A trip charge is not a penalty. It is the price of putting a licensed tech, a stocked truck, and insurance on someone's driveway. Shops that waive it to "win the call" often lose money before the repair quote even starts. The goal is a fee that covers the roll, feels fair when explained, and still converts.
What the fee must cover
At minimum, a trip or diagnostic fee should absorb:
- Round-trip travel at a burdened labor rate
- Vehicle cost for those miles
- A slice of overhead for the dispatch slot
- Diagnostic time on site (often 30–60 minutes) when that is included
If your fee is $79 and a typical roll costs $140 before anyone opens a panel, every "no repair sold" visit is a loss — and many repair visits are still underwater until the upsell clears the gap.
A simple way to set the number
- Cost a typical diagnostic visit in the job profitability calculator with travel, labor, vehicle, and overhead — materials at $0.
- Add a small target contribution (not zero). The fee should leave something after costs, not break even on paper.
- Decide whether the fee applies toward repair. Crediting it into the job is fine; giving it away when they decline is not free marketing if the roll already lost money.
How to say it without losing the booking
- Lead with what they get: "A licensed tech, a full diagnostic, and a written options quote."
- State the fee early on the phone and in booking confirmation SMS.
- Offer membership or prepaid plans that waive or discount the trip — only if those plans are costed honestly.
Price shoppers who hang up on a transparent fee were rarely going to be profitable accounts. Customers who want a real diagnosis usually accept a clear, fair charge.
When your fee is too low
Signs: techs avoid short calls, office waives fees constantly, or diagnostic-only days feel busy and cash-poor. Recost the fee annually when wages, fuel, or insurance move.
Cost a diagnostic-only visit
Run travel, labor, vehicle, and overhead through the free calculator and set the fee above true truck-roll cost.