Fuel Surcharges Are Climbing. Here’s How GLI Helps Offset the Impact.

If you’ve been shipping lately, you’ve probably felt it.

Fuel surcharges are moving fast, in some cases jumping around 10% overnight. And when that happens, a shipment you quoted yesterday can invoice higher today.

That’s where the frustration comes in.

At GLI, we’re seeing this across all modes including LTL, truckload, parcel, and even international. More importantly, we’re helping our clients stay ahead of it.

The Problem Isn’t Just Fuel. It’s Timing.

Fuel is constantly changing. That’s not new.

The issue is how fast it’s changing right now.

• Your base rates might be locked in
• Your pricing agreements might be solid
• But the fuel piece keeps moving

So even when you’ve done everything right on the front end, you can still get hit on the back end.

Most providers will explain that.

We focus on helping you avoid it.

It Starts With When You Quote

This is one of the biggest gaps we see.

If you quote a shipment even a day in advance and the fuel table updates the next day, that quote is already outdated before the freight moves.

That’s exactly what’s been happening.

We work with our clients to:

• Quote on the actual ship date whenever possible
• Requote quickly if anything shifts
• Stay aligned with what the fuel tables actually are that day

It’s simple, but it makes a big difference.

Not All Carriers Handle Fuel the Same

This applies across every mode.

Some carriers adjust faster. Some hit harder. Some just have higher fuel programs in general.

If you’re only working with a limited set of providers, you don’t have much control over that.

Because we’re managing the full network, we can:

• Shift volume to carriers with more favorable fuel structures
• Balance cost and service in real time
• Avoid the ones that are spiking

That flexibility matters a lot in a market like this.

You Can’t Control Fuel. But You Can Control Everything Around It.

This is where we spend most of our time.

We’re constantly looking at:

• Lane pricing
• Mode shifts
• Consolidation opportunities
• Accessorial trends

Fuel spiking is actually a great opportunity to step back and rethink your strategy. This is when it makes the most sense to evaluate lane pricing, look at mode shift opportunities, and consider a more optimized approach that reduces the impact and creates real savings.

In most cases, we’re able to find savings in other areas that help offset what fuel is doing.

That’s why we always say we’ve never looked at a freight program and not found opportunities.

We Also Catch What Slips Through

When things are moving this fast, billing issues happen.

Wrong FSC applied. Timing mismatches. Charges that don’t line up.

We check all of it:

• Was the correct fuel surcharge applied at time of movement?
• Does the invoice match what it should?

And if it doesn’t, we handle it.

You’re not stuck chasing carriers.

The Fuel Surcharge Spike Didn’t Have to Hurt

At this point, everyone is feeling it.

Fuel surcharges are hitting budgets, throwing off forecasts, and creating a lot of noise.

Here’s the reality:

If you had partnered with GLI, this wouldn’t feel like a fire drill. Our network, carrier strategy, and cost controls are built to handle exactly this kind of volatility, fuel included.

But the good news is it’s not too late.

If you’re tired of watching fuel eat into your margins, now is the time to fix it. We can help you stabilize costs, clean up the gaps, and build a strategy that actually holds up when the market moves.

Let’s set up a quick call and take a look at it together.