Compare trucking terms
TONU vs Detention
The practical difference
TONU and detention are both accessorial charges that compensate a driver for time lost — but they apply to completely different situations. TONU, or truck ordered not used, applies when a carrier has been booked and dispatched for a load but the shipper or broker cancels the load, often at or after arrival at the pickup. The driver showed up, cannot load, and the load no longer exists. Detention applies when the driver arrives at a facility that is still operational but takes too long to load or unload — the driver is waiting, not abandoned. Both require documentation, both are commonly underpaid, and both need to be addressed in the rate confirmation language before dispatch. A carrier who arrives at a facility that has canceled the load without notice is entitled to TONU; a carrier waiting at the dock past free time for an active load earns detention.
The cleanest way to separate the terms is to attach each one to a specific document, party, cost, mile type, or piece of equipment.
| Question | TONU | Detention |
|---|---|---|
| What triggered it | The load was canceled after dispatch — the freight move no longer exists. | The load is active but the facility is running behind — the driver is waiting, not turned away. |
| Documentation needed | Proof of dispatch, communication confirming the cancellation, and arrival evidence if the driver reached the facility. | Arrival timestamp, free time expiration, and actual release time — often supported by ELD data or facility sign-in logs. |
| Common outcome | A flat TONU fee — often $100–$200 — if pre-authorized in the rate confirmation. | Hourly detention pay after free time expires — commonly $25–$75/hour depending on the rate confirmation terms. |
When each one matters
- Use TONU when the load itself was canceled after dispatch — the driver arrived or prepared to arrive and the load no longer exists.
- Use detention when the load is still active but the facility is taking too long to load or unload — the driver is waiting, not turned away.
- The distinction matters for documentation: TONU requires proof of dispatch and cancellation; detention requires proof of arrival time, free time expiration, and the driver's actual release time.
What to check before acting on it
Start with the record that raised the question, then name which term controls that decision.
- Check which exact document, role, charge, mileage basis, or equipment requirement uses TONU.
- Check which separate decision depends on Detention.
- Write the final answer in plain language so dispatch, billing, and the driver are not using one term for two different things.
Example in trucking
A carrier is dispatched Friday afternoon for a Saturday 7:00 a.m. pickup at a food plant. The driver arrives at 6:45 a.m. and checks in. At 8:30 a.m., the facility manager informs the driver that the load was canceled overnight — the shipper pulled the freight. The driver was never loaded and the load no longer exists: this is TONU. The driver submits a TONU claim for $150 as pre-authorized in the rate confirmation. Two loads later, the same driver is at a separate facility for a live load pickup. Free time is 2 hours. The driver arrives at 10:00 a.m. Workers do not finish loading until 2:45 p.m. — 2 hours 45 minutes past free time. The load exists and the driver is dispatched: this is detention, and the driver bills 2.75 hours at $50/hour.
How people confuse them
- Assuming TONU controls the workflow when the broker, receiver, insurer, or agency is actually asking about Detention.
- Waiting until the invoice packet is rejected to find out which term was missing or misunderstood.
- Skipping the written source because the verbal explanation sounded clear enough.
Quick questions
What is the main difference between TONU and Detention?
TONU is a charge for a load that was booked and dispatched but then canceled before or at pickup; detention is a charge for excess time spent waiting at a facility that did not cancel the load.
When should a trucking office check TONU vs Detention?
Use TONU when the load itself was canceled after dispatch — the driver arrived or prepared to arrive and the load no longer exists. Use detention when the load is still active but the facility is taking too long to load or unload — the driver is waiting, not turned away. The distinction matters for documentation: TONU requires proof of dispatch and cancellation; detention requires proof of arrival time, free time expiration, and the driver's actual release time.
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Last updated: 2026-05-10