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10.00 fuel charge

we added a 10.00 fuel charge to every invoice indicating that it would remain as long as regular gas was above $2.00 per gal . no one said a word. MG To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

going up again

I know it's late, but fill up tonight, they told me it's going up another $.20 tomorrow.

Jeff

Why would'nt your clients be expected to absorb the cost of fuel ? They absorb all the other over head cost that your business has. I thinks it is no different then rising insurance, office supplys or Viessmanns 3% price increase :). Scott To Learn More About This Professional, Click Here to Visit Their Ad in "Find A Professional"

Here in B.C.

regular fuel is about one buck a liter. Premium gas runs another 25 cents. In USA terms that's about $4.00 USG. Propane runs about 75 cents for auto gas. It's still a whack when I fill up the 3/4 ton monster - and we too are thinking of trip charges, perhaps $5 or 10 in town - and a per kilometer charge in the rurals. Most trucking co's have already added a 3 - 5 % fuel surcharge. This IMHO is just the beginning of long term pain after enjoying very low fuel costs for years. Alternative fuels, hybrids etc will be the way to go - and we will be looking at biodiesel for our next van - even if we have to produce it ourselves on a small scale. Just think - a heating service van that reeks of peanuts instead of #2 fuel oil!

Tough call........

I just filled both of my trucks yesterday at $2.55 per gallon. It cost $155.00 to fill them. Figure an average of 10 MPG and that will last about 10 days if we stay close to home. I haven't raised prices........yet, but how long can I absorb these kind of increases? Worse, how can my clients be expected to absorb all of these increases. I believe everyone will have to share the pain. I just wish I knew who to be pissed at.

> I just filled both of my trucks yesterday at
> $2.55 per gallon. It cost $155.00 to fill them.
> Figure an average of 10 MPG and that will last
> about 10 days if we stay close to home. I
> haven't raised prices........yet, but how long
> can I absorb these kind of increases? Worse, how
> can my clients be expected to absorb all of these
> increases. I believe everyone will have to share
> the pain.
>
> I just wish I knew who to be pissed
> at.

I try not to be too cynical about these things but I think the oil/gas boys learned a little about market manipulation from the Enron mess. It's amazing to me that here in MI gas goes up $.25/gal on Thursday & is back down Monday AM. Then again nobody made us buy those 13 mpg grocery getting 4x4's......

Not to be cynical but:

Sure looks like the oil/gas boys learned a little about market manipulation from the Enron mess. Here in MI our gas goes up $.25 on Thursdays & drops back down Monday AM. I guess nobody forced us to buy those 13mpg 4x4 grocery getters though.... I guess all the Trade guys can do is a fuel surcharge. We get it from all our shipping companies so we have to pass it on or take the hit on the bid jobs.

Up to $2.79 gallon today

I know that some contractors have been trying to hold the line and not raise service fees because of gas prices. Some are charging a temporary trip charge or "miscellaneous" fee to absorb some of the costs. It's a fine line to walk but I would think that the good customers would understand an extra charge. What are some of you telling your customers or prospective customers?

Gas prices went up 20 cents in the last week

so I had to raise my prices two more dollars an hour. No surcharge just put into my regular fee. I cann't really see any resonable person not understanding. Kupetz's Plb & HTG

You Gotta' React

When fuel was $0.25 per gallon (about year 1960??), this cost should have been a part of the cost of doing business. Those companies are probably still in business today because they understood that reality. Nothing changes, but you gotta' react. Bill Russell