Free tool
Detention pay calculator
Detention is the pay for time a driver waits at a stop beyond the free time in the rate confirmation. Enter the hours on site and the terms from your paperwork. The tool does the arithmetic.
Result
Runs in your browser. Nothing you type is sent anywhere. Example numbers are invented (EXAMPLE VALUES). This is a calculator, not financial, tax or legal advice.
The formulas
billable hours per stop = max(0, hours on site - free hours) if an increment applies: round billable time UP to the next block if a cap applies: billable hours = min(billable hours, cap) amount = billable hours x detention rate, rounded to the cent per stop total = sum of the stop amounts
Free time is taken off at every stop separately. Two stops of 1.5 hours each are not three hours at one stop.
Worked example (invented)
Stop 1 took 4 hours 30 minutes, stop 2 took 1 hour 45 minutes. Free time is 2 hours, the rate is $50 an hour, and time is rounded up to 30 minutes. Stop 1: 2.5 hours = $125.00. Stop 2: under free time, so nothing. Total $125.00.
What to do before you rely on the number
- Read where the clock starts. Many terms start at the appointment time or arrival, whichever is later.
- Check the notice rule. Some terms require you to tell the broker by a certain time.
- Get the times in writing at the dock: signed BOL or check-in sheet with in and out times.
- Bill it with the invoice, not months later.
The evidence brokers accept is covered in the detention evidence guide. Hours at a dock also use up the driver's 14-hour window under federal hours-of-service rules, so a long wait costs more than the detention line shows.
Questions
Does this tell me whether I am owed detention?
No. Only your rate confirmation and agreement can say that. If it does not mention detention, there may be nothing to claim.
What if the receiver says the delay was my fault?
Arrival and appointment times matter. If you arrived late for your appointment, many terms start the clock later. Keep your own arrival record.
Can the audit find missed detention on old loads?
Yes, where your file has hours or times. See revenue recovery.
Formula table
| Quantity | Formula | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Billable per stop | max(0, hours on site - free hours) | Free time comes off at each stop. |
| Increment | round UP to the next block | Only if your terms say so. |
| Cap | min(billable, cap) | Only if your terms say so. |
| Amount | billable hours x rate, to the cent | Per stop, then summed. |
What this means for you
Detention is money you have already earned by waiting. If it is not on the invoice it is almost never paid later. The monthly number shows what the habit of not billing costs, assuming the waits repeat; treat it as a scenario, not a forecast.
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