> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.tread.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Rates, Add-Ons & Fuel Surcharges

> How Tread prices work — by site, equipment type, and material.

Set pricing rules once; Tread matches the right rate to every Job. Invoices and pay statements build from the same rules — no re-keying rates ticket by ticket.

## What it is

A Rate is the price for a unit of work — per hour, per ton, per load, or flat. An Add-On is an extra charge line applied on top of a Rate; it lands on the invoice or the [Settlement](/concepts/settlements-driver-pay). A Fuel Surcharge is an Add-On whose amount adjusts with fuel prices.

## How Tread models it

Most pricing lives on the [Project](/concepts/orders-projects). Each [project rate](/workflows/project-rates) can be narrowed by pickup [site](/concepts/sites-geofences), dropoff site, [equipment](/concepts/equipment) type, and [material](/concepts/materials) — the most specific match wins on each Job. If no project rate matches, Tread falls back to your company rate cards: account-specific first, then defaults.

**Fuel surcharge has three components.** All three are required. See [Fuel Surcharges](/specialized/fuel-surcharges) for the setup walkthrough.

1. **Fuel Price Index** — the fuel price you track (a regional diesel average or a custom index). You update it on a cadence, typically weekly.
2. **Fuel Surcharge Schedule** — the table mapping fuel price tiers to a surcharge, either a percentage of the base rate or a flat amount per unit.
3. **Add On** — attaches the schedule to a Customer or Vendor rate so the surcharge shows up on invoices and driver pay.

| Component                 | Lives on                          | Example                         |
| ------------------------- | --------------------------------- | ------------------------------- |
| Rate                      | Project rate or company rate card | \$4.25 per ton, Site A → Site B |
| Add-On                    | Customer or Vendor rate           | \$50 per load                   |
| Fuel surcharge — index    | Company                           | Gulf Coast (PADD 3)             |
| Fuel surcharge — schedule | Company                           |                                 |
| Fuel surcharge — Add On   | Customer or Vendor rate           | Applied to freight rate only    |

## Common pitfalls

<Warning>
  **Skipping any one of the three fuel surcharge components — index, schedule, Add On — silently removes the surcharge from invoices.** Test on a sample Settlement before go-live and reconcile against your existing fuel matrix.
</Warning>

<Warning>
  **Add-Ons go missing at go-live.** Automatic customer fuel rates, material rates, and settlement add-ons each need explicit setup. If line items are missing from your first invoice cycle, audit the Add-On config first.
</Warning>

## Related

* [Settlements & Driver Pay](/concepts/settlements-driver-pay) — how rates land on invoices and pay statements
* [Materials](/concepts/materials) — Material rates
* [Roles & Permissions](/concepts/roles-permissions) — who can see and edit rates
* [Workflow: Project Rates](/workflows/project-rates) — set the pricing rules on a project
* [Workflow: Manage Rates, Add-Ons & Fees](/workflows/manage-rates) — company-level rate cards and fuel surcharge
* [Fuel Surcharges](/specialized/fuel-surcharges) — full setup walkthrough