How do you calculate detention pay?
Detention pay is the time on site past free time, rounded to your billing increment, times the hourly rate.
Billable hours = (departed − clock start − free time), rounded to the increment Detention pay = billable hours × rate per hour
Example: appointment 7:00 AM, arrived 6:40 AM, departed 11:52 AM, 2 hours free, 75 dollars an hour, billed in 15-minute steps rounded up. The clock starts at 7:00, so 4 h 52 min counts. Take off 2 hours free and 2 h 52 min is left, which rounds up to 3.00 hours. Detention is 3.00 × 75 = 225 dollars.
When does the detention clock start?
Your rate confirmation sets when the clock starts, so the calculator lets you choose the rule.
- Early arrival: the clock can start at the appointment time, not when the truck pulled in.
- Late arrival: some terms pay no detention at all; the calculator flags every late stop either way.
- Retroactive billing: some terms bill from the start of the clock once free time runs out.
- Cap: some terms limit billable hours per stop.
Terms often differ by broker or shipper. Step 2 lets you set free time and rate for each customer.
How do I write a truck detention invoice?
A detention invoice shows the load number, facility, arrival and departure times, free time, billable hours and rate, with your in and out records attached.
The invoice lines download has one invoice per load and one line per billed stop. In QuickBooks Online, go to Settings > Import data > Invoices and map the columns. Intuit allows up to 1,000 rows and 100 invoices per import, in accounts without sales tax set up.
The claim notes download has a short note per stop to paste into the broker’s portal or an email.
What is layover pay in trucking?
Layover pay is a flat amount for a stop that holds the truck for a long set period, often overnight, as written in your rate confirmation.
Layovers = whole periods on site ÷ layover period Layover pay = layovers × layover amount
Example: the terms pay 300 dollars for each full 24 hours on site. A truck held 26 hours earns one layover, 300 dollars, in place of hourly detention for that stop.
Does detention time count against hours of service?
Under 49 CFR 395.2, on-duty time includes attending a truck being loaded or unloaded and remaining in readiness to drive.
Under 49 CFR 395.3, a driver may not drive after 14 consecutive hours from coming on duty. Hours spent waiting at a dock come out of that window. See what that time costs per mile with the trucking cost per mile calculator.
Questions
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. Your stops are read and calculated in your browser. Close the tab and they are gone.
What if the truck leaves after midnight?
Type the times as they are. A departure earlier than the arrival, with no date of its own, counts as the next day.
Can each broker have its own free time and rate?
Yes. Step 2 lists every customer in your rows, and a change there applies only to that customer’s stops.
Which times should I use?
Use times you can show: the in and out times on the signed bill of lading, the gate log, or your ELD location history. Attach them to the claim.
Sources
- 49 CFR 395.2, Definitions (on-duty time), eCFR, National Archives,
- 49 CFR 395.3, Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles, eCFR, National Archives,
- Import invoices in batches, Intuit QuickBooks,
