In this article, you will learn how to add accessorial charges to a rate table. Accessorial Charges are supplemental fees that can be configured independently and then applied to one or more rate tables. They cover costs beyond the standard base rate and modifiers, such as fuel surcharges, wait time fees, and taxes.
Accessorial Charges are managed from their own tab on the Rates and Fees page. Each charge is created and configured separately, then selected within a rate table to be applied to orders using that table.
This article will cover:
- Creating an Accessorial Charge
- Fuel Surcharge
- Wait Time
- Tax
- Adding Accessorial Charges to a Rate Table
- Viewing Accessorial Charges on Orders
- Deleting an Accessorial Charge
Creating an Accessorial Charge
To create a new accessorial charge, navigate to the "Accessorial Charges" tab and select "Create New." Configure the following fields:
- Name: An internal name for the accessorial charge.
- Description: An optional description to help distinguish this charge from others.
- Type: Select the type of charge: Fuel Surcharge, Wait Time, or Tax. Each type has its own configuration options, described below.
Note: Accessorial charges do not have their own currency field. They inherit the currency from the rate table they are applied to.
Fuel Surcharge
A Fuel Surcharge allows couriers to automatically apply a surcharge to cover fuel costs. When creating a fuel surcharge, select one of two calculation methods:
Percentage-Based
Charge a percentage of the order cost as a fuel surcharge. When configuring a percentage-based fuel surcharge, you can choose what the percentage applies to:
- Base Rate only: The fuel surcharge percentage is calculated on the base rate portion of the order cost.
- All Modifiers: The fuel surcharge percentage is calculated on the total cost including the base rate and all additional modifiers.
Example: A 9% fuel surcharge applied to all modifiers on a $50 order would add $4.50, bringing the total to $54.50.
Distance-Based
Charge a fuel surcharge based on the delivery distance. This uses the estimated distance for the order in the calculation.
Example: Charge $0.50 per mile.
Wait Time
A Wait Time charge allows couriers to bill for time spent waiting at a pickup or drop-off location beyond a defined threshold. This is useful for situations where drivers are delayed at a stop.
Configuration
When creating a wait time accessorial charge, configure the following:
- Applies to: Select whether the wait time charge applies to the pickup, the drop-off, or both.
- Base Threshold: Define the number of free minutes before the wait time charge begins. Time under this threshold is not charged.
- Per-Minute Rate: Set the dollar amount charged per minute once the threshold is exceeded.
Example: A wait time charge configured with a 10-minute threshold and $1.00/min rate would charge $5.00 if a driver waits 15 minutes at a drop-off location.
How Wait Time Is Calculated
The system calculates wait time automatically using task timestamps:
- The system records the last arrived time on the task.
- The system subtracts the task completion time from the last arrival time to determine total wait time.
- If the total wait time exceeds the configured threshold, the per-minute charge is applied for each minute over the threshold.
Tax
A Tax accessorial charge allows couriers to apply a tax percentage to orders. When configured, the tax is calculated on the entire order cost (base rate, modifiers, and other applicable accessorial charges). The tax total is displayed on the invoice.
- Tax Percentage: Enter the tax rate as a percentage (e.g., 8.5 for 8.5% tax).
Example: An 8.5% tax on a $100 order would add $8.50, bringing the total to $108.50.
Applying Accessorial Charges to a Rate Table
Once accessorial charges have been created, they can be applied to rate tables. In the Rate Table form, a new Accessorial Charges section appears below the price modifiers. From this section, you can:
- Select one or more accessorial charges to apply to the rate table.
- Preview the selected accessorial charges and their configurations, including the type, percentage or rate, and what the charge applies to.
Any accessorial charges applied to a rate table will automatically be included in the cost calculation for orders using that rate table.
Viewing Accessorial Charges on Orders
Accessorial charges applied to an order are visible in the View Order modal under the Cost tab. From this view, you can see and edit the accessorial charges that were applied, but you cannot remove them from the order.
Deleting an Accessorial Charge
Accessorial charges that are no longer needed can be deleted from the Accessorial Charges tab. If an accessorial charge is currently applied to one or more rate tables, you must first remove it from those rate tables before it can be deleted.