If you split your year between Florida and a northern state, you’ve probably done the math on driving vs. shipping at least once. Here’s a practical guide to how snowbird auto transport works, what it costs right now, and how to avoid the mistakes that make it more expensive or slower than it needs to be.
The Snowbird Corridor
The most active auto transport route in the country, seasonally, is Florida to the Northeast and back. We’re talking about:
- Florida → New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts
- Florida → Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan
- And reverse
- Fuel at current prices: ~35-40 gallons for a typical sedan at 30+ mpg highway. At $3.50/gallon for regular, that’s about $125-$140.
- Tolls (I-95 northbound): $50-$80 depending on route through Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia
- Hotel (1 night minimum for most drivers): $100-$150
- Meals en route: $50-$80
- Wear on the vehicle: Hard to quantify, but 1,280 miles is 1,280 miles
- Remove toll transponders — E-ZPass, SunPass, or any toll tag. If your transponder stays in the car, every toll on the route may charge your account.
- Disable your alarm — or at minimum tell the driver how to turn it off. An alarm that goes off mid-transport is annoying for everyone.
- Fuel level at 1/4 tank — enough to drive it on and off the carrier, not a full tank adding unnecessary weight.
- Document condition — photos of every panel before pickup. Note anything pre-existing on the Bill of Lading when the driver arrives.
- Clear out personal items — carrier insurance covers the vehicle, not what’s inside it.
- An active MC (Motor Carrier) number
- Active operating authority for “property broker” (for brokers) or “common carrier” (for carriers)
- A physical address (not a P.O. box)
- Insurance on file
- Billing issue? Talk to the broker.
- Damage to your vehicle? The carrier’s insurance is what covers cargo claims. The broker can help you navigate the claim.
- Vehicle not picked up? The broker is responsible for finding a carrier — that’s literally the service they’re providing.
- At $3.50/gal (February): $875–$1,313 in fuel per trip
- At $5.62/gal (April): $1,405–$2,108 in fuel per trip
- USPS: Added an 8% fuel surcharge in April
- UPS: Adjusts weekly based on EIA diesel index
- FedEx: Updated ground fuel surcharge to 14.5%
- Amazon: Added a 5% fuel and inflation surcharge on seller fees
- Major railroads: Norfolk Southern surcharge hit $0.31/gallon over baseline
- Quotes are valid for shorter windows. A price from last week may not hold because diesel moved again.
- Booking earlier gets better rates. Carriers commit capacity to loads that are ready. Last-minute bookings in a tight market pay a premium.
- Some routes take longer. Carriers prioritize loads that cover their fuel costs. If your route is less popular, pickup windows may stretch from 1–3 days to 3–7 days.
- Hawaii: 16.5% → 20.5%
- Guam/CNMI: 17.5% → 21.5%
- Get a quote now if you’re planning a move in the next 60 days. Prices aren’t going down in April.
- Book early. In a tight carrier market, first movers get better rates and faster pickups.
- Understand the surcharge line item. It’s separate from the base rate. When fuel drops, it drops.
- Don’t panic. Yes, shipping costs more right now. But this is a temporary spike driven by a specific geopolitical event. It will normalize.
- March 9, 2026: $4.86/gal (when we set the 12% surcharge)
- April 6, 2026: $5.64/gal (latest DOE weekly report)
- EIA forecast: Diesel prices expected to peak above $5.80/gal in April before any relief
- Email: info@transcar.com
- Phone: (682) 252-4654
- Website: transcar.com
- Transcar fuel surcharge (12%): Covers the domestic trucking leg — carrier pickup and delivery. Set by Transcar based on US diesel prices. Effective March 16.
- Ocean carrier fuel surcharge: Covers the ocean leg (Hawaii, Guam, Alaska only). Set by the steamship lines based on bunker fuel prices. Hawaii going from 16.5% to 20.5%, Guam from 17.5% to 21.5%, effective April 12, 2026.
- Quotes are time-sensitive right now. Fuel prices are moving fast. A quote from two weeks ago may not reflect today’s costs.
- Every surcharge is itemized. You’ll see exactly what’s fuel-related and what’s the base transport rate.
- We review weekly. The trucking surcharge tracks diesel. If it drops, so does your surcharge. Ocean carrier rates reset quarterly.
- Rates are based on the tariff at time of port drop-off. The surcharge that applies is whatever’s in effect when your vehicle arrives at the port — not when you booked. If fuel surcharges change between booking and drop-off, your final rate reflects the current tariff.
