What is detention time in trucking?

Detention time is the time a truck driver spends waiting at a shipper or receiver facility beyond the agreed-upon free time window. Most rate confirmations allow 2 hours of free time for loading or unloading. Any time beyond that is detention. The industry standard free time is 2 hours, but some brokers set it at 1 hour or 3 hours depending on the load.

How much is detention pay per hour?

Detention pay rates typically range from $25 to $100 per hour, with $50 to $75 being the most common range. The exact rate depends on your rate confirmation, the broker, and whether detention terms were negotiated before accepting the load. Some carriers charge a flat fee after free time expires instead of an hourly rate.

When does detention time start?

Detention time starts when the free time window expires. If you arrive at 8:00 AM and the rate con allows 2 hours of free time, detention starts at 10:00 AM. Your arrival time should be documented with your ELD, a check-in timestamp from the facility, or a photo of the guard shack sign-in. Without proof of arrival time, your claim can be denied.

Who pays detention — the broker or shipper?

In most cases, the broker pays the carrier for detention. The broker then bills the shipper or receiver who caused the delay. Your contract is with the broker, so your detention claim goes to them. Some direct shipper-carrier arrangements cut out the broker entirely, in which case the shipper pays you directly. Always check your rate confirmation for detention terms.

How do I file a detention claim?

To file a detention claim: document your arrival and departure times with ELD data or facility timestamps, calculate billable hours beyond the free time window, and submit the claim to your broker with supporting evidence within the deadline specified in your rate confirmation (usually 24 to 72 hours). Include your BOL, ELD logs, and any facility check-in records. Bastion automates this entire process using your ELD data.

Detention Time Calculator

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Last updated: April 2026 · Bastion Recovery Research Team

Arrival time

Departure time

Free time (hours)

Rate per hour ($)

Enter your arrival and departure times to calculate your detention claim.

How detention pay is calculated

Detention pay compensates truck drivers for time spent waiting at a shipper or receiver facility beyond the agreed-upon free time. The standard free time window in the trucking industry is 2 hours. Any time beyond that is billable detention. According to ATRI's 2024 data, 39.3% of all loading and unloading stops involve detention beyond the standard two-hour free time.

The formula is straightforward: total time at facility minus free time equals billable detention hours. Multiply billable hours by your rate per hour, and that is your detention claim. Rates typically range from $25 to $100 per hour, with most carriers billing $50 to $75. The rate should be specified in your rate confirmation before you accept the load. If detention terms are not in the rate con, you have no contractual basis to collect.

The trucking industry loses an estimated $15.1 billion annually to detention, according to ATRI. Individual drivers lose between $11,000 and $19,000 per year. Most of this goes unrecovered because drivers do not file claims, miss filing deadlines, or lack the documentation to support their claim. An ELD that tracks facility dwell time automatically — and a recovery service like Bastion that files claims from that data — closes the gap between what you are owed and what you actually collect.

Frequently asked questions

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