Detention, Layover, TONU, and Redelivery show up on freight invoices constantly, and shippers often lump them together as "the carrier is charging extra fees." They're not the same thing. Detention is a waiting charge for a driver or truck held at the pickup or delivery site beyond the agreed or allowed time. Layover applies when a delay runs long enough — into the next shift or the next day — that the driver and truck can no longer continue the original schedule. TONU (Truck Ordered Not Used) applies when a carrier has accepted the load, committed equipment, or dispatched a truck, but the shipment is cancelled, not ready, or never loaded. Redelivery is the cost of a second delivery attempt after the first one fails. The trigger conditions, free time, amounts, and evidence requirements for each are not standardized — they depend on the specific carrier's rules tariff, the rate confirmation, the mode of transport, and what actually happened on the ground.
Four fees at a glance
| Fee | Core meaning | Typical trigger | Common scenario | Key evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Detention | Driver/truck waits too long on-site | Truck arrived on time but loading, unloading, or release wasn't completed in time | Freight not ready, dock congestion, receiver slow to unload | Arrival/departure times, check-in log, GPS, POD, driver notes |
| Layover | Delay runs into the next shift or day, tying up the truck and driver | Can't finish the same day, affecting the rest of the route | Warehouse pushes loading to the next day, site halts for weather, appointment rescheduled | Original appointment, delay notice, driver log, dispatch record |
| TONU | Truck was booked or dispatched but never used | Shipper cancels, freight not ready, duplicate booking, nothing on-site | Cancellation after the truck arrives, or while it's en route | Rate confirmation, dispatch time, cancellation time, arrival record |
| Redelivery | First delivery attempt failed; a second attempt is scheduled | Refused, no one to receive, missing appointment, missing equipment or paperwork | Receiver closed, no PO, no forklift, gate guard refuses entry | First-attempt record, POD/exception report, contact log, new appointment |
1. Detention: the truck arrived, but the site couldn't finish in time
Detention is about waiting. The truck and driver showed up as scheduled at pickup or delivery, but something on-site prevented loading, unloading, or sign-off from finishing within the allowed window, and a clock starts running. Common causes include freight not being ready, no open dock door, no forklift or dock crew available, missing paperwork or release documents, the receiver unable to find the order, slow gate or warehouse approval, or a truck still waiting in line despite having a confirmed appointment.
Whether there's free time, when it starts counting, and how it's billed per minute or hour can all differ by LTL, FTL, drayage, carrier, or contract. The accurate way to describe it isn't "every carrier bills after two hours" — it's that waiting time and free time have to be checked against the specific quote and that carrier's rules.
For example, Dayton Freight's current Rules Tariff (Item 500, effective October 12, 2026) bills LTL detention at $60 per additional 15 minutes beyond free time (minimum $65), based on arrival time logged by the carrier's own on-board equipment; its TL detention is billed differently — a flat $75 for the first hour beyond free time, then $75 per additional 15 minutes. This is one carrier's published rule, not a universal figure.
2. Layover: not a short wait — a delay into the next shift or day
Layover shows up most often in truckload, project freight, and long-haul moves where the driver and truck are tied to a single load for an extended period. If loading or unloading was supposed to finish the same day but the site pushes it to later that night, the next shift, or the next day, the driver and truck may be unable to continue the rest of their route — and that extended hold is what gets billed as a layover. Typical triggers: a driver arrives in the morning and the warehouse says loading won't happen until tomorrow; a jobsite halts unloading for safety, weather, or equipment reasons; the receiver pushes a same-day appointment to the next day.
The line between detention and layover isn't drawn the same way industry-wide. Some contracts calculate detention first and convert to layover once a threshold is hit; others apply a negotiated standard directly. Don't assume the two automatically stack, and don't assume one automatically includes the other — whether detention and layover can both be billed for the same stop and time window depends on the contract, and some carrier or platform policies explicitly treat them as mutually exclusive.
3. TONU: the carrier committed resources, but nothing got loaded
TONU stands for Truck Ordered Not Used. It generally means the carrier accepted the move, reserved capacity, completed dispatch, or even had the truck depart or arrive — but the equipment was never used to load the planned freight, for reasons on the shipper's side. Common causes: a last-minute order cancellation, freight not yet produced or packed, nothing staged at the warehouse, a wrong pickup number, a duplicate booking, freight already picked up by another truck, or the freight's actual size, weight, or equipment requirement not matching what was booked.
TONU doesn't require the driver to have physically reached the dock. Whether it applies usually comes down to when the cancellation happened, whether the truck had already been dispatched, whether the driver was already en route, and what the rate confirmation or contract says about cancellations.
4. Redelivery: the first attempt failed and has to be rescheduled
Redelivery means a second delivery attempt. The driver already made a first attempt, but the delivery couldn't be completed because receiving conditions weren't met — the freight has to go back to the terminal, sit in storage, get rebooked, and go out again, and that's what generates a redelivery fee. Common causes: the receiver was closed or no one was available, an appointment was required but never made, a PO or gate pass was missing, the receiver refused the shipment, there was no dock or forklift on-site, the contact never answered the phone, or the address or entry instructions were unclear.