These routes represent tens of thousands of vehicles moving twice a year. The I-95 corridor between Miami/Fort Lauderdale/Sarasota and New York/New Jersey is probably the single busiest seasonal auto transport lane in the US.
There are also strong snowbird patterns to and from the Southwest — Arizona (Scottsdale, Tucson, Phoenix) to the Midwest and Northwest — but the Florida-Northeast corridor is the highest volume.
Two Peak Windows, Every Year
Snowbird shipping runs on a predictable two-peak calendar:
October through November: Northerners head south. Florida routes heading southbound get packed. Anyone waiting until December to book is competing with everyone who waited until December.
March through May: Snowbirds head home. This is the bigger and more chaotic of the two windows because it overlaps with the rest of the spring demand surge — college moves, corporate relocations, and military PCS season. Northbound Florida routes in April and May are the most competitive, highest-priced lanes in the country during those weeks.
Current Market: April 2026
April 2026 is an expensive time to ship on the Florida-Northeast corridor. Two things are happening simultaneously:
First, peak northbound snowbird demand. March and April are when the bulk of seasonal residents head back to New York, New Jersey, and New England. Carrier availability on northbound Florida runs is tighter than almost any other time of year.
Second, fuel costs. Diesel is running $5.62 per gallon nationally right now, up from $3.49 in February. Transcar’s current fuel surcharge is 12%. That’s not a made-up number — it reflects what carriers are actually paying to fill their tanks between Miami and New York.
The combination means April 2026 pricing on the Florida-Northeast run is toward the higher end of historical ranges.
What Does It Actually Cost?
For a standard sedan (Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, similar), Florida to the New York metro area typically runs $800-$1,200 in normal market conditions. Florida to Massachusetts or Connecticut adds another $50-$150 due to distance and access to carriers who run those routes.
An SUV or pickup runs $100-$250 more than a sedan on the same route — larger vehicles take up more space on the carrier and weigh more, which matters at current fuel prices.
In April 2026, expect pricing toward the $1,100-$1,400 range for a sedan on the Florida-NY run. That’s not a guarantee — actual pricing depends on your exact pickup and delivery addresses, current carrier availability when you book, and your flexibility on dates.
Get a quote. It’s the only way to know your actual number.
Door-to-Door vs. Terminal
Most snowbird shipments are door-to-door — the carrier picks up your vehicle at your Florida address and drops it at your northern address. That’s the standard.
But not every address works for a 75-foot car hauler. Gated communities with weight restrictions, narrow streets, driveways that require tight turns — these can make door service impractical. If that’s your situation, terminal service is the alternative: you drop off and pick up at a terminal location (usually a large parking lot or truck stop along the route).
Terminal adds a little inconvenience but costs slightly less and sometimes moves faster because the carrier doesn’t have to detour off their main route.
If you’re in a community where large trucks have trouble accessing, tell us upfront so we can find a carrier set up for your situation.
Book 7-10 Days Out, Not Same Day
The biggest mistake snowbirds make is waiting until they’re ready to leave and then expecting same-day or next-day pickup.
In a market this tight, carriers are already filling their runs for the coming week. Calling Monday and expecting pickup Tuesday on a Florida-Northeast run in April is optimistic. The carriers who work the Florida corridor are booked. You’ll wait longer and likely pay more as a last-minute booking.
7-10 days before your desired pickup date is the right window. You’ll have carrier options, better pricing, and a realistic pickup date that actually fits your schedule.
Repeat customers move faster. If you’ve shipped with us before and you call in early March for an April pickup, we can get you locked in while capacity is still available. A lot of seasonal customers do exactly that — they book both their spring and fall shipments in the same call.
Why Most Snowbirds Stop Driving
The math on driving the Florida-Northeast corridor shifts over time. Let’s run it for the New York metro:
Miami to New York is roughly 1,280 miles. Round numbers:
Total out-of-pocket: $325-$450. Plus 2 days of your life, driving 10-12 hours each day on I-95, which is not exactly a scenic route.
Shipping your car runs more than driving it. That’s honest. What you’re buying is 2 days of your time back, no wear on the vehicle, no I-95 stress, and the ability to fly directly to your destination.
For people who do this twice a year, every year, the time equation increasingly tips toward shipping. Especially once the drive itself stops being enjoyable.
