Detention Time in Trucking: How to Track It, Document It, and Get Paid
Detention time is the extra time a driver spends waiting at a shipper or receiver beyond the agreed loading or unloading window. For a small carrier, those delays are more than just annoying — they can directly reduce revenue by eating into a driver’s available hours, delaying the next load, and creating additional operating costs.
The biggest problem is that detention can be difficult to recover if the carrier cannot clearly prove when the driver arrived, when loading or unloading started, and when the truck was finally released.
Good documentation can make all the difference.
What Counts as Detention Time?
In trucking, a shipper or receiver will often allow a certain amount of free time before detention charges can begin.
A common arrangement is around two hours of free time, but this is not a universal rule. The actual detention terms should come from the rate confirmation, broker agreement, customer instructions, or another written agreement.
For example, if a driver checks in at 8:00 AM and the load allows two hours of free time, detention would generally begin after 10:00 AM if the truck is still waiting.
But the details matter.
Some agreements calculate detention from the scheduled appointment time rather than the driver's actual arrival time. Others may require the driver to arrive on time before detention is eligible at all.
Before assuming detention applies, a carrier should verify:
- Scheduled appointment time
- Actual arrival and check-in time
- Amount of free time allowed
- Whether the broker requires notice before detention begins
- When the driver was loaded, unloaded, or officially released
Never assume that waiting automatically means detention will be paid. Always check the specific terms for the load.
How Is Detention Pay Typically Calculated?
Detention is commonly paid using an hourly rate after the free-time period expires.
Example
A driver arrives at 8:00 AM. The agreement allows 2 hours of free time, and the truck leaves at 1:00 PM.
Total time at the facility: 5 hours Free time: 2 hours Potential detention time: 3 hours
If the agreed detention rate is $50 per hour:
3 hours × $50 = $150
Actual detention rates can vary significantly depending on the broker, customer, facility, lane, and contract. Rates in the general range of $25 to $75 per hour are often encountered in the industry, but carriers should never treat that range as a guaranteed rate.
Some agreements may also include different hourly rates, caps, minimums, or other specific requirements.
The rate confirmation should always be checked first.
It is also important to understand that calculating detention and being entitled to detention pay are not the same thing. A broker may require specific documentation or timely notification before approving the charge.
How to Properly Document Detention Time
If a carrier expects to request detention, documentation should begin as soon as the driver arrives.
Record the driver's actual arrival and check-in time. Do not rely only on memory or a message sent several hours later.
Whenever possible, keep the following information:
- Appointment time
- Arrival time
- Check-in time
- Door assignment time
- Loading or unloading start time
- Loading or unloading completion time
- Check-out or departure time
- Facility name
- Load or pickup number
Drivers should also keep any documentation provided by the facility, including:
- Signed bills of lading
- Gate tickets
- Check-in receipts
- Lumper receipts
- Other paperwork containing timestamps
Photos Can Help Too
Photos can provide additional support when appropriate. For example, a photo of a signed check-in sheet, gate receipt, or facility paperwork showing a timestamp may help support the carrier's records.
Communicate With the Broker
Communication with the broker is equally important.
If the driver has been waiting and the detention threshold is approaching, notify the broker in writing.
Email or another recorded form of communication is generally better than relying only on a phone conversation because it creates a timestamped record.
A simple update could say:
"Driver checked in at 8:03 AM for the 8:00 AM appointment and is still waiting to be loaded. Please note detention may begin after the agreed free-time period."
Continue documenting the situation until the truck is released.
Make Your Detention Request Easy to Review
When requesting detention, send the broker a clear timeline instead of simply saying that the driver "waited five hours."
For example:
Appointment: 8:00 AM Checked in: 8:03 AM Loading started: 11:20 AM Released: 1:07 PM Total facility time: 5 hours 4 minutes Free time: 2 hours Requested detention: 3 hours 4 minutes
This gives the broker a clear timeline of the driver's wait time and makes the detention calculation easy to verify.
Providing specific timestamps gives the broker something concrete to review and makes it easier to determine whether the request meets the agreed terms.
How LoadKit Helps Track Detention
LoadKit helps keep load information, operational timestamps, documents, and broker communication organized in one workspace.
This can make it easier for a dispatcher to notice when a truck has been waiting too long and gather the information needed to submit a detention request.
LoadKit does not determine whether a broker owes detention. The rate confirmation and applicable agreement still control that decision.
Don't Let Waiting Time Become Lost Revenue
Detention is difficult enough without having to reconstruct the timeline hours or days later.
Small carriers should document facility delays as they happen, communicate with the broker early, and verify the detention terms on every load.
When drivers and dispatchers consistently track arrival times, waiting periods, communications, and release times, they have much stronger documentation when it's time to request detention pay.
If you want a simpler way to keep your loads, documents, timestamps, and dispatch information organized, you can try LoadKit's free plan and keep your operation in one place.