Why Keeping a Driver for 16 Minutes Can Mean Extra Charges

Driver Detention Often Results in Additional Charges: Here’s Why

When detention charges arise, we often get the question of why we would charge for such a thing. The driver was only there for an hour, and after all, there were several pallets to unload and to make sure there was no damage or shortage. 

All understandable points. However, there is also the carrier’s side. When their driver is detained, pickups and deliveries can be missed, storage fees can accrue for other shippers, etc.

That’s why, in this article, we’re going over the effects of driver detention and why those pesky detention charges exist. 

So let’s begin…

What’s The Issue?

Before we explain the ripple effect detention can have, let’s first explain what the issue is.

Firstly, most carriers charge “carrier detention” charges, or “waiting time” fees for loading and unloading that takes more than 15 minutes. Hence the name of this article.

On the shipper’s side, the issue is that it often happens that clients spend more than the allotted time on loading or unloading and end up with additional charges on their invoices. If the carrier is strict enough, this can mean as little as a minute over the allotted time limit.

The Carrier

At first sight, driver detention may seem like a small inconvenience, but it can have a butterfly wing effect that disrupts other things. For the carrier, even a short delay can push the next pickup or delivery back, and it can even lead to complete missed pickups or deliveries. 

A shipper in one place may be only open for pickups for a short period of time, or the delay may lead the driver to come to their next delivery during lunch, only to find nobody there.

There can also be seemingly unrelated extra handling fees elsewhere in their network. 

Drivers feel the delays too. The time they spend waiting is time they’re not spending on the road. For a company, this is already a loss, but if a driver is an independent contractor, a delay can reduce their daily capacity and thus, their earnings, and potentially even client trust and loss of business. The USA’s DOT estimates that delays and driver detention cost drivers over $1 billion USD per year. That’s right, a billion with a B.

The longer they sit idle, the more likely they are to face traffic or scheduling issues, which can give headaches to all involved.

The Shipper

Unwanted delays and hidden losses can also happen on the shipper’s and consignee’s end. Those few extra minutes can add up quickly if you’re running multiple loads or if you’re sharing dock space with another business.

If your crew is consistently tied up longer than planned, you might see overtime creep up or find it tougher to stick to your own deadlines. This can then reach your own customers, who might receive their freight later than expected. So not only can an independent truck driver experience loss of clientele, it can go further than that.

It’s also worth noting that many carriers are setting stricter detention policies, so while a brief delay may have been overlooked in the past, the costs of doing business as a carrier are increasing and delays are becoming harder and harder to tolerate both for carriers and their clients.

Solutions and Workarounds

At the root of detention charges is the need for efficiency and fairness. Carriers schedule their pickups and deliveries based on their available time and resources. Any deviation can throw off their entire day’s plan.

Meanwhile, shippers want enough time to make sure that their product is in good condition before it takes off. The key is balance. Organize your staff and make sure they’re ready for the driver and to load or unload your cargo fast. Make sure to let everyone know of any changes in time so carriers can adjust and postpone your pickup/delivery to another day and save themselves time and possibly space on the truck.

Communication and understanding don’t just keep your final invoice the same as what you were quoted. They’ll help you maintain good relationships with your clients and carriers, just by being understanding and responsible for your part.

In short, those “pesky” detention charges exist because every minute counts in freight shipping. 

And we’d know. Our entire platform is built around the idea of convenience and saving time (and money)! Get a free freight quote yourself and see how fast and efficient freight shipping can be when you do it right.