Vehicle Prep Checklist
Before the carrier picks up your car:
Get Your Quote
Ready to schedule your spring shipment or want to know what the current market looks like?
Get a quote at transcar.com or call (682) 252-4654.
Auto transport scams are real, they’re not rare, and they cost people hundreds to thousands of dollars every year. The good news is that the legitimate companies are easy to verify. Here’s how to tell the difference.
Start Here: FMCSA Verification
Every legitimate auto transport broker and carrier in the United States is licensed by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Before you hand a deposit to anyone, spend two minutes at safer.fmcsa.dot.gov and look them up.
Search by company name or MC number. A legitimate broker will show:
If a company has no MC number, an inactive authority, or doesn’t show up at all — stop there. No exception.
Transcar’s MC number is 402602. DOT number is 2227505. Look us up. That’s exactly what you should do before trusting anyone with your vehicle.
Brokers vs. Carriers: Know Who You’re Dealing With
When you get a quote from an auto transport company, you’re almost always talking to a broker, not the actual carrier. Brokers are the companies with websites, call centers, and sales reps. Carriers are the people with trucks.
Brokers post your shipment to load boards (Central Dispatch is the main one in this industry), carriers bid on it, and the broker assigns a carrier to your load. This is the standard model across the industry. It’s efficient, it’s legal, and it works.
Both brokers and carriers must be licensed with FMCSA. The difference matters because when something goes wrong, you need to know who to talk to:
Red Flags That Should End the Conversation
No MC number. Already covered. Non-negotiable.
Quotes way below everyone else. If you get five quotes and one is $300 cheaper than the rest, that company is either planning to raise the price later or they won’t find a carrier at that rate. The cheapest quote almost never results in the best experience.
No physical address. A legitimate company has an office. Check Google Maps. If the address is a vacant lot or a UPS Store mailbox, walk away.
Pressure to book immediately. “This price is only good for the next hour” is a sales tactic, not a market reality. Carrier rates don’t change by the hour. Take your time.
No reviews anywhere. A company with zero Google reviews, no BBB profile, and no presence on Transport Reviews or Trustpilot either just started yesterday or has been scrubbing their reputation. Neither is a good sign.
Won’t provide a written contract. Every legitimate broker sends you an order agreement before pickup. It spells out the price, the vehicle details, the pickup window, and the terms. If they won’t put it in writing, don’t hand over your car.
Every spring, the same thing happens. Millions of people suddenly need to move a vehicle at the same time. Prices go up. Carrier availability gets tight. And anyone who waited too long is stuck paying more or waiting longer than they expected.
2026 is shaping up to be worse than most years. Here’s what’s actually happening and what to do about it.
Why Spring Demand Is So Predictable — and So Brutal
The auto transport market runs on seasonal patterns that repeat every year. April through September is peak season. Not because the industry decided that, but because five separate groups of customers all converge on the same window:
Snowbirds heading north. Every March and April, hundreds of thousands of seasonal residents who spent winter in Florida, Arizona, and the Carolinas start making their way back to New York, New Jersey, Michigan, Ohio, and the rest of the northern states. They’re not driving — they’re shipping. All at once.
Tax refund purchases. The IRS sends out refunds between February and April. A chunk of that money goes toward vehicle purchases. New car, need it shipped across the country. Used car bought at auction, same deal.
Military PCS season. May through August is peak Permanent Change of Station season. Service members and their families get new orders, which means thousands of vehicles moving from one base to another — often across the country or overseas. Even the domestic leg is handled by domestic carriers, and that demand hits right at the same time as everyone else.
College moves. Students finishing the spring semester and starting summer internships or fall transfers need cars moved. August especially. Routes between college towns and parent homes get packed.
Corporate relocations. Companies relocate employees in Q2 because it aligns with fiscal year planning and school schedules. One household move can mean two or three vehicles that need transport.
Add those up and you get a market where demand doubles (or more) during the same months every year. The number of available carriers doesn’t double. Prices rise to match.
2026 Is Different: Fuel Costs Are Spiking
Seasonal demand alone would make spring expensive. This year, there’s a second problem.
Diesel fuel hit $5.62 per gallon nationally in April 2026, up from $3.49 in mid-February. The cause is the Strait of Hormuz closure, which disrupted global oil supply chains faster than markets could adjust.
