A variable fee added to invoices to offset rising fuel costs for equipment, vehicles, and machinery. Rates are typically tied to a published fuel index and adjusted weekly or monthly. Subcontractors should confirm surcharge terms in their master service agreements before mobilising.
Fuel Surcharge
Related Terms
Ticket Rejection
Cash FlowWhen an operator returns a field ticket for correction before approval. Common causes include missing information, rate discrepancies, or insufficient documentation. Rejections delay payment and require rework.
Senior Secured Notes
Cash FlowDebt instruments issued by large operators or prime contractors, backed by company assets. When a client carries heavy debt loads like these, subcontractors face higher payment risk if the borrower defaults. Always review a client's debt structure before committing to large scopes of work.
Fuel Cost Escalator
Cash FlowA contract clause that adjusts your billing rate when diesel or fuel prices shift beyond a set threshold. It protects subcontractors from absorbing sudden fuel cost spikes on long-term or remote field assignments. Negotiate the trigger percentage and index reference before signing.
Spring Breakup
Cash FlowThe seasonal period when thawing ground and flooding restrict heavy equipment access to remote job sites. For subcontractors, it typically means project delays, suspended haul routes, and reduced billable work. Plan cash flow carefully to cover the slow period.
Full Truckload Pricing
Cash FlowA freight rate applied when a shipment fills an entire truck, typically offering lower per-unit costs than partial loads. Subcontractors hauling equipment or materials to remote sites often negotiate FTL rates to reduce logistics costs. Consolidating loads before mobilisation helps field teams maximise savings under this pricing model.
Committed Utilization Agreement
Cash FlowA contract where a client guarantees a minimum percentage of hours or days your equipment and crew will be engaged over a set period. It protects subcontractors from revenue gaps during slow cycles. Rates are often discounted in exchange for that guaranteed volume.
Latest Cash Flow News
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A new poll from Equipment World finds the majority of contractors have adjusted their pricing in response to higher diesel costs, a key benchmark for subcontractors reviewing their own bid strategies.
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A Beale Infrastructure data center project near Claremore, Oklahoma will pay $172 million in PILOT funds to local schools and county agencies over 25 years, with Sequoyah Public Schools receiving the largest share at $100 million.
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You did the work. The project was cancelled, shelved, or never activated. Here is what subcontractors need to know about billing rights, legal remedies, and how to get paid when no one wants to discuss the invoice.
Cash Flow GuidePost-Completion Warranty and Punch Work: Protecting Your Margins After the Job Ends
Warranty walks, punch lists, and post-completion callbacks eat into subcontractor margins. Learn how MSA warranty clauses work, when you can push back on mobilization costs, and how to document your way out of disputes.
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