Pricing
Transparent pricing. No surprises.
Clear upfront rates for metro parcels and pallets, priority and after-hours service, and regional Victoria zones. All prices include GST.
Metro delivery rates
Flat rates for deliveries across metro Melbourne, priced by item type.
Small item
Parcels, satchels & documents
$35
European pallet
1200 × 800mm footprint
$88
Standard pallet
1165 × 1165mm footprint
$110
Oversized pallet
Over-height or over-width freight
$155
Fixed freight pricing
Know your freight cost before you book.
Not every transport quote tells the full story. Some freight providers advertise a low starting rate, then add extra charges after you book — or after the delivery is done. Their own pricing schedules often say it in the fine print: fuel levies, surcharges, tolls, fees and detention charges “may apply” on top of listed rates.
What some carrier invoices look like
Example only — charges added after the quote
- Fuel levy (18%)+ $19.80
- Tail-lift / manual handling+ $35.00
- Waiting time (detention)+ $22.00
- Toll & congestion charges+ $12.40
- Administration fee+ $8.50
- Depot handling fee+ $18.00
- Pallet exchange fee+ $16.50
More than double the quoted rate
A Drop-X Transport invoice
One booking. One fixed price.
No hidden charges added after delivery.
Charges other carriers may add — depending on the provider
- Fuel levies
- Waiting time (detention) charges
- Administration fees
- Toll charges
- Congestion surcharges
- Depot handling fees
- Cross-docking fees
- Regional delivery surcharges
- Residential delivery fees
- Tail-lift charges
- Manual handling fees
- Oversized / overweight charges
- Storage fees
- Re-delivery fees
- After-hours & weekend surcharges
- Pallet exchange fees
- Special handling charges
The Drop-X Transport difference
We believe freight pricing should be simple and transparent. Whether you’re sending one pallet or booking regular business freight, you’ll know exactly what you’re paying before your delivery is confirmed.
- No fuel levy on metro deliveries — the only exception (three corridors) is disclosed upfront, never added after
- No administration or booking fees
- No undisclosed surcharges bolted on after delivery
- No surprise invoices at the end of the month
- Optional extras (hand unload, after-hours, waiting time past the 10-minute grace) are shown upfront and only apply when you use them
- You know your price before you book
Transparent pricing. Reliable service. No surprises.
Service & priority options
Choose the turnaround that suits the job. Add-ons stack on top of the base rate.
Priority delivery
1–3 hour turnaround on same-day or next-day jobs.
+$55
Standard same-day
Picked up and delivered within 8 hours on the same business day.
Base item rate
Next-day discounts
Discounted rates are applied to next-day deliveries — plan ahead and save.
See the savings below
After-hours delivery
Deliveries booked from 5:00 PM onwards.
+$110
Optional extras
Added to your job only when you need them.
Hand unload
$44Driver-assisted unloading by hand where no dock or forklift is available. Includes up to 30 minutes on site.
Transit insurance
$24.32Optional goods-in-transit cover added to your consignment.
Waiting time
10 min graceFree grace period at each pickup and delivery. Waiting time applies after — call dispatch for the rate.
Next-day delivery savings
Book next-day instead of same-day and pay less on every job.
Plan ahead and save. Booking next-day instead of same-day earns a discount off the standard metro rate:
| Item | Same-day rate | Next-day rate | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Small item | $35 | $35 | No discount |
| European pallet | $88 | $77 | 12% offsave $11 |
| Standard pallet | $110 | $97 | 12% offsave $13 |
| Oversized pallet | $155 | $136 | 12% offsave $19 |
Next-day metro pallet rates are 12% off the standard same-day rate and apply per delivery. Small items are the same rate next-day. All prices inc. GST.
Regional runs save even more. Next-day discounts on Extended Metro and regional Victoria zones:
| Zone | Car — next-day | Pallet / Van — next-day | You save |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extended Metro | $280 $246 | $330 $290 | 12% offsave $34–$40 |
| Regional VIC Zone 1 | $420 $370 | $530 $466 | 12% offsave $50–$64 |
| Regional VIC Zone 2 | $580 $510 | $740 $651 | 12% offsave $70–$89 |
| Regional VIC Zone 3 | $770 $678 | $970 $854 | 12% offsave $92–$116 |
| Regional VIC Zone 4 | $950 $836 | $1,200 $1,056 | 12% offsave $114–$144 |
Savings are off the standard same-day zone rate and apply per delivery. All prices inc. GST.
Regional Victoria & Extended Metro zones
Regional runs are priced by distance zone and by the vehicle required — a car for parcels, or a larger vehicle for pallet freight. All prices are each, inc. GST.
Extended Metro
50km – 120km
Car
$280
Pallet / Van
$330
Regional VIC Zone 1
120km – 200km
Car
$420
Pallet / Van
$530
Regional VIC Zone 2
200km – 300km
Car
$580
Pallet / Van
$740
Regional VIC Zone 3
300km – 400km
Car
$770
Pallet / Van
$970
Regional VIC Zone 4
400km – 500km
Car
$950
Pallet / Van
$1,200
POA — price on application. Contact us for any run beyond 500km or outside these zones.
Corridor rates — Geelong & Mornington Peninsula
Fixed point-to-point rates on our three busiest corridors. Choose standard same-day, or save 12% with next-day delivery. All prices are per delivery, inc. GST.
