A truck stuck at a dock isn't just annoying — it's lost revenue, blown appointments, and a driver burning Hours of Service for free. Detention pay exists to cover that. The problem is collecting it. Here's how the carriers who actually get paid do it.
Detention is the money a shipper or receiver owes you for holding your truck beyond the agreed free time for loading or unloading. Two hours of free time is the most common starting point, after which detention is billed by the hour. The rate and any cap are negotiable — and that's the whole game: detention is a contract term, not an automatic entitlement, so it only exists if it's agreed in writing.
Detention claims live or die before the wheels ever turn. Before you accept a load, confirm three things in writing on the rate con:
If the rate con is silent on detention, ask the broker to add it. A verbal "yeah, we cover detention" is worth nothing when you submit the invoice three weeks later.
Most denials come down to one thing: you can't prove how long you actually sat. Build a paper trail at every appointment:
Submit the detention charge with the rest of your invoice and attach the proof. Detention is an accessorial, so it should flow into your billing the same way linehaul does — clearly itemized, with supporting documents stapled to it. Then work it like any other receivable: track which detention invoices are unpaid and follow up, because brokers rarely chase money they owe you. Unbilled detention quietly erodes your profit margin and your real cost per mile on every load that sits.
TruckSpot Dispatch timestamps stops, stores your BOLs and dock receipts against the load, and turns detention into an itemized accessorial on the invoice automatically — then keeps it on your aging report until it's paid. Instead of remembering to bill detention, it's already on the invoice with the proof attached. TruckSpot Dispatch is ELD-agnostic with a free 14-day trial.
Stop leaving detention on the table — free 14-day trial →Detention is the money a shipper or receiver owes you for holding your truck beyond the agreed free time for loading or unloading. It compensates for the hours and capacity you lose sitting at a dock.
Two hours of free time is the most common standard before detention starts, but it is negotiable. Always confirm the free time, the hourly rate, and any cap in writing on the rate confirmation before you book.
Most denials come down to missing proof: no detention terms on the rate con, or no documented in and out times. Get the terms in writing first and timestamp your arrival and departure at every stop.