Carriers run on diesel. A 9-car hauler averages 5-7 miles per gallon loaded. A 1,500-mile run from Florida to New York burns roughly 250-300 gallons. At $5.62, that’s $1,400-$1,700 in fuel per run, compared to $875-$1,050 in February.
Transcar is currently carrying a 12% fuel surcharge on all shipments. That’s not a markup — it’s a pass-through to cover actual carrier fuel costs. When fuel prices drop, the surcharge drops too. Right now, they’re high, and that’s reflected in current quotes.
Week by Week: What the Pricing Timeline Looks Like
Not every week in the spring window is equally expensive. Here’s the realistic breakdown:
Early April (now): Still manageable. Demand is picking up but hasn’t peaked. Carrier availability is tighter than winter but not desperate. If you need to ship in the next 6-8 weeks, booking now is your best shot at reasonable pricing and good pickup windows.
Late April: Routes between Florida and the Northeast are packed. Snowbird northbound traffic is at full volume. Pricing on the Florida corridor runs 15-25% higher than winter rates.
May through July: Full peak. Military moves are active, college moves are starting, corporate relocations are in full swing. This is when carrier availability gets genuinely tight, especially on popular routes (California to Texas, Florida to Northeast, Midwest to coast). Pricing is at its highest. Flexibility on pickup dates becomes more valuable because carriers are choosing the shipments that work best for their routes.
August: College move-in season. Short-haul routes within 500 miles of major university clusters get temporarily packed. Longer routes start to ease slightly.
September: Demand begins to drop. Pricing starts moving back toward normal.
What Actually Helps: Practical Tips
Book 7-10 days before you need pickup. Not same-day, not 6 weeks out. 7-10 days gives you enough lead time to get a carrier assigned while the quote reflects current (not artificially inflated) market pricing.
Be flexible on pickup dates. If you can say “pick up anytime in a 5-day window,” you’re far easier for a carrier to fit into an existing run. That flexibility often means faster pickup and sometimes better pricing. Rigid same-day demands cost more and take longer.
Avoid the busiest routes on peak weeks. Florida to New York in late April is the most competitive, most expensive corridor in the country during peak snowbird season. If your timing is flexible, even a week earlier or later can make a difference.
Get a quote early even if you’re not ready to book. Quotes are free. Knowing what the current market looks like helps you plan. Prices change, but you’ll at least have a baseline.
Don’t assume the cheapest quote is the best deal. In a tight market, carriers working with brokers who pay competitive rates get priority on capacity. A quote $200 below everyone else might mean your vehicle sits waiting while better-paying shipments get loaded first.
The Bottom Line
It costs more to ship a car in spring and summer. That’s not a sales pitch — it’s just how the market works. Add the current fuel situation on top of seasonal demand and 2026 is running higher than recent years.
If you’re planning a shipment between now and September, book early. Be flexible on dates. And get a real quote so you know what you’re working with.
Get a free quote at transcar.com or call (682) 252-4654.
Diesel prices have climbed every week since early March. If you’ve noticed higher auto transport quotes compared to a few months ago, this is why — and what to expect going forward.
The Numbers
Here’s the national average diesel price trend from the U.S. Energy Information Administration:
| Week Ending | National Avg Diesel (per gallon) |
|---|---|
| February 16, 2026 | $3.49 |
| March 2, 2026 | $3.73 |
| March 9, 2026 | $4.86 (+$1.13 in one week) |
| March 16, 2026 | $5.07 |
| March 23, 2026 | $5.38 |
| March 30, 2026 | $5.40 |
| April 7, 2026 | $5.62 |
That’s $2.13 more per gallon than seven weeks ago — a 61% increase. California is above $7.50. The Gulf Coast, where most port trucking happens, is over $5.80.
The EIA expects diesel to peak around $5.80 per gallon as a monthly average in April, then gradually decline — but they also say fuel prices could keep rising for months even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens tomorrow because refineries need time to rebuild inventory.
Why It’s Happening
The short version: the Strait of Hormuz handles 20% of global oil supply. It’s been effectively closed since early March due to the Iran conflict. Traffic through the strait dropped from 2,652 transits in early March 2025 to just 142 in the same period this year — a 95% collapse.
Crude oil went above $100 a barrel. Diesel followed. Every truck, every carrier, every logistics company in the country is absorbing this.
What It Means for Your Auto Transport Quote
Car carriers get 4–6 miles per gallon hauling 8–10 vehicles. On a typical 1,500-mile route, that’s 250–375 gallons of diesel per trip.
