Negotiating Detention Pay

Detention, the time you wait beyond the free window to load or unload, is real money that carriers too often leave on the table.

Document everything

Record your arrival and departure times, get them signed, and note them on your paperwork. Documentation is your leverage when claiming detention.

Set terms upfront

The best practice is negotiating detention terms before you book, typically a free window of two hours, then an hourly rate after. A dispatcher who confirms these terms on the rate confirmation and pursues the claim recovers money you have earned.