How to Reduce Detention Time at Shippers
Reducing detention time at shippers starts before the truck ever reaches the dock. The real fix is upstream: tighter appointment windows, better documentation, and a dispatcher who makes one phone call at the right moment instead of three complaint calls afterward. This post walks through the specific habits that keep trucks moving and keep detention claims rare instead of routine. Detention is the charge a carrier bills when a truck sits at a shipper or receiver beyond the free time allowed for loading or unloading, typically after a one- or two-hour grace period written into the rate confirmation. Once that clock runs out, every extra hour is lost capacity you can’t get back, even if you eventually get paid for it. The goal isn’t just collecting detention pay — it’s not generating the detention in the first place. ...