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Freight Charges Explained: A Simple Guide with Real-Life Examples for Truckers

  • Writer: Loading Walla
    Loading Walla
  • Jun 25
  • 3 min read

 What Are Freight Charges?


Freight charges are the money paid to carry goods from one place to another. These costs include fuel, toll, loading/unloading, driver pay, and sometimes insurance or packing.

Smiling man in a checkered shirt driving a truck. Text on image: "Freight Charges Guide for Truck Drivers in India." Bright interior.
Example:
Ramesh has a 14-ton truck. He gets a booking to carry cement bags from Jaipur to Delhi (280 km). The client pays ₹9,800.
This amount includes: Diesel cost: ₹3,800 Driver’s day charge: ₹1,000 Toll and taxes: ₹600 Profit for Ramesh: ₹4,400That ₹9,800 is the freight charge.

How Are Freight Charges Calculated? (With Examples)


1. Distance-Based Charges

Example:
Freight rate is ₹35/km. If a load goes from Nagpur to Pune (700 km) →Freight charge = ₹35 × 700 = ₹24,500

2. Per Tonne or Per Load Basis

Example:
You’re offered ₹1,100 per tonne for carrying 20 tonnes of iron rods. Freight = 20 × ₹1,100 = ₹22,000

3. Full Truck Load (FTL) vs. Part Load (LTL)


  • FTL: You carry full load for one client.

  • LTL: You carry smaller loads for multiple clients.

Example:
Full truck from Kanpur to Lucknow pays ₹8,000.If you carry 3 small loads of ₹3,000 each on the same route, you earn ₹9,000 as part load.

🚛 Real-Life Example of Freight Calculation (Step-by-Step)


Suppose you get a booking:


  • From: Indore

  • To: Ahmedabad

  • Distance: 400 km

  • Load: 12 tonnes of rice

  • Rate offered: ₹900 per tonne

  • Diesel average: 4.5 km/l

  • Diesel price: ₹90/litre


Step 1: Calculate Basic Freight₹900 × 12 tonnes = ₹10,800


Step 2: Estimate Diesel Cost400 km ÷ 4.5 km/l = ~89 litres89 × ₹90 = ₹8,010


Step 3: Other Costs


  • Toll: ₹600

  • Driver food/charges: ₹400

  • Maintenance reserve: ₹300


Step 4: Final Profit Calculation


Freight received: ₹10,800Total cost: ₹8,010 + ₹600 + ₹400 + ₹300 = ₹9,310


Net profit = ₹10,800 - ₹9,310 = ₹1,490


So even though the load looked profitable, after all charges, your actual profit is only ₹1,490.

This is why understanding charges is very important.


Terms Explained with Simple Examples


FOB – Free On Board


If you carry goods from Surat to Delhi and the client says “FOB Surat,” it means you start charging from Surat, and they are not paying for loading or packing at their warehouse.

Accessorial Charges

Example:
If a client asks for delivery at night or at a mall basement where special permissions are needed, you can add ₹300–₹500 extra as accessorial charge.

Waiting Charges

Example:
If unloading is delayed by 3 hours, and your wait time policy is ₹150/hour after 1 free hour, you earn ₹300 extra (2×₹150).

Example: Using Government Benefits


Using FASTag for Toll Savings

Rajat drives daily from Bhiwadi to Noida. Using FASTag, he gets cashback of 2.5% on toll payments monthly.
His average toll = ₹6,000/month → Cashback = ₹150

PM Vishwakarma Loan for Mechanics

Manoj, a small truck mechanic in Bihar, applied under this scheme and got a loan of ₹1 lakh at only 5% interest. He now runs his own mini garage.

Bonus Tips with Practical Application


Avoid Empty Returns – Real Trick

A trucker from Mumbai to Indore uses WhatsApp load groups to book a return load of plastic crates from Indore to Nashik, earning ₹11,000 extra instead of coming empty.

Maintain a Rate Chart

Sunil keeps a notebook with standard rates per km based on truck type: 19 ft: ₹36/km 22 ft: ₹38/km. When a client asks for price, he gives a rate without delay, showing professionalism.

Latest Industry Update – June 2025


  • Diesel price increased by ₹2.20/litre last week – most freight rates have gone up by 7–8%.


  • Govt plans to make GPS tracking mandatory for long-haul goods trucks – penalty of ₹2,000 for trucks without tracking from Sept 2025.


  • New government portal "Bharat Freight Exchange" announced – will let truckers get verified leads online soon.


Final Words + CTA


Being in the truck and transport business is not easy, but with knowledge and planning, you can earn more and avoid losses. Start keeping records, calculate your costs properly, and don’t hesitate to ask for fair rates.

Looking for Trusted Loads with Good Rates? Use Loading Walla – India’s reliable load and truck booking platform.
✔ Get Confirmed Loads
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