Lumper Fee
What is lumper fee? A lumper fee is the cost paid to a third-party labor service that unloads freight at a receiver — common at grocery warehouses and produce houses.
Full definition
Lumper fees range from $100-$400 per load and are paid at the receiver before the truck is released. They're an unavoidable cost at most grocery distribution centers (Walmart, Kroger, Publix DCs).
The broker is supposed to reimburse the lumper fee, but the driver typically pays cash or with a lumper-specific card up front. Reimbursement is then added to the freight invoice.
Factoring companies typically advance lumper reimbursements alongside the base freight invoice. Some fuel cards (Comdata, EFS) include dedicated lumper-pay channels that simplify the cash flow.