Here’s the math:
That’s $530–$795 more per trip in fuel alone. Spread across 8–10 vehicles, each shipment absorbs roughly $55–$100 in additional fuel cost compared to where pricing was two months ago.
Carriers don’t eat that. They pass it through as a fuel surcharge, and brokers like Transcar pass it to you as a separate, itemized line.
The Surcharge Landscape
It’s not just auto transport. The whole economy is repricing:
Auto transport is following the same pattern. At Transcar, our fuel surcharge went from 8% (March 10) to 12% (March 16) to the current rate, and it will continue adjusting as diesel moves.
Spring Surge Meets Fuel Spike
April is already the start of peak season for auto transport. Snowbirds returning north, tax-refund-driven purchases, relocations kicking off for summer — demand climbs every year in April and doesn’t let up until September.
This year, rising demand is colliding with rising costs. Carriers are being more selective about which loads they take because fuel eats into every mile. Routes that were easy to fill a month ago now need competitive pricing to attract drivers.
What that means in practice:
For Hawaii, Guam, and Alaska Shipments
If you’re shipping to the islands or Alaska, there’s a second fuel hit on the ocean side. The steamship lines announced surcharge increases effective April 12:
Door-to-door shipments to these destinations see both the trucking surcharge and the ocean carrier surcharge. Both are itemized separately on your quote.
When Will Prices Come Back Down?
The honest answer: nobody knows exactly when, but here’s what the data says.
The EIA’s April forecast projects diesel averaging $4.80 for all of 2026 — which implies significant drops in the back half of the year if the Hormuz situation stabilizes. But even after the strait reopens, oil markets need time to rebuild reserves. Refineries need time to ramp. Distribution networks need to catch up.
Our fuel surcharge tracks diesel weekly. When diesel drops a bracket, the surcharge drops with it. There’s no lag, no lock-in, no hidden profit margin on fuel.
What You Can Do
Questions? Call (682) 252-4654 or get a quote online.
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, weekly on-highway diesel prices and Short-Term Energy Outlook, April 2026. Reuters, “Fuel prices could keep rising for months even if Hormuz reopens,” April 7, 2026. Trucking Info, “Diesel Prices Surge Toward Record Highs,” April 7, 2026. Newsweek, “Amazon, UPS, FedEx, and USPS To Add Fuel Surcharges,” April 7, 2026.
Diesel prices haven’t slowed down. Since we introduced our fuel surcharge on March 15, the national average has jumped from $4.86 to $5.64 per gallon — a 16% increase in less than four weeks. We’re adjusting our surcharge from 12% to 16% to reflect what carriers are actually paying at the pump.
Here’s what’s happening, what it means for your shipment, and what we’re doing about it.
What’s Driving Diesel Prices Up
The Strait of Hormuz disruption that began on February 28 hasn’t resolved. About one-fifth of the world’s daily oil supply passes through that corridor, and the closure has kept global fuel markets under pressure since early March.
The numbers tell the story:
This isn’t a regional blip. Every carrier running diesel across the country is dealing with the same cost increase.
What Changed
Our fuel surcharge has been updated from 12% to 16% of the transport rate, effective April 7, 2026.
| Previous | Updated | |
|---|---|---|
| Surcharge Rate | 12% | 16% |
| DOE Diesel Reference | $4.86/gal | $5.64/gal |
| Effective Date | March 15 | April 7 |
Example: On a $900 shipment, the surcharge goes from $108 to $144 — a $36 difference.
The surcharge continues to appear as a separate line item on every quote and invoice. No hidden fees, no surprises.
How We Set the Surcharge
We use the U.S. Department of Energy’s weekly retail diesel price report as our benchmark. When diesel moves significantly in either direction, we adjust. The surcharge is reviewed every week.
When diesel prices stabilize below $4.50/gal, we remove the surcharge entirely.
Why a Surcharge Instead of Raising Rates
Two reasons. First, it’s transparent — you can see exactly how much of your cost is fuel-related versus the base transport rate. Second, it’s temporary. When diesel comes back down, the surcharge comes down with it. Baking fuel volatility into permanent rate increases would mean you’d keep paying elevated prices long after the market corrects.
For Military Families on PCS Orders
Summer PCS season is right around the corner. We know you’re juggling orders, timelines, housing, and schools on top of everything else. The surcharge is real, but it’s temporary. We review it every week and adjust the moment prices move.
