The linehaul rate pays for moving the freight from A to B. Accessorials pay for everything else the load turns out to require. Some are predictable and priced in advance (a second stop, a tarp on a flatbed load); others are triggered by what happens on the day (detention, redelivery after a missed appointment).
Accessorials are where a load’s real margin is won or lost. A load booked at a thin linehaul rate can still be profitable if the stop-off, tarp, and detention are all billed and collected — and a load booked at a strong rate can lose money if those charges are absorbed.
Every accessorial should be defined on the rate confirmation: what it is, how much, and what documentation the payer requires. Charges added after the fact without prior agreement are the ones that get short-paid.
Example
A flatbed load is booked at $2.10 per mile linehaul, plus $150 for tarping and $75 per additional stop. The load has one extra stop and requires tarping, so $225 in accessorials is added to the linehaul on the invoice — all pre-agreed on the rate confirmation, so all collected without dispute.
Why it matters
Carriers that track and bill accessorials line-by-line collect noticeably more per load than carriers that only invoice the linehaul rate and let the extras slide.
How teams use this term
In a carrier operation, Accessorial Charge belongs in the conversation about dispatch, planning, execution, and driver coordination. The useful question is not only what the term means, but which record or decision it changes. A dispatcher may see it while planning a load, a driver may create evidence for it in the field, and accounting may need the same context before a customer invoice or carrier settlement can be finalized. Keeping the term attached to the related workflow prevents a definition from becoming disconnected vocabulary.
When reviewing Accessorial Charge, ask who owns the next action, what evidence supports the record, and what date or threshold makes the situation change. The answer can vary by equipment, lane, authority, customer routing guide, or contract. A small carrier should document the assumption it used rather than treating a general explanation as a universal rule. The related terms on this page are intended to help a team move from the definition to the operational decision.
A practical review starts with the example above, then compares it with the carrier's own settlement, dispatch, document, or compliance records. If the term affects a regulated filing, payment obligation, or customer requirement, verify the current primary source before acting. Trailflow can provide workflow context, but the carrier remains responsible for the policies, records, and professional advice that apply to its operation.
In Trailflow, this shows up in invoicing and settlements.