Layover Pay vs Detention Pay: Key Differences Explained

Detention pay compensates for short delays (typically 2+ hours) while waiting to be loaded or unloaded at a facility. It is billed hourly at $50-$100/hour. Layover pay compensates for extended delays of 24+ hours when a driver cannot proceed because the load is not ready until the next day or later. It is billed as a daily flat rate of $150-$350/day. Both are accessorial charges that should be negotiated before accepting a load.

Yes, you can collect both on the same load if the circumstances warrant it. For example, if you wait 5 hours at a dock (detention) and then the shipper tells you the remaining freight will not be ready until the next day (layover), you are entitled to both charges. The key is having both written into your rate confirmation and documenting each type of delay separately.

Detention pay typically ranges from $50-$100 per hour after 2 hours of free time, with $65/hour being a common rate. Layover pay typically ranges from $150-$350 per day, with around $250/day being common. Over a full day, layover pay is usually less than what you would earn in detention if billed hourly, but layover is easier to negotiate because it is a flat daily rate. Always confirm the exact figures on your rate confirmation, since each broker sets its own.

There is no automatic conversion. Detention pay covers hourly wait time at the facility dock. If the delay extends past 24 hours from your scheduled appointment — meaning you cannot load or deliver until the next day — layover pay applies for the overnight or multi-day delay. Some rate confirmations define a specific crossover point, but generally detention covers the hours and layover covers the days.

Yes. If you want to be able to collect either type of pay, both must be explicitly written into your rate confirmation with specific rates and trigger conditions. A rate con that only mentions detention will not cover you for a layover situation, and vice versa. Always ask the broker about both policies before accepting a load.

For detention: take timestamped photos of arrival and departure, get facility sign-in/out times, log the wait on your ELD, and notify your broker via text or email when free time expires. For layover: document your arrival time, save broker communication about the delay or reschedule, keep ELD records showing you were stationary, and photograph any facility closure signs or evidence of the delay reason.

Start by re-sending your invoice with the full documentation package — timestamps, photos, ELD records, and the broker messages — and point to the exact detention and layover language on the signed rate confirmation. If the broker still refuses, escalate in writing to a supervisor, and remember that a signed rate con is an enforceable contract. For amounts that justify it, you can pursue small claims court or file a claim against the broker's surety bond. Track patterns and avoid brokers who routinely dodge legitimate accessorial charges.

Yes. Detention and layover pay are part of your freight revenue, not a tax-free reimbursement, so they count as business income and are reported the same way as your line-haul earnings (for example, on Schedule C for a sole-proprietor owner-operator). You can still offset that income with your normal business deductions. This is general information, not tax advice — confirm specifics with a trucking-focused accountant.