FedEx to raise surcharge amid high fuel prices

(NEXSTAR) – Rising fuel prices may not only be causing pain at the pump – it could make shipping your packages more costly.

The national average for a gallon of regular gasoline has dipped to $4.23 since Monday, AAA reported on Thursday. Despite the decline, pump prices are still at rates unseen in more than a decade.

As gas prices remain higher, two companies are preparing to adjust their fuel surcharge for customers.

Starting on April 4, FedEx will raise its fuel surcharge for all three shipping services: Express, Ground, and Freight.

“FedEx regularly reviews its fuel surcharge,” a statement shared with Nexstar reads. “This change will allow FedEx to provide customers the best service possible as rising fuel costs add to the cost to serve.”

The impact of fuel prices is largely the same for UPS.

“UPS updates its fuel surcharge periodically to reflect the changes in the cost we incur for fuel to serve our customers,” a UPS spokesperson told Nexstar. “Our delivery charges are competitive, and our customers choose UPS because we offer a broad range of shipping, tracking and customer-service solutions and industry-leading service. The impact of these adjustments is included in the price we charge our customers.”

Fuel surcharges have been on the rise in recent weeks at UPS. The ground surcharge, for example, is 15.25%, up from 13% the week prior. For the week starting on March 28, the surcharge will drop to 15%.

UPS rolled out an updated post-sales ground fuel surcharge earlier this month, setting the rate at the highest seen in the last year.

Both carriers update their fuel surcharges each week based on new data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration.

Amazon had not responded to Nexstar’s request for comment at the time of publishing.

Amid rising gas prices, Lyft and Uber have also introduced fuel surcharges. Both companies have said that charge will go solely to the driver.