That may be so, BUT, it WILL happen to you and it likely will happen more than you would like it to. When it does happen is always costs you money. There is NO way to deny that unless you believe that, YOU, YOUR TIME, are worthless.
a bad and costly trend....Detention time
- Thread starter OntarioVanMan
- Start date
That may be so, BUT, it WILL happen to you and it likely will happen more than you would like it to. When it does happen is always costs you money. There is NO way to deny that unless you believe that, YOU, YOUR TIME, are worthless.
When enough shippers have him sit on the ramp for 1 hour and 55 minutes because they KNOW they get the first 2 hours free...he will get that used and abused feeling...
Yep, it is only a matter of time
Detention really doesn't happen all that often with a cargo van, especially when getting unloaded. On the front end, when it happens with a cargo van, it's because the parts are still being built, or they are waiting for the freight to actually arrive. It's rare that I don't get fully paid for detention.
An illustration, though...
At Con-Way NOW, cargo van detention was $50 a half hour after one hour. Detention hardly every happened. In 3 years I think it was twice. When someone is on the hook for $100 an hour, it just didn't happen.
At Panther, cargo van detention is $15 an hour after 2 hours. Detention happens 3 or 4 times a month, because with 2 hours free and $15 an hour after that, nobody cares. After 3 hours your time is worth $5 an hour. After 4, it's $7.50 an hour. After 6 it's still only $10 an hour. They couldn't care less. And by "they" I mean whoever is paying it.
At Load One, cargo van detention is $52.50 after two hours. It happens, but not very often. Half a dozen times a year, probably, and getting paid for it has never been a problem.
The big exception is one particular shipper with an air freight warehouse in Huntsville, AL where they are fully conscious of the 2 hour free time, and will make you wait 1:59 on purpose just because they can, and will laugh about it, to your face, while they are doing it.
An illustration, though...
At Con-Way NOW, cargo van detention was $50 a half hour after one hour. Detention hardly every happened. In 3 years I think it was twice. When someone is on the hook for $100 an hour, it just didn't happen.
At Panther, cargo van detention is $15 an hour after 2 hours. Detention happens 3 or 4 times a month, because with 2 hours free and $15 an hour after that, nobody cares. After 3 hours your time is worth $5 an hour. After 4, it's $7.50 an hour. After 6 it's still only $10 an hour. They couldn't care less. And by "they" I mean whoever is paying it.
At Load One, cargo van detention is $52.50 after two hours. It happens, but not very often. Half a dozen times a year, probably, and getting paid for it has never been a problem.
The big exception is one particular shipper with an air freight warehouse in Huntsville, AL where they are fully conscious of the 2 hour free time, and will make you wait 1:59 on purpose just because they can, and will laugh about it, to your face, while they are doing it.
Last edited:
KickStarter6
Veteran Expediter
My detention pay is $25 an hour after 1 in most cases. That 2.5 times more than I made at my previous job, for you and your time I can totally see why I could be a waste but for me never making much money at all. Highest grossing year was only like $24k without benefits so to each is own. Besides I'm not in a hurry I'm more of a go with the flow type
Yeah, and after the first time I'd laugh in their face after 30 minutes when I'm either loading or leaving and they can carry it piggyback for all I care.
Murraycroexp
Veteran Expediter
Sounds familiar.
Rising_Cow
Active Expediter
I remember in 2002 when running for FedEx cc I was doing loads out of McConnellville oh to Cisco il to gm, bearings for the new dura max at that time. and on my last load out of there to gm, they wanted it right now load. It was going to be in the evening when I got there. They were going to be waiting, when got the guard let me in and told me where to go. Went there backed up ramp, went in, they signed my paper work and told me to go back out front and wait till morning the ones that need divided to wait till morning. Let fedex know and my dispatcher said do to them signing the paper work right there, detonation started at check in enjoy my sleep recheck in morning. Well got back and delivered my load and they was quick, and I was all kinds of things that morning. Even the guard had his say about us ^*%€€% fedex drivers, I'll never forget that,
d time i get it after 31 mins
this pass week have got over 12 hours at different places i go
and a couple have been told don't let him get on the clock
love going to walmart dist and on base as most of time takes over a 30 mins to get thru gate
deliver one box a few days ago took over 4 hours as they said you have to wait your turn
not a problem get out the book and read a few pages
and alway thank for the bonus money
this pass week have got over 12 hours at different places i go
and a couple have been told don't let him get on the clock
love going to walmart dist and on base as most of time takes over a 30 mins to get thru gate
deliver one box a few days ago took over 4 hours as they said you have to wait your turn
not a problem get out the book and read a few pages
and alway thank for the bonus money
Exactly. When the shipper left me waiting for several hours, I advised dispatch that I no longer had hours to deliver direct, and after consultation with the customer, I was forced to crossdock at a halfway point. The shipper's 'problem' cost me money, and it happens too often.
In a CMV, the driver's time is strictly limited and monitored by federal law, and customers who don't appreciate that need to be educated, IMO. Or maybe re-educated - I think a big part of the casual attitude towards detention springs from the old split sleeper rule that allowed drivers to take a nap while waiting, without being penalized by running out of hours. Drivers didn't complain, and customers got used to that. [It was in force for decades.]
We can no longer do that, but the customers haven't changed their practices, because, as Turtle points out, they haven't been required to pay for them.
I know I don't appreciate my time being given away - who would?!
Carriers are really working backwards even with all their so called smarts and charts.....from ground level they look like fools....IMO
Carriers maybe even the Teanna bunch should work a little closer to make sure the right person pays for the ride.....they'd make more $$$ we'd make more $$$ they revolving door just might slow down a bit and they'd save even more money....
Last edited:
That answer is closer to reality. Unless there is a incentive for the shipper or carrier to do something, it isn't about to change. Just a reality of the business.
Carrier doesn't want to lose a customer to a competitor, and is not going to threaten that relationship because a driver can't get unloaded.
The customer doesn't care because he can offer his business to someone else.
I would recommend for drivers if this is a problem, keep a list of the companies that engage in this practice and turn their freight down when it is presented. It does happen, but most drivers don't leave a carrier strictly because of detention policies.
If enough turn it down the carrier either will broker it and dump the problem to someone else, or re-evaluate their relationship with that customer if they can't cover their freight.