Trucking Terms Guide

Freight Operations / Accessorials

What does TONU mean in trucking?

Short answer: Truck ordered not used, a charge requested when a truck is booked but the load is canceled after dispatch.

Plain-English explanation

TONU stands for Truck Ordered Not Used — an accessorial charge a carrier requests when they were dispatched and committed to a load, but the shipper or broker canceled after the truck was already in motion or positioned for pickup. A TONU fee partially compensates the carrier for the time, fuel, and positioning cost of a load that never moved.

In a load file, this language usually matters because it changes a rate, appointment, dock instruction, delivery record, or invoice packet.

Why it matters in trucking

TONU situations happen when freight gets canceled at the last minute — the shipper secured the truck to protect capacity, then the load did not materialize. Whether a carrier can collect TONU depends entirely on the rate confirmation language. Without a TONU clause specifying a dollar amount or formula, the carrier may have no contractual basis for the charge even if the situation clearly cost them time and money.

The useful details are the ones a dispatcher or billing desk can verify later: who approved the change, when it happened, and which document shows it.

Example in real use

A driver is dispatched to a Dallas shipper for an 8:00 a.m. pickup. At 6:00 a.m., the broker calls to say the load is canceled. The driver was already 30 miles from the facility. The rate confirmation includes a TONU clause specifying $150. Dispatch submits the TONU request to the broker with the driver's location record at the time of cancellation.

Where it shows up

TONU shows up after a booked truck is canceled or not used, often while the driver is already committed.

What to check first

  • Truck dispatched, en route, or arrived.
  • Cancellation reason and time.
  • Written TONU approval and amount.

Common mistakes or confusion

  • Assuming TONU can be collected on any last-minute cancellation — without a rate confirmation clause, there is no contractual obligation to pay it.
  • Not documenting the driver's dispatch status and position at the time of cancellation, which is the evidence needed to support a TONU claim.
  • Confusing TONU with detention — detention is time lost at the facility, TONU is compensation for a trip that never happened because the load was canceled.

Related terms

Detention Compensation requested when a truck is held too long at pickup or delivery after free time expires. Layover Pay for a driver or truck delayed overnight or for a substantial period because the load cannot move as planned. Lumper Fee A fee paid to a third-party unloading service, often at grocery or warehouse receivers. Rate Confirmation A broker or shipper document that confirms the agreed rate, pickup and delivery details, and load requirements. Shipper The party that sends freight from the pickup location. Consignee The party named to receive freight at delivery.

Related guides

Freight Terms is the best next place to keep learning this topic.

Sources and last updated

Last updated: 2026-05-10