bad as USPS....YES THAT BAD lately!

[songbird]

I'm just relived that it's not Amazon.  I get very few packages that are from Fedex and UPS at least through Amazon.  As for Fedex and their "fine" service, last two times through them, they sent my package to the wrong address.

[BirkiLady]

@MorningLover   USPS rates also go up for packages next week. This was originally planned for January, 2022 but has been delayed.  IIRC packages over 22" in length will be charged a surcharge (apparently in addition to the  higher rates). Measure your packages very carefully!                                    

[DustRose]

Not surprised.