Start from cost per trip, not market rate
Work out the fuel, driver time, and vehicle wear for a typical round trip before you look at what competitors charge. Without that floor, discounting to win a site is guesswork.
Price distance in bands
Per-kilometre pricing is hard to quote and hard to argue. Two or three distance bands are easier for customers to accept and easier for your team to apply consistently.
Charge for waiting
Time spent waiting to discharge at a site is time the tanker is not earning. Building a free window into the price and charging beyond it is normal practice and protects your busiest days.
Credit terms are part of the price
A site paying in 60 days at the same rate as a household paying cash is not the same sale. Either price credit differently or set limits per customer - and track the balance so limits mean something.
FAQ
- Should tanker trips be billed per load or per litre?
- Per load is simpler and matches how most customers think. Per-litre pricing suits contracts where partial loads are common.
- How do I control credit for construction sites?
- Give each site a running balance and a limit, review before dispatching the next trip, and record payments separately from deliveries so the ledger stays accurate.