Melbourne ⇄ Geelong
~75 km| Item type | Standard | Next-day12% off |
|---|---|---|
| Small itemCourier, ≤25kg, 50×50×50cm | $83.07 | $73.10 |
| European pallet~500kg, 1.2×0.8m | $108.82 | $95.76 |
| Standard pallet~1000kg | $142.03 | $124.99 |
| Oversized palletChargeable >1000kg | $220.63 | $194.15 |
Melbourne ⇄ Mornington
~65 km| Item type | Standard | Next-day12% off |
|---|---|---|
| Small itemCourier, ≤25kg, 50×50×50cm | $71.17 | $62.63 |
| European pallet~500kg, 1.2×0.8m | $94.82 | $83.44 |
| Standard pallet~1000kg | $123.23 | $108.44 |
| Oversized palletChargeable >1000kg | $195.63 | $172.15 |
Geelong ⇄ Mornington
~140 km| Item type | Standard | Next-day12% off |
|---|---|---|
| Small itemCourier, ≤25kg, 50×50×50cm | $160.42 | $141.17 |
| European pallet~500kg, 1.2×0.8m | $199.82 | $175.84 |
| Standard pallet~1000kg | $264.23 | $232.52 |
| Oversized palletChargeable >1000kg | $383.13 | $337.15 |
These are the three corridors where a fuel levy applies — it’s disclosed upfront at booking, never added after.
Why dedicated courier services cost more
A dedicated same-day courier isn't a parcel network. You're booking an entire vehicle and driver to move your freight directly — so the price reflects the real cost of running that service, not a share of a consolidated load.
Driver wages & super
A qualified driver is paid for their full time on the road, plus superannuation.
Fuel
Long regional runs burn significant fuel — often hundreds of kilometres each way.
Servicing, tyres & depreciation
Every kilometre wears the vehicle — servicing, tyres and the cost of the asset itself.
Insurance & compliance
Goods-in-transit and vehicle insurance, plus ongoing transport compliance.
GST
All rates include GST, so the price you see is the price you pay.
Time
One regional job can occupy a driver and vehicle for 4–8 hours, start to finish.
A dedicated vehicle
Your freight travels alone — unlike parcel networks that consolidate hundreds of deliveries.
Parcel network vs dedicated courier
Parcel network
Freight is consolidated with many other customers
Dedicated courier
The vehicle is dedicated to your freight only
Parcel network
Delivery may take 3, 5, 7 or even 14 days
Dedicated courier
Direct, same-day service
Parcel network
Lower cost
Dedicated courier
Higher cost due to exclusive use of the vehicle
Why does regional same-day freight cost more?
Because you're booking an entire vehicle and driver to move your freight directly, often hundreds of kilometres, without waiting for other loads. You're paying for dedicated service, not shared freight.
Pricing FAQs
Common pricing questions
Waiting time, fuel levy, priority and after-hours charges — the answers customers ask us most before they book.
Does waiting time apply to pickups and deliveries?
Every job includes a grace period of 10 minutes at pickup and 10 minutes at delivery at no charge. If our driver is held up beyond that grace period, waiting time is charged in line with the vehicle and job — call our dispatch team on 1300 973 038 for the current waiting-time rate before you book.
Are Drop-X Transport prices inclusive of GST?
Yes. All metro item rates, service add-ons and regional Victoria zone prices shown on this page include GST.
Do you charge a fuel levy?
No — on standard deliveries we don't charge a fuel levy, so what you see is what you pay. The only exception is on three corridors: Melbourne to Geelong, Melbourne to the Mornington Peninsula, and the Mornington Peninsula to Geelong (in either direction), where a fuel levy applies and is shown upfront when you book. There are no other hidden add-ons.
How much does a same-day priority delivery cost?
Priority delivery adds $55 to the base rate and gives you a 1–3 hour turnaround on same-day or next-day jobs. Standard same-day is charged at the base item rate and delivered within 8 hours on the same business day; next-day bookings are also at the base item rate, with discounts available on next-day freight.
What are the after-hours delivery charges?
Deliveries booked from 5:00 PM onwards attract an after-hours fee from $110 on top of the base rate. Contact dispatch for weekend and public-holiday pricing.
Do you do regional Victoria same-day delivery?
Yes. We run same-day regional Victoria deliveries as dedicated point-to-point jobs — a car or van is assigned to your freight and driven straight through, priced using the zone table on this page. For lower-cost regional freight we also offer scheduled next-day services. Call dispatch on 1300 973 038 with your pickup and delivery towns and we'll confirm the fastest same-day option and price.
How is regional Victoria and interstate freight priced?
Regional runs are priced by distance zone and by the vehicle required — a car for parcels or a larger vehicle for pallet freight. Extended Metro (50–120km) starts at $280, with set rates through Zone 4 (400–500km), which is $950 by car and $1,200 by pallet or van. Any run beyond 500km is priced on application — contact us for a quote.
Do you charge extra for oversized or pallet freight?
Pallet and oversized freight is priced by item type rather than by weight: European pallets are $88, standard pallets $110, and oversized (over-height or over-width) freight $155 for metro deliveries. Regional pallet freight uses the Pallet / Van column in the zone table.
Who qualifies for corporate pricing?
Corporate pricing is based on consistent weekly volume, route efficiency and long-term partnership potential. Typical qualification starts from around 10 local pallet deliveries per week or 3 regional deliveries per week. High-volume corporate accounts can save up to 30% — contact us about a freight account and we'll tailor a rate to your volume.
Still have a question about pricing? Contact our Melbourne dispatch team for a tailored quote.
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