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The Daily Insight

Is fuel a cost of goods sold for trucking company?

Author

Michael Gray

Updated on April 01, 2026

COGS is the cost of an item that you buy to turn around and resell, hopefully for a profit. It’s for retail merchandise. Expediting has expenses, fuel, tires, filters, brake pads, etc.

Is fuel a cost or expense?

Under the US tax code, buying gas to fuel assets, such as a business car, is considered an expense whereas the actual car is not. This is because it is a business-related asset and as such, it also represents a capital expense.

What is cost of goods sold in transportation?

Transportation-in costs, which are also known as freight-in costs, are part of the cost of goods purchased. If a company purchases goods with terms such as FOB shipping point, the company will be responsible for any costs to get the products from the seller to the company’s warehouse.

Is transportation included in COGS?

COGS expenses include: The cost of products or raw materials, including freight or shipping charges; The direct labor costs of workers who produce the products; Factory overhead expenses.

How much do Owner Operators spend on fuel?

Fuel. Fuel is one the largest costs of owning a semi-truck, as most owner-operators spend an average of $50,000-$70,000 annually or $4,000-$6,000 each month.

What is the difference between COGS and sales?

Companies will often list on their balance sheets cost of goods sold (COGS) or cost of sales (and sometimes both), leading to confusion about what the two terms mean. Fundamentally, there is almost no difference between cost of goods sold and cost of sales. In accounting, the two terms are often used interchangeably.

What is the relationship between sales and cost of goods sold?

Cost of goods sold (COGS) includes all of the costs and expenses directly related to the production of goods. COGS excludes indirect costs such as overhead and sales & marketing. COGS is deducted from revenues (sales) in order to calculate gross profit and gross margin. Higher COGS results in lower margins.