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Sunday, February 03, 2019

A Viewer Writes: Fuel Surcharges... Really??

Why do companies still charge extra for fuel, when gas and diesel are at historically low levels?

Chesapeake Waste charges me $7.78 on a $90 bill and calls it a "Fuel Surcharge"

Does anyone else find this odd and excessive? They're getting like the airlines and quoting one price and jacking it up somewhere else.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

its impossible to remove a fee once its in place.
companies get used to it, and dont want to give up the income

Anonymous said...

We just noticed this charge as well. We are already shopping around with other Waste Removal companies

Anonymous said...

Yes I do and also racist and offensive!

Jerseyboy said...

They charge that extra fee because they can. Once a TAX is added on, it is difficult to have it eliminated!!!!!

Anonymous said...

I 100% complain about the exact same thing!!! This is ridiculous!

Anonymous said...

That is why I recently had them pick up my container. I spent $60.00 for a county waste permit and make the trip once a week. I wish I had done this years ago.

Anonymous said...

My Chesapeake Waste has gone up three different times within the past year. The latest brought it up to 100.00 Time to drop!

Anonymous said...

Yes, I agree and was with the same garbage company. I cancelled my service and got a Wicomico Co. dump sticker for $60.00 a year. Well worth the change!

Anonymous said...

I have the same issue.
Just make it part price increase.
Chesapeake Waste went up 25%.
I already know people that cancelled and got a dump sticker.
Dump Stick is only $60 for the year.

Anonymous said...

The government is supposed to regulate them but they don't. Government does the same thing with energy, insurance, telecommunications and other utility companies because they receive kick backs from them instead of not allowing them to manipulate prices and create monopolies. Another example of how crooked the Politians are and how they refuse to do their job.

Anonymous said...

IT,s just dishonest.

Anonymous said...

Salisbury Brick charged me a $45.00 fuel surcharge to drive less than 4 miles one way. Haven't bought anything from them since.

Anonymous said...

UPS does the same. They will not remove it, then, once fuel prices increase, they add another surcharge on top of the existing one.

Anonymous said...

They do it because they can. No other reason.

Anonymous said...

Ask Chesapeake Waste and get back to us. Don't call or text or email them. Drop a stamp on an envelope with your letter in it. Keep a copy of the letter. Wait two weeks for a reply.

Anonymous said...

because it's chesapeake waste. which is what their service is ... a waste. Got tired of them skipping picking up my trash especially since I've paid them to do it! always had some excuse. no more! if you are tired of being ripped off then why do you let them? quit crying here!

Anonymous said...


I've been a customer for a number of years, and mostly happy.

The latest bill was a major shock. Cost per quarter went from $78.39, which included previous fuel charge to $98.00 which includes $7.78 fuel surcharge. There was no notice ahead, or on the bill, to justify such a large increase. The total increase annually is $78.44, or 25%.

The bottom of the bill had their plans for servicing customers during Thanksgiving and Christmas 2018!

Their explanation over the phone was totally inadequate and unconvincing. I've been happy to support a local business but $340 in savings from buying a county sticker will pay for a lot of trips to the Convenience Center, and I won't have to charge myself a fuel surcharge!

Think they've filed for divorce from this customer.

Anonymous said...

Do NOT go with Republic!!

Their fees are ski high and they do not disclose all fees. Then when you try to cancel they will try to charge more fees.

And they are expensive.

You have been warned.

Anonymous said...

These idiots leave more trash along the roadways than they get in the truck on Thursdays

Anonymous said...

Chesapeake Waste is a monopoly. They feel they can charge anything they want because they can. Of course, if there was competition in Saliabury, they’d likely lower their prices but not many people want to do dirty jobs like trash removal.

Anonymous said...

Because you’re stupid enough to keep paying it. Stop sitting on your balls crying because it hurts and take your trash to the dump.

Anonymous said...

google the owners name and get a load of the scam he ran in the past. charging people more weight than they had, etc. I think the feds got involved. leopards don't change their spots, they just find new ways to do it. now he just legally rips you off instead of illegally

we had them at work. if something was blocking the dumpster instead of asking us to move it they would leave and still charge us for a load they never removed. we had it on camera.

Anonymous said...

Many in my neighborhood are changing companies. Compare prices, some of us can't get to the dump and are stuck with using these trash companies, I am now shopping around, after using them for 16 plus years.

Anonymous said...

I know one thing those gentlemen do alot of drinking on these routes throughout the day

Anonymous said...

Call Patrick’s.. He is still around $60 and owns the business. It’s his business and private so sometimes there are issues but he always gets the trash and let’s us know if anything has happened. The rest are rip offs and they decide on how much they pick up. If you have paid bill late they won’t pick up until paid but no back pick up...

Anonymous said...

Chesapeake was $45 per quarter when I started using them in 2004. My latest bill was $98 which included their ridiculous fuel surcharge. A 125% increase in 15 years ain't bad if you can get it. Crazy thing is they're paying less for fuel now than they were in 2015, but they're still charging fuel surcharge on top of fuel surcharges they've been adding since around 2008.

Anonymous said...

A frog will sit in a pot of water until it boils if you turn up the heat slow enough...
I guess that's what Chesapeake waste is doing. Like Comcast. Little by little, hoping you don't notice. Next thing you know - you're cooked.

Anonymous said...

It’s called Capitalism, you don’t like it Move To Cuba

Anonymous said...

Another Lib who thinks “the government” should regulate.

Anonymous said...

4:40 Misnomers is not capitalism. It's more like bait-and-switch, which is illegal according to the FTC. Capitalism is just charging whatever the market will bear. I have no problems with that. Comcast and airlines are the kings of that: charging then slipping more charges on to use the service.
A fuel "SURCHARGE" is ONLY supposed to be added when the company is faced with a sudden INCREASE in fuel prices.

Anonymous said...

Maybe actually listen to someone when they tell you your taxes are going to be raised and or some other fee or what ever and help fight back instead of demonize them like you know everything about nothing... Every time you prove you know nothing about everything...