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.
Related calculators
Looking for industrial vendors in India?
Post your procurement requirement free on the CI Suite Pro marketplace. Engineering, AMC, logistics, civil, IT — receive proposals from verified vendors within 24 hours.