Freight Cost Calculator
Estimate road freight cost from distance, weight, and rate per tonne-km.
Calculator
No signup required. Results are indicative—verify for your standards.
Freight cost: ₹12,500
Per tonne: ₹1250
Formula
Freight cost (FTL) = Base rate + Distance charge. Per tonne-km: Cost = Weight (tonnes) × Distance (km) × Rate (₹/tonne-km). LCL: Cost = max(Actual weight, Volumetric weight) × Rate.
Example calculation
FTL 10-tonne truck, 500 km at ₹2.50/tonne-km: Cost = 10 × 500 × 2.50 = ₹12,500. Alternatively, flat rate ₹25,000 for the truck: ₹2,500/tonne.
Engineering notes
Indian road freight rates (2024 indicative): FTL 9-tonne truck ₹1.80–2.80/tonne-km depending on route, fuel price, and toll. LCL: ₹3–5/kg for short haul. Always add loading/unloading, toll, and insurance for total delivered cost. Fuel surcharge varies with diesel price.
When to use this calculator
- Procurement — include freight in landed cost calculations when comparing supplier quotes from different locations
- Project logistics — estimate total freight cost for equipment delivery to a project site
- Sales pricing — add freight to ex-works price to calculate delivered price for different customer locations
- Outsourcing decisions — factor freight into make-vs-buy analysis when comparing local vs distant suppliers
- Annual logistics budget — estimate freight spend from planned dispatch volumes and distances
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between FTL, LTL, and LCL freight?
- FTL (Full Truck Load): you hire the entire truck regardless of whether you fill it. Best for large shipments — lower per-unit cost. LTL (Less Than Truckload): you share the truck with other shippers and pay only for your space. Best for medium-sized shipments. LCL (Less than Container Load): for ocean freight, same concept as LTL — your cargo shares a container. FCL (Full Container Load) is the ocean equivalent of FTL.
- What is volumetric (dimensional) weight and when does it apply?
- Volumetric weight = (L × W × H in cm) / 5000 for road/air, or / 6000 for some carriers. When volumetric weight exceeds actual weight, you pay for volumetric weight. This applies to light but bulky cargo — e.g., foam packaging, assembled furniture. For dense cargo (machinery, steel), actual weight dominates. Always compare both and price on the higher (chargeable weight).
- How do I calculate the landed cost of a purchase including freight?
- Landed cost = Purchase price + Freight + Insurance + Loading/unloading + Customs duty (if imported) + GST on freight + Any handling or warehousing charges before delivery. For procurement comparisons, landed cost is the correct basis — a cheaper ex-works price from a distant supplier may be more expensive landed than a higher-priced local supplier when freight is included.