Economy

mahatmakanejeeves

(69,597 posts) Sun Mar 22, 2026, 01:58 PM 16 hrs ago

Fuel Surcharges Are Pushing Up Package-Delivery Costs

March 20, 2026 6:00pm ET

Fuel Surcharges Are Pushing Up Package-Delivery Costs

By Esther Fung

{Picture: UPS packages being delivered in Chicago.}
UPS packages being delivered in Chicago. Vincent Alban/Reuters

FedEx and United Parcel Service have dramatically raised their fuel surcharges in recent weeks as the price of oil has increased amid the turmoil in the Middle East.

It’s a continuation of a yearslong trend: Fuel surcharges have made up an increasing portion of overall shipping charges and driven up the cost of shipping at both companies in recent years. The charges accounted for 19.4% of the overall shipping cost on average for 2025, compared with 6.3% in 2020, according to data from ShipMatrix, a parcel data consultancy.

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2 replies

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Fuel Surcharges Are Pushing Up Package-Delivery Costs (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves 16 hrs ago OP

We used to have people who pumped you gas. Gone. Wonder Why 14 hrs ago #1

USPS expected to raise cost of one-ounce first class letter to 98 cents in June bucolic_frolic 13 hrs ago #2

Wonder Why

(6,918 posts)

1. We used to have people who pumped you gas. Gone.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Sun Mar 22, 2026, 04:14 PM

14 hrs ago

We used to have people who checked you out at the grocery store. Almost gone.

Next you pick up your own delivered packages at a distribution center.

How soon before you get your mail at the only post office in the country and bring your tax records to Washington DC?

bucolic_frolic

(54,998 posts)

2. USPS expected to raise cost of one-ounce first class letter to 98 cents in June