Per Meter
Charge a flat rate per unit of distance — meters, kilometers, feet, yards, or miles. The simplest linear distance-based pricing model.
Per Meter
Per Meter scales the service fee linearly with distance. You set a fee per unit of distance (e.g. $0.80 per km), pick the unit, and Fleet-Ops multiplies it by the actual route distance at quote time. (In the API this method is identified as per_meter.)
Use this for taxi-style or urban-delivery pricing where every additional unit of distance adds a predictable, constant amount. If your pricing curve changes at certain distances, use Fixed Rate instead; if it needs to vary by region, use Multi-zone Distance.
How it works
Service fee = Base Fee + (Per-Meter Rate × distance in the selected unit)
At quote time:
- The route's total distance is converted into the unit you selected (kilometers, miles, meters, feet, or yards).
- That distance is multiplied by your per-unit rate.
- The result is added to the Base Fee to produce the service fee.
Distance is not capped — pricing keeps scaling linearly however far the route goes. If you need a cap, use the Algorithm method with a min() expression.
API reference
| Field | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|
rate_calculation_method | yes | Set to per_meter. |
per_meter_flat_rate_fee | yes | The fee charged per unit of distance, in the rate's currency. |
per_meter_unit | yes | The unit the rate is denominated in. One of: m, km, ft, yd, mi. |
base_fee | optional | Added to the distance-scaled fee. Useful as a flag-fall or pickup fee. |
currency | yes | Currency for the fee. |
Worked examples
1. Per kilometer
"$2 pickup fee + $0.80 per km."
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Base Fee | $2.00 |
| Per-Meter Rate | $0.80 |
| Distance Unit | km |
For a 12 km route: 2 + (0.80 × 12) = $11.60.
For a 3 km route: 2 + (0.80 × 3) = $4.40.
2. Per mile
"$1.50 per mile, no pickup fee."
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Base Fee | $0.00 |
| Per-Meter Rate | $1.50 |
| Distance Unit | mi |
For an 8 mi route: 0 + (1.50 × 8) = $12.00.
3. Per meter (very short hops)
"$0.01 per meter — for indoor or campus deliveries."
| Setting | Value |
|---|---|
| Per-Meter Rate | $0.01 |
| Distance Unit | m |
For a 350 m route: 0.01 × 350 = $3.50.
Configuration workflow
Create or open a service rate in Fleet-Ops → Operations → Service Rates.
Set Rate Calculation Method to Per Meter.
Set the Per-Meter Rate Fee and Distance Unit. The form previews the formula live as you change the values.
Optional: Set a Base Fee (the flag-fall amount added before the distance calculation).
Optional: Configure COD Fees and Peak Hours — these surcharges apply on top of the per-meter result.
Save and test by generating a quote for a sample order. Check the Quote section on the order detail to see the computed amount.
Limitations
- No tiers. A single rate applies for any distance — there's no way to express "first 10 km at one rate, then a different rate after". Use Fixed Rate for banded pricing or Algorithm for piecewise expressions.
- No geography awareness. The same rate applies everywhere the rate is scoped. For different rates in different zones, use Multi-zone Distance.
- No minimum or maximum. If you need either, use Algorithm with
max()/min().
Related Pages
- Service Rates Overview — all calculation methods and rate scoping
- Fixed Rate — banded distance pricing
- Multi-zone Distance — distance pricing per geographic area
- Algorithm Rates — custom formulas for caps, floors, and combined surcharges
- Service Quotes — how the calculated rate becomes a quote on an order