Short answer
Yes. On spot loads it's inside the all-in price on the load board, with the base rate and tolls, not paid on top. In auctions you bid the base rate; fuel and tolls are paid after the load.
Does Amazon Relay pay a fuel surcharge?
Yes, inside the price. Amazon's load board guide says spot loads are booked at the all-in price, and "The base rate, fuel surcharges, and tolls charges are included."
So the number you see on the board already has fuel in it. Fuel isn't added on top of that price.
How does the fuel surcharge show up on a load?
As one line of the payment breakdown on the load card. Amazon's rates guide (January 2026) splits the price into three parts:
| Part | What Amazon says |
|---|---|
| Base rate | "This is your payment for hauling the load, not including fuel or tolls." |
| Fuel surcharge | "It adjusts based on current fuel prices and is added in accordance with Relay Program Policies." |
| Tolls | Included in your total payout when the route uses toll roads |
Amazon's older trucking work post put it this way: "We calculate fuel surcharge to carriers so that you're paid for fuel expenses as the market fluctuates."
How is fuel handled in Relay auctions?
Differently. In an auction you bid only the base rate.
Amazon's auctions guide says accessorials, which it defines as fuel and tolls, are paid after the load is complete, and you don't include them in your bids. Leave fuel out of your number, or you'll bid against yourself. More in our auctions guide.
How does Amazon calculate the fuel surcharge?
It doesn't say in public. Amazon says the surcharge is added in accordance with the Relay Program Policies, which are behind the login, and no public page gives the formula or fuel index.
What you can see is the result: the fuel line in each load's payment breakdown. If a paid amount doesn't match it, our payments guide covers the 30-day payment dispute.
How do you judge a Relay load after fuel?
Compare the all-in price with your full cost per mile. Amazon tells carriers to account for all-in business costs such as fuel, maintenance and insurance.
The common mistake is counting fuel twice. If you add the surcharge back on top of the posted price, or compare the all-in price with a base rate from another board, the load looks better than it is.
A quick check:
- Total miles. Loaded miles plus deadhead to the pickup.
- Fuel cost. Total miles divided by your MPG, times your diesel price.
- What's left. The all-in price minus fuel, driver pay and your other costs.
Our free Relay load calculator does this for you from the pay, loaded and deadhead miles, fuel price, MPG and other costs. For the bigger picture on rates, see how much Amazon Relay pays and why Amazon Relay rates look so low.
Where does NudoIQ fit?
NudoIQ puts that math on the board. It's a Chrome extension for the Relay load board, independent and not affiliated with Amazon.
You enter your MPG, diesel price, driver pay and maintenance once in settings. Then every load card shows a net profit badge next to the price, so you see what's left after fuel without adding the surcharge twice.
AutoBook can book loads that clear your minimum net profit, up to a Max books number you set. Only auto-book loads you can run; cancels hurt your score.
Start your free week: 7 days free, no card needed to start, then $49.99 a month. Cancel anytime.