Why LTL accessorial costs change: frequency vs price

Count events before explaining the dollars.

An accessorial total can rise because more shipments need the service, the average charge per event rises, shipment volume changes or several factors move together. Start with both event counts and invoiced amounts for a defined service.

Use a synthetic liftgate example.

In the earlier period, 10 liftgate events at $50 cost $500. In the later period, 20 events at $55 cost $1,100. The observed increase is $600. At the earlier $50 charge, the 10 additional events explain $500. At the later event count, the $5 price difference explains another $100.

Normalize for shipment volume.

If both periods contain 100 shipments, service frequency rose from 10% to 20%. If the later period contains 200 shipments, the same 20 liftgate events still represent 10% of shipments. The count alone does not show a change in the underlying delivery profile.

Keep services separate.

Analyze liftgate, appointment, residential, limited access and other services in their own categories before combining totals. Check whether multiple charges occur on one shipment and whether the service definitions stayed consistent.

Connect the finding to the operation.

A new destination mix may call for better service planning. Repeated unexpected charges may call for more accurate quote inputs or invoice review. A higher unit price may call for a commercial discussion. The analysis should identify which question the evidence supports.