Linehaul
Also: Linehaul rate · Base rate
Linehaul is the base charge for moving freight from origin to destination, before fuel surcharge and accessorials; in truckload it is the negotiated rate for the move, and in LTL it is the terminal-to-terminal leg between the pickup and delivery routes.
Every freight charge decomposes into linehaul, fuel and accessorials. The linehaul is the part that pays for the miles: a flat amount for the load or a rate per mile, set by contract or negotiated on the spot market.
On a truckload rate confirmation, the linehaul is the number the carrier is being hired for. Whether it includes fuel should be stated; spot rates are usually all-in, contract rates usually list fuel separately. Accessorials are added on top as they occur.
In LTL, linehaul has a second meaning: the trailer that moves consolidated freight between two terminals overnight, as opposed to the pickup-and-delivery routes at each end. LTL carriers plan their networks around linehaul lanes, and an LTL rate’s linehaul component reflects the distance and density of that leg.
When auditing an invoice against a rate confirmation, linehaul is the easiest line to check and the one least often wrong. The disputes live in the other two components.
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Updated September 11, 2026 · All terms