Detention pay is free money most drivers leave on the table. The difference between collecting it and not is almost entirely in how you document and communicate — not in how long you actually waited.
What detention pay actually is
Detention pay compensates you when a shipper or receiver holds your truck beyond the agreed free time — typically 2 hours. Standard detention rates run $50–$75/hour for the third hour onward, though some brokers will negotiate higher for heavy detention scenarios.
At $65/hour for 4 hours of detention, that is $195 per occurrence. Over 50 loads per year with detention on 30% of them, that is nearly $3,000 in annual revenue — most drivers never collect.
The documentation that makes detention uncollectable
Without timestamps, detention claims fail. You need:
- Arrival time: Your truck tracking or a text/call to the broker confirming your arrival time at the facility
- Free time end: Exactly 2 hours after your appointment time or arrival (whichever the BOL specifies)
- Release time: When you were fully released — signed BOL or timestamp from facility
- Written notification to broker: A text or email saying "I have been here since [time], free time expired at [time], currently detained"
The three scripts that work
Script 1: Notify before free time expires
"Hey [broker name], just a heads up — I arrived at [facility] at [time]. My 2-hour free time expires at [time + 2hrs]. I'll keep you posted." This starts the clock in writing before they can dispute it.
Script 2: Claim the detention
"I was finally released at [time]. That is [X] hours of detention after free time. Per our rate con, I'll be adding [X × rate] to the invoice. Please confirm receipt." Simple, factual, no emotion.
Script 3: When they push back
"I understand. I have my arrival text to you at [time], the facility sign-in at [time], and my release timestamp at [time]. Happy to send screenshots. Can you have billing authorize the detention addition?" Calmly escalating with documentation always works better than arguing.
What good dispatchers do for you
A professional dispatcher should track your arrival and monitor your detention in real time — texting brokers on your behalf before the free time window closes, submitting detention claims with documentation, and following up on payment. If your dispatcher is not doing this, you are not getting full value from your dispatch service.
At ATC Dispatching, detention tracking is built into how we manage every load — we notify brokers automatically and document every claim.