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Negotiating Rates11 min read•February 2, 2026

Detention pay: how to get paid for waiting

Stop losing money while waiting! Learn how to negotiate detention pay, document wait times, and actually get brokers to pay you $50-150/hour for delays.

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FF Dispatch finds loads, negotiates rates, and handles broker communication.

You arrive on time for your 10am appointment. You check in. They tell you "dock 23."

You wait. And wait. And wait.

5 hours later, they finally load you.

You just lost 5 hours that you could have been driving 375 miles earning $937.

Instead you got... nothing.

This is why detention pay exists.

But here's the problem: Most brokers won't pay detention unless you know how to document it, negotiate it upfront, and fight for it afterward.

Industry data shows owner operators lose $5,000-$12,000 per year to unpaid detention time.

Let me show you exactly how to capture that money.

What is detention pay?

Simple definition: Payment for time spent waiting at shipper or receiver beyond the "free time" allowed.

Standard terms:

  • Free time: First 2 hours at pickup/delivery (no charge)
  • Detention pay: $50-$150/hour after free time
  • Calculated: Usually per hour or fraction thereof

Example:

  • Appointment: 10am
  • Check-in: 9:55am (on time)
  • Finished loading: 4:30pm (6.5 hours total)
  • Free time: 2 hours
  • Detention time: 4.5 hours
  • Rate: $75/hour
  • Detention pay: $337.50

Why detention happens

Detention usually happens because freight isn't ready when you arrive, dock workers are late or missing, equipment breaks down, they operate on first-come-first-served despite your appointment, or they're just slow.

At receivers, they're often backed up with other deliveries, understaffed, or don't care about your time. Grocery warehouses are notorious for 6-12 hour waits.

The worst offenders are grocery distribution centers, major retail DCs (Walmart, Target), some food processing plants, and ports.

Standard detention pay rates

Common rates:

  • Budget rate: $50/hour after 2 hours free
  • Standard rate: $75/hour after 2 hours free
  • Good rate: $100/hour after 2 hours free
  • Premium rate: $125-150/hour after 2 hours free

Free time variations:

  • Standard: 2 hours free
  • Generous: 3 hours free (rare)
  • Stingy: 1 hour free (push back on this)

How it's calculated:

Hourly:

  • 4.5 hours detention = 4.5 × $75 = $337.50

Per 15-minute increment:

  • 4 hours 45 minutes = 19 increments × $18.75 = $356.25

Daily cap:

  • Some brokers cap at $150-300/day regardless of hours

How to negotiate detention before accepting a load

Negotiate detention before you agree to the load. Here's how it should go:

Broker: "Load pays $2,800, picks up tomorrow at 10am in Chicago, delivers Wednesday in Atlanta."

You: "What's the detention after free time?"

Broker: [If they give a rate] "It's $75/hour after 2 hours."

You: "That works. What about if I'm there longer than 6 hours total?"

Broker: "We cap at $300/day."

You: "Okay, and this is a drop and hook or live load?"

Broker: "Live load."

You: [Knowing it's a grocery DC] "I see this delivers to a grocery warehouse. Those typically have long wait times. Can we do $100/hour after 2 hours free, no daily cap?"

Broker: "I can do $85/hour, capped at $500/day."

You: "That works. Please include that in the rate confirmation."

Broker: "Will do."

You just confirmed detention terms upfront, negotiated a higher rate ($85 vs $75), got the daily cap raised ($500 vs $300), and requested it in writing. This 2-minute conversation can save you $200-500 in unpaid detention later.

Red flags during detention negotiation

"We don't pay detention." Push back: "Industry standard is $75/hour after 2 hours. If you're not offering detention, I need the load rate increased to compensate." Or walk away.

"Detention is at shipper/receiver's discretion." This means they won't fight for you. Get it in writing: "$75/hour after 2 hours, guaranteed regardless of shipper's fault."

"It's on the rate confirmation." Always verify—sometimes it's not included or has terrible terms.

"We'll handle it if it happens." Translation: They won't pay unless you push hard. Get a specific rate in writing now.

What should be in your rate confirmation

Look for a detention clause that includes: detention rate ($/hour), free time (usually 2 hours), when it starts (from arrival or check-in time), how it's calculated (per hour, per 15 min, etc.), and any caps (daily max).

Example good detention clause:

"Detention: $75/hour after first 2 hours from check-in at shipper/receiver. Calculated in 15-minute increments. Maximum $500/day."

Example BAD detention clause:

"Detention may be paid at broker's discretion based on circumstances."

Translation: You're not getting paid.

How to document detention (critical!)

Without documentation, you won't get paid.

Document your arrival time with a photo of your ELD or note in your records. Get a time-stamped check-in receipt if available, photo of their check-in screen, or screenshot your check-in text to the broker. Note when they actually start loading/unloading (not when they say they will). Record the completion time from your BOL signature and ELD departure photo. Note any delay reasons if told to you ("Dock supervisor said freight wasn't ready" or "Warehouse said they're backed up"). Text your broker during excessive waits with timestamped messages like "Hour 3 of loading at ABC Warehouse. Still no update on completion."

Before submitting a claim, make sure you have: photo of ELD showing arrival time, check-in receipt or time stamp, note of when loading/unloading actually started, photo of BOL showing completion time, text messages to broker about delays, total detention time calculated, and total detention amount owed.

How to request detention payment

Submit your detention claim the same day as delivery. Don't wait.

Email template:

Subject: Detention Pay - Load #12345

Hi [Broker Name],

Load #12345 picked up at XYZ Warehouse on [Date].

Appointment: 10:00am Checked in: 9:55am Loading completed: 4:30pm Total time: 6 hours 35 minutes

Per our rate confirmation: $75/hour after 2 hours free time

Detention time: 4 hours 35 minutes (275 minutes) Detention pay: 4.6 hours × $75 = $345

Please process this detention payment with my load payment.

