Compare trucking terms
TONU vs Layover
The practical difference
TONU and layover are both charges that compensate a carrier when a truck is not hauling freight, but they describe very different situations and require different documentation to collect. TONU (truck ordered not used) applies when a load was booked and the truck was dispatched — or sent to the pickup location — but the load does not exist or is canceled. The carrier showed up expecting a load and found nothing. TONU is a cancellation charge, and the rate confirmation typically specifies what TONU pays, though rates vary widely. Layover applies when a load exists but cannot move on schedule — the freight is there, but the driver has to park and wait, usually overnight or for a full day, because the pickup or delivery appointment was missed, delayed, or rescheduled. Layover compensation is for time spent waiting rather than for a canceled booking. The practical difference is the paperwork: TONU needs proof the driver arrived at the pickup and found no load; layover needs arrival records and communication showing the delay and its cause.
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 | Layover |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A charge for a load that was booked and dispatched but did not exist or was canceled before or at pickup — the truck was sent but found no freight. | Compensation for a driver held at a location overnight or for an extended period because an existing load cannot move on schedule. |
| Load status | No freight — the load was canceled, already picked up by another carrier, or never existed. | Freight exists — the load is there but movement is delayed by the shipper, receiver, or external circumstance. |
| Documentation | Proof the driver arrived at the designated pickup and found no freight — gate check-in time, driver communication, and shipper confirmation. | Arrival record, reason for the delay, communication with the broker, and the time the driver departed after the wait. |
| On rate conf | Often specified with a fixed dollar amount — TONU $150, TONU $200 — or standard carrier charge if not stated. | May specify a daily layover rate or defer to the carrier's standard rate — typically $150 to $300 per day depending on the market. |
When each one matters
- Use TONU when the truck was dispatched to a pickup location and the load was not there — canceled, already picked up, or nonexistent — so the truck returned empty.
- Use layover when the truck arrived at a pickup or delivery and the load exists but cannot move on schedule — the driver is held waiting, often overnight, for an appointment rescheduled or delayed by the shipper or receiver.
- The distinction matters for documentation and rate confirmation review: TONU is a cancellation charge that the rate confirmation typically caps or specifies in advance; layover is a waiting-time charge that requires arrival records and communication showing the delay cause. Getting them mixed up results in submitting the wrong type of claim with the wrong support documentation.
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 Layover.
- 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 to a shipper's facility in Birmingham for an 8:00 a.m. pickup on Monday. The driver arrives at 7:50 a.m. and is told by the dock coordinator that the load was already picked up by another carrier Friday evening — a miscommunication at the shipper's dispatch desk. The driver waited 45 minutes to confirm no freight was coming, then departed empty. This is a TONU situation: the truck was booked, dispatched, and arrived, but there was no load. The carrier bills a TONU charge based on the rate confirmation terms. Separately, a different carrier on the same day is dispatched to a steel mill for a 10:00 a.m. pickup. The driver arrives at 9:45 a.m. and is told the steel coils are ready, but the crane operator called in sick and they cannot load until tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. The driver parks in the lot and waits overnight. This is a layover situation: the freight exists and will be loaded, but the driver is held involuntarily. The carrier bills layover pay, typically covering the overnight period. TONU was for a canceled load; layover was for a delayed but existing load.
How people confuse them
- Explaining Layover when the driver or back office needed a decision about TONU.
- Treating a comparison page as a substitute for the contract, policy, rule, or load document.
- Failing to note who requested the item and when it was approved.
Quick questions
What is the main difference between TONU and Layover?
TONU (truck ordered not used) is a charge billed when a truck is dispatched for a load but the load is canceled before or at pickup; layover is compensation for a driver held at a location overnight or for an extended period because the load cannot move as planned.
When should a trucking office check TONU vs Layover?
Use TONU when the truck was dispatched to a pickup location and the load was not there — canceled, already picked up, or nonexistent — so the truck returned empty. Use layover when the truck arrived at a pickup or delivery and the load exists but cannot move on schedule — the driver is held waiting, often overnight, for an appointment rescheduled or delayed by the shipper or receiver. The distinction matters for documentation and rate confirmation review: TONU is a cancellation charge that the rate confirmation typically caps or specifies in advance; layover is a waiting-time charge that requires arrival records and communication showing the delay cause. Getting them mixed up results in submitting the wrong type of claim with the wrong support documentation.
Related terms
Related guides
Sources and last updated
Last updated: 2026-05-10