BNSF Fuel Surcharge

BNSF assesses fuel surcharges on a mileage basis for Agricultural Products and various Unit Train Coal customers and for certain other customers – mostly Industrial Products and other Coal customers. Shipments on which a mileage-based fuel surcharge is assessed include public regulated, non-contract, non-boxcar shipments for which rates have not been prescribed by the Surface Transportation Board (STB).

BNSF's mileage-based fuel surcharge was the first in the railroad industry. In this era of tight transportation capacity, rapidly rising fuel prices and fuel-price volatility, we believe a mileage-based fuel surcharge program is the most direct and accurate method of reflecting the impact of fuel price changes on BNSF and our customers.

Due to current volatility in the fuel markets, BNSF will postpone its previously-announced fuel surcharge program changes. The Highway Diesel Fuel (HDF) price at which BNSF will assess a fuel surcharge on carload shipments – the strike price – will remain at $1.25. BNSF will also postpone the extension of its mileage-based fuel surcharge program to carload (Agricultural Products, Coal, Industrial Products and Automotive) and Intermodal customers who do not currently pay a mileage-based fuel surcharge.

BNSF mileage-based fuel surcharge applies to movements that originate and terminate on BNSF and to the BNSF portion of Rule 11 shipments-a type of interline shipment where each carrier bills the customer separately for their services. The mileage surcharge also applies to certain movements involving BNSF and one or more short lines. For those shipments, Agricultural Products, Industrial Products and Automotive customers can compute mileage using the mileage inquiry on the Web at http://www.bnsf.com/bnsf.was6/RailMiles/RMCentralController. Coal customers can find their mileage on the Coal Unit Train and Trainload Mileage Table at http://www.bnsf.com/tools/prices/fuelsurcharge/coalunittrain.html.

BNSF also applies a mileage-based fuel surcharge to interline moves for which BNSF has pricing authority. Interline mileage will be the non-familized interactive miles available in ALK Technologies' PC*Miler Rail Fuel Surcharge router. For shipments billed prior to October 1, 2009, interline mileage will be the non-familized miles according to PC*Miler Version 15. Effective October 1, 2009 BNSF will upgrade to PC*Miler Version 16.

Find information regarding BNSF's percentage-based fuel surcharge program.

• Carload Shipments
• Coal Unit Train
• Automotive Shipments
• Intermodal Shipments

Find information regarding BNSF's mileage-based fuel surcharge program.

View Frequently Asked Questions about BNSF's mileage-based fuel surcharge program.