LTL Discount Calculator — Apply Carrier Tariff Discounts
Calculate your net LTL rate after carrier discount. LTL carriers quote from a published base tariff — your negotiated discount determines what you actually pay.
🏷️ LTL Discount Calculator
How to Use This Calculator
- Get the base tariff rate — from the carrier's published tariff for your weight, class and lane.
- Enter your discount — from your carrier agreement or broker contract. Higher volume = higher discount.
- Check minimum charge — every carrier has a minimum — the discounted rate can never go below it, even on tiny shipments.
- Add FSC if applicable — most carriers apply FSC to the net linehaul rate, not the base rate.
Worked Example
A shipper has a 65% discount off a carrier's tariff. The base rate for their lane is $480, minimum charge is $90, and current FSC is 27%.
- Net linehaul: $480 × (1 − 0.65) = $168.00
- Minimum check: $168 > $90 minimum — discount rate applies
- FSC: $168 × 27% = $45.36
- Total: $168.00 + $45.36 = $213.36
Understanding the tariff-discount-minimum-FSC sequence is essential for accurate LTL budgeting. Many shippers only know their discount number — this calculator shows what it means in dollar terms.
Frequently Asked Questions
LTL discounts are quoted off published tariffs (CZAR, ESTES, SAIA, etc.) and are often very high — 60–80% is common for moderate-volume shippers. The discount number alone is meaningless without knowing the base tariff. A 75% discount off a high tariff may be worse than a 60% discount off a competitive tariff.
Carriers set minimum charges — the lowest amount they'll accept for any shipment regardless of weight, class or discount. Minimums typically range from $60–$150 and protect carriers from losing money on tiny shipments with high handling costs.
FAK stands for Freight All Kinds — a pricing arrangement where the carrier rates all of a shipper's freight as a single class (e.g., Class 70) regardless of actual class. This simplifies billing and can save money when a shipper has mixed, high-class freight.
FSC is typically applied to the net discounted linehaul rate, not the base tariff. This means your discount effectively also discounts the FSC base. However, some carrier agreements specify that FSC applies to the gross base rate — always check your contract.