If your move is coming up and you want to lock in a quote at current rates, reach out now. We’ll walk you through exactly what you’re paying and why.
What Happens Next
We’re watching diesel prices weekly. The moment they trend down, we reduce the surcharge. If the Strait of Hormuz situation resolves and supply normalizes, we expect a meaningful correction in fuel costs — and the surcharge will reflect that immediately.
Questions about your shipment? Contact us directly:
All diesel price data sourced from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) Weekly Retail Gasoline and Diesel Prices report.
Fuel Surcharge Update: What’s Driving Higher Auto Transport Costs Right Now
Two separate fuel cost increases are affecting vehicle shipping right now. They come from different sources and hit different parts of your shipment. Here’s what’s happening, what it means for your move, and why.
Part 1: Domestic Trucking — The Diesel Spike
The first increase is domestic diesel — the fuel that powers every car carrier on the highway. We don’t set diesel prices, but when they spike like this, the carriers we work with adjust their rates.
According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the national average for on-highway diesel hit $4.86 per gallon the week of March 9, 2026 — up 96 cents in a single week. That’s the largest one-week increase on record.
Here’s what the trend looks like:
| Week | National Avg Diesel (per gallon) |
|---|---|
| February 16, 2026 | $3.49 |
| February 23, 2026 | $3.62 |
| March 2, 2026 | $3.73 |
| March 9, 2026 | $4.86 |
That’s a $1.37 increase in less than a month — nearly 40% above the February average. The cause: the Strait of Hormuz crisis. Iran has been attacking merchant vessels in the strait, which handles roughly 20% of global oil supply. Crude oil crossed $100 a barrel, and diesel followed.
Transcar’s Fuel Surcharge: 8% → 12%
On March 10, we added an 8% fuel surcharge to all domestic vehicle shipments. Given what diesel has done since then, we’re adjusting that to 12%, effective Monday, March 16, 2026.
This surcharge applies to the trucking portion of your shipment — the carrier that picks up and delivers your vehicle. It shows up as a separate line item on your quote and invoice. If diesel comes down, the surcharge comes down with it. We check weekly.
Part 2: Ocean Carriers — Hawaii, Guam, and Alaska
If you’re shipping a vehicle to or from Hawaii, Guam, or Alaska, there’s a second cost increase coming from the ocean carriers themselves. This is separate from our trucking surcharge.
Ocean carriers set their own fuel surcharges based on bunker fuel prices — the heavy fuel oil that powers cargo vessels. With crude oil above $100, bunker fuel costs have spiked too.
Here’s what the carriers we use for these routes have announced:
The steamship lines that service Hawaii, Guam, and Alaska have announced fuel surcharge increases effective April 12, 2026. Here’s what’s changing:
| Service | Previous Surcharge | New Surcharge (April 12) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (Pasha / Matson) | 16.5% | 20.5% | +4 points |
| Guam / CNMI (Matson) | 17.5% | 21.5% | +4 points |
| Alaska (United Road) | Varies by contract | Rate adjustment pending | TBD |
These are direct pass-throughs from the steamship lines — not markups by Transcar. They apply to the ocean freight portion of your shipment only.
What this means for you: If you received a Hawaii, Guam, or Alaska quote before April 12, your final price may be higher. Contact us to get an updated quote that reflects the new carrier surcharges.
How It Shows Up on Your Quote
Your shipment quote may now include two fuel-related charges:
For door-to-door shipments to the islands or Alaska, both charges apply because your vehicle travels by truck AND by vessel. For mainland-to-mainland moves, only the trucking surcharge applies.
Both appear as separate line items. Nothing is buried in your base rate.
What This Means for Your Move
A few things to keep in mind:
The Bottom Line
Two things are driving costs up: diesel at the pump (hitting every truck on the highway) and bunker fuel on the water (hitting Hawaii, Guam, and Alaska shipments). They come from different places and hit at different times, but the root cause is the same — Hormuz is shut down, oil is over $100, and the entire supply chain is absorbing it.
We’re not hiding any of it. Every fuel-related charge is a separate line item, and we adjust them as conditions change — up or down.
Questions? Call us at (682) 252-4654. Need an updated quote? Get one here — it takes 30 seconds.
Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly retail diesel price data, March 2026. Honolulu Freight Service fuel surcharge advisory, March 13, 2026. Carrier fuel surcharge advisories from Pasha Hawaii, Matson Navigation, and United Road.