How detention pay is calculated
- Time on site = departure time − arrival (or appointment) time
- Billable time = time on site − free time, rounded down to the billing increment
- Detention pay = billable hours × hourly detention rate
Example: you arrive at 8:00 and leave at 12:45 — that’s 4 h 45 min on site. Subtract 2 hours of free time and 2 h 45 min is billable. At $50 per hour, that’s $137.50 in detention.
To actually get paid, the detention terms need to be on your rate confirmation, the broker should be told before free time runs out, and your in and out times should be documented — ideally on the bill of lading. If you were held overnight, that is usually layover rather than detention. Read our full detention and layover pay guide.