Detention Pay Calculator
How long you were held past free time, and what that should pay at your agreed rate and billing increment.
The times filled in are an example. Replace them with yours.
Many agreements start the clock at the appointment if you arrive early, and do not pay detention if you arrive late.
Estimated detention pay
A Texas Solutions dispatcher negotiates every rate and plans lanes around your cost per mile. Semi trucks 5%, hotshots 8%, box trucks 10% of weekly gross. You approve every load.
What does the Detention Pay Calculator do?
Free truck detention pay calculator: enter arrival, appointment and release times, free time, hourly rate and billing increment to see eligible detention hours and estimated detention pay.
How detention is calculated
- Clock start = arrival time, or the appointment time if you arrived before it
- Time past free time = release time − clock start − free time (never below zero)
- Billable hours = time past free time in your billing increment (completed increments, rounded up, or nearest), capped at any maximum
- Estimated detention pay = billable hours × agreed hourly rate
Releases after midnight work: enter the date and time for each. Units: times as date and clock time, free time and cap in hours, rate in dollars per hour. Payment depends on the agreed terms and supporting documentation, so keep signed in and out times on the bill of lading.
A driver checks in at 8:00 for an 8:00 appointment and is released at 13:10. The agreement gives 2 hours free and pays $50 an hour in completed 15-minute increments.
- Time on site: 5 hours 10 minutes
- Past free time: 3 hours 10 minutes
- Billable: 3 hours (12 completed 15-minute increments)
- Estimated detention pay: 3 × $50 = $150
Frequently asked questions
How is truck detention pay calculated?
Start the clock at arrival (or at the appointment time if you arrived early and your agreement says so), subtract the free time, usually two hours, then bill the remaining time in your agreed increment at the agreed hourly rate. Five hours ten minutes on site with two hours free is three hours ten minutes; in 15-minute increments that bills as 3 hours, or $150 at $50 an hour.
How much free time do brokers usually give?
Two hours at each pickup and delivery is common, but free time, the hourly rate, the increment and any cap are set by your rate confirmation or carrier agreement. Check those terms before you invoice.
What do I need to get paid for detention?
Usually: arrival and departure times written and signed on the bill of lading, notice to the broker while you are waiting (often before free time runs out), and a detention request on the invoice. ELD and gate records help. Without documentation, detention is often refused.
Do I get detention if I arrive late?
Often not. Many agreements only pay detention when the truck arrived on time for its appointment. This calculator warns you when the arrival is after the appointment; your agreement decides.
Related calculators
Dispatch and factoring fees, deadhead and return miles, estimated profit and the rate you need.
Remaining drive time under the 11-hour, 14-hour and 60/70-hour limits.
Surcharge per mile and per trip by your contract's method: per-mile, step table or percentage.
Ready to keep your truck loaded?
Semi trucks 5%, hotshots 8%, box trucks 10% of weekly gross. First load free. 24/7 dispatchers. No contract, no setup fee.