Most rate confirmations grant a free window — commonly one to two hours — for loading or unloading. Time past that window accrues detention at a stated hourly rate, often in the range of $50 to $100 per hour, sometimes capped per day.
Detention is one of the most disputed accessorials in freight because it depends on documented arrival and departure times. Carriers that capture check-in and check-out timestamps — through a gate system, a driver app, or a signed bill of lading with times — collect far more of what they are owed than carriers relying on the driver’s memory.
The free window and hourly rate are negotiable and should be read on every load. A broker’s standard terms may allow more free time or a lower rate than the carrier would accept if asked.
Example
A rate confirmation allows 2 hours free at delivery and $75 per hour detention after that, billed in 15-minute increments. The driver is on site for 3 hours 20 minutes. Detention owed is 1 hour 20 minutes × $75 = $100, provided the carrier submits arrival and departure times that match the receiver’s records.
Why it matters
Uncollected detention is money the carrier already spent — the driver’s time and the truck’s availability were consumed whether or not anyone paid for it. Billing it reliably requires timestamped proof, not estimates.