Load planning
Detention pay calculator.
Enter how long you were on site, the free time in your rate confirmation and the detention rate. See what to bill, and what the wait did to your 14-hour window and remaining driving time.
5 h 30 min on site with 2 hours free is 3.5 hours past free time. Billed per 30 minutes at $50 an hour, detention is $175.00. After 3 hours on duty before arrival and the wait, 5.5 hours of the 14-hour window remain.
Your numbers
Result
Method and limits
Formulas. Time past free time = time on site − free time. Billable time = that amount rounded up to your billing increment, limited by any cap. Detention pay = billable hours × hourly rate. Window left = 14 − (hours on duty before arrival + time on site). Driving left = the smaller of (11 − hours driven) and the window left.
Free time, rate and increments are whatever your rate confirmation or shipper agreement says. This page does not say what you are owed and does not state any industry-standard free time or rate. Keep timestamps of arrival, check-in and departure to support an invoice.
Hours of service. Under 49 CFR 395.3 a property-carrying driver may not drive after the 14th hour after coming on duty, may drive up to 11 hours within that window, and needs 10 consecutive hours off duty before driving. Waiting at a dock while on duty therefore uses window time even though the truck is not moving. GAO reported that detention, which it says is to be expected in some amount, can affect a driver's ability to meet hours-of-service rules.
Sources
- 49 CFR 395.3, Maximum driving time for property-carrying vehicles (Cornell LII, retrieved 2026-10-15): 14-hour period after coming on duty, 11 hours of driving, 10 consecutive hours off duty, 30-minute break after 8 hours of driving.
- GAO-11-198, Commercial Motor Carriers: More Could Be Done to Determine Impact of Excessive Loading and Unloading Wait Times (retrieved 2026-10-15): some waiting (detention time) is to be expected; excessive detention could affect a driver's ability to meet hours-of-service rules.
FAQ
How do you calculate detention pay?
Subtract the free time from the time on site, round up to the billing increment in your agreement, and multiply by the hourly rate.
Does detention time count against my 14-hour clock?
Waiting on duty keeps the 14-hour window running under 49 CFR 395.3. This page shows how much window and driving time is left after the wait. Exceptions exist, such as the sleeper-berth split.
How much free time and what rate should I expect?
It is set by your agreement for the load. This page does not publish typical figures; enter yours.
What records should I keep?
Arrival, check-in, loaded or unloaded and departure times, and any communication with the dock. Detention invoices are easier to collect with timestamps.