Redelivery can come bundled with storage, appointment, limited access, liftgate, or re-dispatch charges. Whether those stack depends on the specific carrier's rules and what actually happened on the first attempt.
For example, under Dayton Freight's current Rules Tariff (Item 830, effective October 12, 2026), each additional delivery attempt at the consignee's address is billed at $9.50 per 100 lbs (minimum $125, maximum $650); if the consignee instead picks up at the carrier's terminal, it's $5.00 per 100 lbs (minimum $50, maximum $400) instead. Again, this is one carrier's rule — figures vary by tariff.
Where the four most often get confused
The driver arrived, waited three hours, then finished unloading
This leans toward Detention.
The driver arrived, but the warehouse said loading wouldn't happen until tomorrow
This could become a Layover, or it could first involve Detention — it depends on the contract and how that carrier handles it.
The customer cancelled pickup after the truck had already left
This could involve TONU; whether it applies depends on the cancellation time, whether the truck was already dispatched, and the contract terms.
The driver reached the delivery address but was turned away for lack of an appointment, then delivered the next day
The first wait on-site may involve Detention; the second delivery attempt may involve Redelivery; freight held at the terminal in between may also involve Storage. One fee name doesn't cover the whole sequence of events.
LTL and FTL shouldn't be judged by the same rulebook
- LTL generally runs on the carrier's published rules tariff and the shipper's pricing agreement. Detention free time can be short and may vary with the number of stops on the same pickup or whether the truck has a tractor attached; redelivery is often billed per cwt with a minimum or maximum charge.
- FTL/Truckload relies more on the rate confirmation, a master transportation agreement, or a broker-carrier agreement. Detention is usually billed hourly or in time blocks, and layover and TONU show up more often there; redelivery may take the form of extra mileage, an extra stop, a day rate, a layover charge, or a full re-tender.
- The "two hours" figure that shows up in FMCSA research is an industry-analysis reference point, not a federally mandated free-time standard, and it shouldn't be applied to every LTL or FTL shipment by default.
What evidence should you keep when a charge is disputed?
When reviewing a bill, don't just ask "why was I charged" — check what event triggered it, when it happened, which rule it falls under, and whether the operational record actually supports it. It's worth keeping:
- Rate confirmation or quote confirmation
- Pickup/delivery appointment confirmation
- Driver arrival and departure times
- GPS/geofence data or electronic check-in records
- Warehouse gate log and dock log
- BOL, POD, delivery exception report
- Driver notes and dispatch notes
- Cancellation emails, texts, or system timestamps
- The receiver's stated reason for refusal
- Records of the rebooked appointment and second delivery attempt
How to reduce all four
Reducing Detention
Confirm freight is actually ready before the truck arrives; confirm dock, forklift, and staff availability; have BOL, PO, pickup number, and release paperwork ready in advance; give the driver a clear entry point and contact.
Reducing Layover
Don't book a truck before freight is actually finished; confirm loading or unloading can realistically happen the same day; keep a backup contact and a contingency window for project sites; notify dispatch as soon as a cross-day risk shows up.
Reducing TONU
Confirm freight quantity, dimensions, and equipment requirements before booking; avoid duplicate bookings across teams; cancel in writing immediately once a decision is made; confirm cancellation terms in the rate confirmation.
Reducing Redelivery
Confirm the appointment and receiving hours in advance; provide the PO, reference number, contact, and gate requirements; confirm dock, forklift, liftgate, and inside-delivery needs ahead of time; make sure the receiver knows the freight's size, quantity, and arrival date.
Summary
Detention, Layover, TONU, and Redelivery are often treated as interchangeable by shippers, but each corresponds to a different point of failure in the move: waiting on-site, a cross-day delay, an unused truck, and a second delivery attempt. Free time, billing method, and evidence requirements for each depend on the specific carrier's rules, the mode (LTL vs. FTL), and the contract in place — there's no single industry-wide standard or fixed amount. When a charge is disputed, the most effective approach isn't arguing over the fee's name, but checking the triggering event, the timestamp, and whether the operational record actually supports it.
ShipMay helps importers, overseas warehouses, freight forwarders, cross-border e-commerce sellers, and project-freight teams move cargo across the U.S. — from port drayage and transloading to LTL, truckload, intermodal rail, and last-mile delivery. If a shipment has already run into waiting time, a cancellation, or a failed delivery, start a quote and send us the timestamps and the exception details — we can help you figure out the next step.
Related reading
- What is a Limited Access fee in freight shipping?
- What is appointment delivery for U.S. trucking?
- A complete guide to U.S. freight accessorial charges
- LTL freight quote checklist
- Truckload shipping
- LTL freight quotes and multi-carrier rating
- Port drayage
