Accessorial charges calculator: turn the extra work on a load into invoice lines
Add each accessorial on a load, by the hour, by the count or as a flat amount, at the rates on your rate con. The calculator totals your accessorial pay and keeps reimbursements separate.
| Charge | Basis | Qty | Rate ($) | Pass-through | Line | Remove |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $125.00 | ||||||
| $0.00 | ||||||
| $0.00 | ||||||
| $75.00 | ||||||
| $75.00 | ||||||
| $0.00 | ||||||
| $280.00 |
Accessorial pay to invoice
$275.00
Plus $280.00 in reimbursements (pass-through). Total on the invoice: $555.00.
$275.00 in accessorial pay on one load, if the terms were on the rate con. Our dispatchers get those terms in writing before you accept, and our fee never touches the $280.00 in reimbursements.
Get my accessorials billedAccessorial charges are where a lot of a load's real pay hides. This calculator lists them the way an invoice does: each charge with its basis, quantity, rate and total, and the reimbursements in their own column so you can see what's pay and what's your money coming back. Change any line, add your own, and the totals update. Every rate is yours to enter, because there's no standard rate for any accessorial; it's whatever your rate con or the shipper's tariff says. Use the result link to keep a copy of each load's charges, or print it and attach it to the invoice so the broker can see how every line was worked out.
How it is calculated
Each line is one of three kinds:
- Per hour: hours × hourly rate. Detention and some driver assist work this way.
- Per count: count × rate. Stop-offs, extra pallets handled, or layover days.
- Flat: one fixed amount. TONU, liftgate, a flat driver-assist charge.
Lines marked pass-through, like a lumper you paid or tolls the broker reimburses, are added to the invoice total but kept out of accessorial pay. Totals are rounded to the cent.
Accessorial pay = sum of non-pass-through lines. Invoice total = accessorial pay + pass-through lines.
A worked example
One load's extrasExample
- 2.5 hDetention at $50/hr after free time: $125.00
- 1 stopStop-off at $75: $75.00
- FlatDriver assist at the receiver: $75.00
- ReceiptLumper reimbursed: $280.00 (pass-through)
- TOTAL$275.00 accessorial pay plus $280.00 reimbursed, $555.00 on the invoice
Those rates are examples. Replace them with the ones on your own rate con.
Trucking accessorial charges at a glance
| Charge | What triggers it | Usual basis | Proof |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detention | Held past free time at a shipper or receiver | Per hour | Check-in and release times, notice to broker |
| Layover | Pickup or delivery pushed to another day | Per day | Written reschedule |
| TONU | Load cancelled after dispatch | Flat | Cancellation in writing |
| Driver assist | Driver helps load or unload | Flat or per hour | Note on BOL or POD |
| Stop-off | Each extra pickup or drop | Per stop | Signed paperwork at each stop |
| Liftgate | Delivery without a dock | Flat | Rate con line, POD |
| Inside or residential | Delivery past the door or to a home | Flat | Rate con line, POD |
| Lumper | Required paid unloading | Reimbursement | Lumper receipt |
Accessorials in freight are agreed load by load, so the same charge can pay very differently between two brokers. That's a good reason to compare the terms, not just the rate per mile, before you accept.
What the numbers mean
The accessorial pay figure is what the load should earn beyond linehaul if every charge was agreed and every proof is in hand. The pass-through figure is money you already spent and should get back in full. If you work with a dispatcher, check which of the two the fee applies to; it should never be charged on reimbursements. You can compare fee structures with the dispatcher fee calculator, and see how ours is charged on the dispatch pricing page.
For a full list of accessorials, what triggers each one and what proves it, read our guide to accessorial charges. Port and ocean freight carry their own charges, like terminal handling; see THC freight charges (coming soon) if those show up on your paperwork. For time-based charges alone, the detention pay calculator shows the minute-by-minute math.
Tips before you invoice
- Match every line to a term on the rate con. If it isn't there, ask the broker in writing before you bill it.
- Attach the proof to the invoice, not in a separate email later.
- Keep reimbursements on their own lines so nobody mistakes them for income.
- Send it soon after delivery; some brokers set deadlines for accessorial claims.
We put accessorial terms on the rate con before you accept each load, and file the claims with the proof attached. Send an application, and you approve every load.