Attached: BOL showing times, ELD screenshot showing arrival/departure.

Thanks, [Your Name] [Your Company]

If detention isn't included in your payment after 30 days, follow up with this message:

Subject: Follow-up: Detention Pay - Load #12345

Hi [Broker],

I haven't received the detention payment of $345 for Load #12345 (submitted on [Date]).

Per our rate confirmation, this was agreed upon before the load.

Please confirm status of this payment.

Thanks, [Your Name]

If they still won't pay after a second request, consider escalating.

Options:

  1. Call them directly (phone is harder to ignore)
  2. Mention you'll dispute future loads ("I need to resolve this before accepting more freight from you")
  3. Small claims court (if amount is substantial and you have documentation)
  4. Write it off (sometimes not worth the fight on small amounts)

Calculate if it's worth fighting:

  • $50-100 detention: Probably let it go after 2 requests
  • $200-500 detention: Keep pushing
  • $500+ detention: Fight hard, consider legal action

The worst detention offenders (industries)

Grocery distribution centers: Average wait 4-8 hours. They operate first-come-first-served despite appointments, are understaffed, and have complex receiving procedures. Avoid grocery DCs unless you get a premium rate and good detention pay. If you must take them, arrive at non-peak hours (2-6am).

Retail distribution (Walmart, Target, etc.): Average wait 2-6 hours. Docks are backed up, they have strict receiving procedures, and inspections take time. Negotiate $100/hour detention minimum and build in an extra day for the delivery window.

Manufacturing plants: Average wait 1-4 hours, though it varies widely by plant. Research specific plants by asking other drivers. Expect delays on your first visit to any plant.

Ports: Average wait 2-6+ hours. They deal with congestion, customs delays, and container availability. Port freight should pay premium rates ($3.00+/mile) and you should factor detention time into your overall profitability.

Strategies to minimize detention

Prevention is better than fighting for payment.

Research shipper/receiver:

Before accepting load:

  • Google reviews: "[Shipper name] + detention"
  • Ask on TruckersReport forums
  • Check with brokers who've sent you there before

Red flags:

  • Multiple complaints about long waits
  • "Bring a book" comments
  • "Plan for 6+ hour wait"

Decision: Avoid or charge premium

Arrive at off-peak times:

Busy times (longer waits):

  • Monday mornings
  • Friday afternoons
  • Mid-morning (9-11am)
  • Right after lunch (1-2pm)

Better times (shorter waits):

  • Early morning (4-7am)
  • Late evening (after 6pm)
  • Mid-week (Tue-Thu)

Drop and hook vs live load:

Drop and hook:

  • Drop loaded trailer
  • Hook to loaded trailer
  • Average time: 30-60 minutes
  • Rarely hits detention

Live load:

  • Wait for loading
  • Average time: 2-6 hours
  • Often hits detention

Preference: Drop and hook when possible

Build "detention cost" into rate:

If known detention offender:

Regular rate: $2.50/mile Detention risk rate: $3.00/mile

Why:

  • $0.50/mile extra on 1,000-mile load = $500 buffer
  • If you wait 6 hours at $75/hour = $450 detention
  • The extra $500 covers it even if broker doesn't pay

When to walk away from detention nightmares

Some loads aren't worth it no matter the detention pay. Walk away if you know there are 10+ hour waits, the broker won't negotiate detention upfront, it's first-come-first-served with no appointments, the load pays poorly and has detention risk, or you've been burned by this shipper/broker before. Your time is money. Sometimes "no" is the most profitable answer.

Layover pay vs detention pay

Different but related:

Detention pay: Waiting at shipper/receiver during loading/unloading

Layover pay: Waiting overnight or multiple days for load to be ready or for delivery appointment

Example layover:

  • Pick up load Monday
  • Delivery appointment is Thursday
  • You loaded Monday, but have to wait until Thursday
  • That's 2 days of layover

Layover rates:

  • $150-300/day
  • Should be negotiated upfront like detention

When it applies:

  • Shipper loads you but delivery isn't for days
  • Receiver reschedules multiple days out
  • Freight not ready for multiple days

How FF Dispatch handles detention for you

Fighting for detention pay is time-consuming and brokers take advantage of small carriers who don't push back. What if someone negotiated and fought for detention on your behalf?

We negotiate detention upfront. Every load includes detention terms. We push for $85-100/hour minimum with no "discretionary" detention clauses.

We know which shippers to avoid. We have years of data on detention offenders. We won't send you to 8-hour grocery DC waits, or we charge premium to make it worth it.

We document and submit detention claims. You focus on driving while we handle the paperwork and fight with brokers for payment.

We have leverage. Brokers respect us because of our volume relationship. They pay us faster than solo owner operators. We don't back down on detention.

Real client results:

"Before FF Dispatch: Lost $400-600/month to unpaid detention. Brokers would just ignore my emails.

With FF Dispatch: They negotiate it upfront and actually collect it. I've received every detention payment for past year. $7,200 recovered annually."

Stop Losing Money to Detention →

The bottom line

Detention pay is your money for your time. Don't leave it on the table.

Before accepting a load: ask about detention terms, negotiate rate and cap, and get it in the rate confirmation.

During detention: document everything (times, photos, texts) and notify your broker of excessive waits.

After delivery: calculate detention immediately, submit your claim same day with documentation, and follow up if not paid.

Industry average: Owner operators lose $5,000-12,000/year to unpaid detention

With proper negotiation and documentation: Recover 80-100% of that

That's $400-1,000 per month in your pocket instead of theirs.

Related Posts:

Resources:

Sources:

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