What is Rack Price? Wholesale Fuel Pricing
Rack price is the wholesale price of fuel at the terminal loading rack — the physical point where fuel trucks fill up at a distribution terminal. It is the baseline price before any delivery, margin, or tax additions. Rack prices change daily (sometimes multiple times per day) based on commodity markets, supply, demand, and regional factors.
How It Relates to Fuel Delivery
When a fuel truck pulls up to a terminal's loading rack, the price it pays is the 'rack price.' This price includes the refined product cost (tied to NYMEX futures and spot markets), terminal handling fees, and applicable federal and state taxes. It does not include delivery freight, broker margins, or surcharges — those are added by the carrier and broker.
Rack prices vary by terminal, time of day, and even by buyer (some large-volume buyers negotiate below-rack pricing). In Florida, major terminal locations include Tampa (Port Tampa), Jacksonville, Port Everglades (Ft. Lauderdale), Miami, and Pensacola. BettyJet monitors rack prices across all Florida terminals to source from the most competitive option for each delivery.
The OPIS (Oil Price Information Service) publishes daily rack prices for every terminal in the country. Most fuel contracts reference OPIS rack as the benchmark — for example, 'OPIS Tampa mean rack + 12 CPG delivered.' This structure provides transparent, market-based pricing that both buyer and seller can verify.
Why It Matters for BettyJet Customers
Rack price is the foundation of your fuel cost. BettyJet monitors rack prices across all Florida terminals daily and sources from the most competitive option for each delivery, ensuring you get the best possible base price plus transparent delivery margins.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often do rack prices change?
Rack prices typically change once or twice daily at most terminals, reflecting overnight commodity market movements. Major supply disruptions (hurricanes, refinery outages) can cause multiple intraday changes. BettyJet monitors prices continuously to optimize your sourcing.
Can I lock in a rack price?
Some contract structures allow fixed pricing or price caps for defined periods. BettyJet can discuss fixed-price contracts, rack-plus pricing, and other structures depending on your volume and needs. Contact us for pricing options.
Related Terms
ULSD stands for Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel — a cleaner-burning diesel fuel containing no more than 15 parts per million (ppm) of sulfur. Since 2006, the EPA has required all on-road diesel sold in the United States to meet the ULSD standard, replacing Low Sulfur Diesel (LSD) which contained up to 500 ppm of sulfur.
Dyed DieselDyed diesel — also called red diesel or off-road diesel — is standard ULSD fuel that has been dyed red to indicate it is exempt from federal and state road taxes. It is chemically identical to on-road diesel but costs significantly less because the tax (typically $0.40-0.60/gallon) is not applied.
Wet HosingWet hosing is the practice of fueling vehicles or equipment directly from a mobile fuel truck rather than from a stationary storage tank. The fuel truck pulls up to each vehicle and fills it on-site — no bulk tank, no pump, no infrastructure required.
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