Layover vs Detention in Freight: What Triggers Each Charge (and How to Prevent Both)

What’s the difference between detention and layover?

Detention is charged when a truck waits longer than the agreed free-time window to load or unload at a facility. Layover is charged when the delay is long enough that the driver/equipment is effectively “stuck” beyond the day’s plan—often requiring an overnight wait or a full-day loss of productivity.

In practice, detention is usually about dock time and readiness. Layover is usually about schedule failure (missed appointment, freight not ready, receiver can’t take it, or the driver runs out of available hours).

When does detention turn into a layover?

Detention typically turns into layover when the delay stretches beyond a same-day dock delay into an overnight or next-day completion. The exact handoff point depends on carrier policy and the contract terms.

A clean way to avoid confusion is to decide upfront:

• What counts as detention (time-based waiting at the dock)
• What counts as layover (overnight or “come back tomorrow” delay)
• Whether both can be charged in the same period (many policies treat them as mutually exclusive for a given window)

How are detention and layover charges typically structured?

Detention is commonly hourly (after free time). Layover is commonly a daily/flat charge for the overnight or “lost day” impact. The important point isn’t the rate—it’s the measurement rules:

• What starts the clock (appointment time vs check-in time vs arrival on site)
• What stops the clock (door time vs completion time vs paperwork signed)
• What proof is required (timestamps, messages, signed documentation)
• What escalates detention into a layover (overnight, re-appointment, “come back tomorrow” instruction)

Comparison table: detention vs layover (operational view)

How do you prevent detention and layover in day-to-day operations?

Prevention is mostly a communication and readiness problem. You don’t need new software to reduce these charges—you need a repeatable pre-appointment routine and a fallback plan when reality changes.

Checklist: the “dock packet” that prevents most time-based charges

Use this as your minimum standard to avoid delays caused by missing inputs.

• Appointment time + dock hours + cut-off rules
• Correct PO/BOL/PRO references required by the facility
• Trailer type and any special needs (floor-loaded vs palletized, pallet jack, etc.)
• Live vs drop expectations (and whether drop is allowed)
• Freight readiness proof (staged, wrapped, labeled, count verified)
• A single on-site decision maker + a backup contact
• What happens if the facility can’t take it today (re-appointment window + instructions)

Checklist: what to do the moment delay becomes likely

The biggest cost-control move is to tighten scope early.

• Capture arrival/check-in time in a way everyone can reference (system timestamp, email/text confirmation)
• Ask for a realistic door time or unload time immediately (avoid “soon”)
• If freight isn’t ready, communicate a realistic ready time and whether the truck should wait or reschedule
• If the receiver can’t take delivery today, request the next available appointment time in writing
• If the delay will likely go overnight, decide early whether to route to a planned transfer instead of waiting

If waiting at a dock is becoming a pattern, converting “waiting time” into planned handling is often the cleanest operational fix. Cross Docking

What proof should you collect if detention or layover is disputed?

The goal is not to argue later—it’s to create a shared timeline while the event is happening. The most useful proof is simple and consistent.

Collect:

• Arrival/check-in timestamp + who checked in
• Door assignment time (if applicable)
• Start/finish time for loading/unloading (if you can capture it)
• A written note if the facility instructs the driver to return later (layover trigger)
• Photos when relevant (freight not ready, dock congestion signage, paperwork mismatch)

Keep proof neutral and factual. A clean timeline prevents the “we remember it differently” problem.

Two real-world scenarios: detention vs layover in practice

Scenario 1: Paperwork mismatch causes detention (same-day delay)

A driver checks in on time, but the receiver can’t match the freight to an inbound record because the required PO reference is missing. The truck waits while emails and calls happen. This is a classic detention pattern: the truck is on site, ready to unload, but the process is blocked.

What prevents it: a consistent dock packet with correct PO/BOL references and a backup contact who can confirm the inbound record quickly.

Scenario 2: Receiver can’t unload today (layover risk)

A load arrives for a late-day appointment, but the receiver is short-staffed and pushes unloading to tomorrow morning. The driver is instructed to return at a new time. That’s the moment detention can become layover: the work didn’t happen today.

What prevents it: an early fallback plan—drop if allowed, re-appointment confirmed quickly, or a planned transfer so the linehaul truck isn’t stuck.

Common mistakes and red flags (how companies end up paying twice)

Common mistakes:

• Treating “free time” as a universal rule instead of reading the contract terms
• Booking appointments without confirming freight readiness and dock capacity
• Missing references (PO/BOL/PRO) that the receiver requires to accept freight
• Waiting too long to request a re-appointment time (so the day slips into an overnight)
• No one empowered to approve a fallback plan when the delay becomes obvious

Red flags that predict a layover today:

• “Come back tomorrow” language without a confirmed appointment time
• Freight not staged when the truck is already en route
• Mixed freight with unclear labels and no separation plan
• Visible instability that will require rework before a receiver accepts it

Frequently Asked Questions

External references

• FMCSA research background on detention time and why it matters.
• FHWA freight glossary (general terminology reference).
• Example of detention/layover definitions in an accessorial definitions document.