Accessorial Charges

At Shipping Discounts, we are often asked about accessorial charges – what they are and how much they cost. Accessorial charges are charges made for performing freight services beyond normal pick up, transport,  and delivery. These charges are usually billed as a flat fee. The following list includes common accessorial fees found on freight bills, yet is not fully comprehensive. These charges vary from carrier to carrier. Many of these fees may be included in the original freight quote, while some may not.

Lift gate – The use of a lift gate is necessary with heavy freight being loaded and unloaded in areas without a dock. See our blog post on lift gates.

Residential Pick Up/Delivery – Should the shipment need to be picked up or dropped off in a residential zone a fee will can be incurred.

Inside Pick Up/Delivery – Should the shipment need to picked up or dropped off inside of a location accessorial fees may be charged.

Waiting Time – When a driver experiences significant wait time for a shipment to be prepped or loaded a fee can be charged. This charge is based on the amount of time the driver had to wait.

Fuel Surcharges – Fuel surcharges can apply, especially for long hauls.

Storage Charges – If the shipment is stalled for any reason, or needs to sit with the carrier for a specific delivery date, a storage fee may be charged for taking up space on a dock or in a truck.

Notifications/Appointments – Charges can be incurred for notifying consignees of delivery.

Limited Access – This charge includes delivery points with limited access such as: schools, military bases, prisons, government buildings, etc.

Do Not Stack – This is a request on part of the shipper requesting that pallets or crates not be stacked on top of one another. This protects the goods while in transit, while also leaving more space in the trailer. The carrier cannot then fill the space with other shipments or goods.

Trade Show – Convention or trade show drop offs and deliveries can result in an extra fee.

Weekend Delivery – Weekend delivery is generally defined as a drop off occurring from 12am Saturday to 12am Monday.

Expedited Shipment – When needing a faster than normal shipment, fees will be charged.

Reconsignment - If while in transit, the vehicle is reconsigned to alternative location then the outbound rate per mile will be applied from point of original delivery to the new destination point.

Stop Offs – Stop offs are drop off points for the carrier to deliver portions of the load to multiple locations.