Why we have fuel surcharge and the current cost implications.
In the past & current economic climate we are witnessing volatile changes to fuel prices. To protect our customers from constant fluctuations in their transport rates, Back in June 2009 we started adjusting our fuel surcharge every month based on the average of the previous month’s costs. The majority of rate schedules are set on a base price pence per litre + VAT. When the fuel price passes the base price a fuel surcharge kicks in.
Direct cost implications
For anyone who distributes goods on a daily basis, fuel prices have direct cost implications on the transport movement. Fuel now represents up to 9% of Sheldon Clayton Logistics turnover (2017/2018) – we use over 1 million litres per year.
Should SCL absorb the cost?
You may think that Sheldon Clayton Logistics, as a company, should absorb all these increased costs. This however would mean we would have to reduce the amount we spend on being able to offer the high level of service that our customers have come to expect from us.
The reality
We have reviewed procedures, applied innovative systems and we strongly believe that we are a lean, efficient business. What we can do is ensure customers understand the implications for future haulage costs, so that they can budget realistic figures. We have tried to keep fuel surcharge to a minimum across the years see below for current and previous fuel charges applied by Sheldon Clayton :
| DATE | PRICE |
| 01 January 2020 | 106.78 |
| 01 February 2020 | 102.35 |
| 01 March 2020 | 102.35 |
| 01 April 2020 | 87.74 |
| 01 May 2020 | 82.02 |
| 01 June 2020 | 85.34 |
| 01 July 2020 | 90.68 |
| 01 August 2020 | 91.62 |
| 01 September 2020 | 89.85 |
| 01 October 2020 | 88.04 |
| 01 November 2020 | 88.1 |
| 01 December 2020 | 91.25 |
| 01 January 2021 | 93.75 |
| 01 February 2021 | 94.62 |
| 01 March 2021 | 98.98 |
| 01 April 2021 | 98.07 |
| 01 May 2021 | 99.22 |
| 01 June 2021 | 101.69 |
| 01 July 2021 | 104.55 |
| 01 August 2021 | 104.94 |
| 01 September 2021 | 104.82 |
| 01 October 2021 | 109.56 |
| 01 November 2021 | 118.25 |
| 01 December 2021 | 116.39 |
| 01 January 2022 | 112.46 |
| 01 February 2022 | 118.34 |
| 01 March 2022 | 123.00 |
| 01 April 2022 | 144.82 |
| 01 May 2022 | 142.76 |
| 01 June 2022 | 141.36 |
| 01 July 2022 | 159.65 |
| 01 August 2022 | 146.44 |
| 01 September 2022 | 150.31 |
| 01 October 2022 | 141.94 |
| 01 November 2022 | 152.09 |
| 01 December 2022 | 132.19 |
| 01 January 2023 | 129.37 |
| 01 February 2023 | 131.68 |
| 01 March 2023 | 119.79 |
| 01 April 2023 | 115.22 |
| 01 May 2023 | 113.15 |
| 01 June 2023 | 107.23 |
| 01 July 2023 01August 2023 01 September 2023 01st October 2023 01st November 2023 | 109.29 112.79 121.15 126.76 125.09 |