MarginShock

NEMT
fuel surcharge calculator

NEMT providers drive a lot of miles per trip: deadhead to the pickup, the ride itself, and often an empty return. A large share of trips is billed at fixed rates set by Medicaid programs or brokers, so a fuel spike hits harder than in most trades. Work out the real cost per trip so you know what to ask for in the contracts you can negotiate.

Worked example

Gasoline $3.20 → $4.10

$1.40

surcharge per trip

Extra / month
$1,260
Of avg ticket
2.5%

Illustrative · enter your own below

Surcharge engine · inputs

Example numbers — replace with yours

Example: 5 wheelchair vans, ~900 trips a month, $55 average trip

The cost that changed
$
$
How much you use

From fuel cards, receipts, or supplier invoices.

How many trips the cost is spread across.

Your pricing
$

Used to express the surcharge as a %.

%

e.g. 20 for 20%.

Gallon change

▲ 28.1%

Extra / month

$1,260

Extra / trip

$1.40

No account needed. Inputs are saved anonymously to build industry benchmarks — never shown individually. Privacy

(What drives the cost)

Where the fuel goes in nemt.

  1. 01Deadhead miles to the pickup and empty return legs, often unpaid.
  2. 02Wheelchair-accessible vans and ambulatory minivans with modest fuel economy.
  3. 03Rural trips with long distances between riders and facilities.
  4. 04Wait time with the engine running to keep vehicles heated or cooled for riders.

(Pricing it)

How to add a surcharge customers accept.

01

Know which trips you can price

Medicaid and broker trips are usually paid at set rates you can't surcharge. Private-pay riders, facility contracts, and hospital discharge agreements are where a fuel adjustment belongs.

02

Bring the number to rate talks

Brokers and facilities respond to specifics. A documented extra cost per trip, tied to a public fuel index, is a much stronger case for a rate review than 'fuel is up'.

03

Use mileage-based terms for new contracts

For new facility agreements, a per-loaded-mile rate with a fuel adjustment clause protects you better than flat trip pricing.

(Sample customer notice)

A surcharge letter you can adapt.

Built from the example numbers. Create a free account to generate one from your own numbers as an email, SMS, invoice note, or contract clause — then review it before sending.

Generate mine free More letter, SMS & invoice templates

Email · friendly · draft

Review before sending

Subject: A small fuel surcharge on upcoming trips

Hi [Customer name],

Fuel prices have risen sharply, and fuel is one of the biggest costs of every trip we do for you. Rather than raise our base prices, we're adding a temporary fuel surcharge of $1.40 per trip, starting [date].

This covers only the added fuel cost — nothing more. We'll review it regularly and reduce or remove it when fuel prices come back down.

Thank you for your business. If you have any questions, just reply to this message.

[Your name]
[Company]

(FAQ)

NEMT fuel surcharge questions

01Can NEMT providers charge a fuel surcharge on Medicaid trips?

Generally not on their own. Medicaid and broker rates are set by the program or contract. Check your provider agreement, and use your per-trip cost increase to request a rate review through the proper channel.

02Where can a fuel surcharge apply in NEMT?

Private-pay riders, assisted-living and facility contracts, and other directly negotiated agreements, subject to their terms and any notice periods.

03Should I count deadhead miles?

Yes. Enter your total monthly fuel use, including empty legs. That's the real cost of delivering each trip.

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