Reducing Truck Driver Detention: Three Strategies for Carriers, Shippers and Consignees to Improve Efficiency and Productivity

Truck driver detention is an ongoing issue facing the trucking industry in the United States. As shippers, consignees, and carriers look to improve their respective links within the supply chain, it is critical that the three work together to understand where there are efficiencies to gain. Keeping freight moving provides far greater value to all parties than managing delays. All parties note that timely communication between carriers, consignees, and shippers is essential to addressing this issue.

Working collaboratively to reduce detention times leads to a reduction in cost, better asset utilization, and an improvement in overall transportation spend. Even marginal improvements in loading and unloading speeds mean better pricing, optimized carrier route planning, and successfully managing expectations with each party’s respective customer.

What is Truck Driver Detention?

Detention refers to the period of time that a driver spends waiting for a shipment to be loaded or unloaded beyond the agreed-upon time. Detention is commonly measured in lost time, financial impact, lower customer satisfaction, and impact on driver safety.

When trucks are held up at facilities beyond their scheduled appointment times, it leads to two key negative impacts for the shipper:

• Increased Costs: When trucks are detained, shippers and carriers must pay for the extra time spent waiting, increasing their operating costs. While detention fees exist to offset these delays, keeping trucks in motion is the ultimate goal. Ultimately, these operational delays pass increased costs along to the customer and always factor into contract pricing. Getting trucks loaded and unloaded quickly and efficiently yields potential cost savings and stronger supply chain performance.

• Lost Productivity: A truck provides the most value when it is moving freight. Detention time causes trucks to be delayed at facilities for extended periods, reducing the amount of freight a truck can haul in a day and increasing the time and cost required to complete each load. Efficient loading and unloading practices protect asset utilization. According to the American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), a recent study reported drivers experiencing a 27.4 percent increase in delays of six hours or more.

3 Things Shippers and Consignees Can Do to Improve Truck Driver Detention Times

• Streamline Loading and Unloading Processes: One of the most common reasons for detention time is inefficient loading and unloading processes. Shippers and consignees streamline these processes by ensuring they have adequate staffing and equipment available to load and unload trucks efficiently. Prioritizing swift turnarounds keeps operations fluid and ensures carriers maximize their daily drive time to service your freight.

• Provide Accurate and Timely Information: Shippers provide carriers with accurate and timely information about their facilities, including hours of operation, pinpoint dock locations, and any special requirements. This helps carriers plan their routes and schedules more efficiently, reducing wait times and ensuring assets remain highly productive.

• Implement Appointment Scheduling: Appointment scheduling helps shippers and consignees manage the flow of trucks in and out of their facilities, directly reducing congestion and wait times. By implementing an appointment scheduling system, shippers better manage their resources and ensure they have adequate staff and equipment available to handle each load efficiently, getting drivers back on the road faster.

Shippers, carriers, and consignees working together improve productivity and efficiency within the supply chain. Industry groups such as the American Trucking Associations and ATRI are raising awareness of the issue to push for policy changes at both the state and federal levels. However, shippers, carriers, and consignees will need to lead the way to ensure freight keeps moving efficiently.