What is an accessorial charge and name three common examples configured in AscendTMS?

• A. An additional charge beyond base freight; examples include detention, demurrage, liftgate.
• B. A tax charged by customs; examples include duty, VAT, brokerage.
• C. A penalty for late payment; examples include interest, late fee, service charge.
• D. A discount for bulk volume; examples include seasonal rebate, incentive, loyalty discount.

Answer: (D)

An accessorial charge is an additional fee added to the base freight for services beyond the standard movement. In AscendTMS, these are line items that cover extra handling, time, or equipment needs that aren’t part of the core shipment rate.

Three common examples are detention, which is charged when the carrier holds the equipment beyond the agreed free time; demurrage, charged for keeping a trailer or container beyond the allowed window at origin or destination; and liftgate, which applies when loading or unloading requires a lift-equipped device rather than manual handling.

Other options describe discounts, taxes, or late-payment penalties, which aren’t the extra service charges tied to the freight movement itself, so they don’t fit the definition of accessorial charges.