Reefer Truck Detention Calculator
Hourly detention for refrigerated trucks — higher rates that reflect fuel burn and cold-chain risk at the dock.
Set a tier's hours to 0 to mean “all remaining hours”.
Reefer detention prices above dry van ($65–$120/hr is common) because the unit burns diesel the whole wait and the cargo carries cold-chain risk.
With your numbers: 5 hours − 2 free = 3 chargeable hours = 2×$75 + 1×$100 = $250 per stop.
Sources & references
- FMCSA — driver detention research and HOS interplay
- Refrigerated unit telematics documentation (runtime/door logs)
Demurrage, detention and storage tariffs are set by each carrier, terminal and contract and change frequently. The preloaded figures are editable industry-typical examples, not quotes — always verify against the current published tariff or your service contract before paying or disputing an invoice.
A detained reefer is not a parked truck — it's a running refrigeration unit burning roughly a gallon of diesel an hour, with a load whose temperature compliance is the carrier's liability the entire time. Reefer detention rates price that reality: typically $20–$40/hr above the dry-van rate at the same dock, with the same two-hour free window.
About Reefer Truck Detention Calculator
The defaults model 2 free hours then $75 rising to $100/hr. Beyond the money, every detention hour is recorded reefer-unit runtime — download-able from the unit's telematics — which means reefer detention claims arrive with better evidence than almost any other accessorial: the unit's own log shows exactly when it sat and what it burned. Cold-chain shippers should also note the flip side: a reefer detained four hours at a hot dock with door seals broken for inspection is a temperature-excursion risk. The detention invoice and the temperature log are two halves of the same incident file — bill the hours, and keep the trace in case the receiver later questions product condition.
How to use Reefer Truck Detention Calculator
- 1Enter hours at the dock and how many stops are affected.
- 2Set your free hours and edit the tariff tiers to match the published tariff or your contract — every figure is editable.
- 3Read the per-tier breakdown and the worked example showing exactly how the total is built, hour by hour.
- 4Change the inputs to compare scenarios (pick up now vs later) before the charges harden into an invoice.
Why use Reefer Truck Detention Calculator?
- ✓Per-tier breakdown mirrors how carrier and terminal billing systems itemise invoices
- ✓Every figure — free time, tier days, rates — is editable to match any published tariff
- ✓Instant what-if comparisons before charges harden into an invoice
- ✓Free and private — all math runs in your browser
Frequently asked questions
Why does reefer detention cost more than dry van?+
Fuel and risk. The refrigeration unit runs throughout the wait (roughly 0.5–1 gal/hr), maintenance hours accrue, and the carrier carries cold-chain liability the whole time. A $75–$100/hr reefer detention rate isn't padding — it's closer to the unit's true standing cost than the dry-van figure is to a dry van's.
Does the reefer's telematics help my detention claim?+
Enormously. The unit logs location, runtime, setpoint and door events — a time-stamped record that the trailer sat at the consignee's dock from 09:10 to 14:40 with the unit running. Attach the download to the invoice; it's harder to dispute than any driver-written in/out time.
Who pays if cargo temperature drifts during detention?+
Contested territory — which is why documentation wins. If the unit held setpoint throughout (telematics proves it), the carrier's exposure is low. If doors stood open at the dock during a slow unload, the trace plus detention record points at the facility. Detention billing and temperature evidence should travel together in one claim file.
What's a fair free window for reefer deliveries?+
The standard 2 hours applies at most facilities, but cold-chain contracts increasingly specify shorter windows (60–90 min) for reefers precisely because the wait is costlier. If your lanes have chronic slow receivers, a shorter contractual window with automatic detention is more effective than arguing each invoice.
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<iframe src="https://tooljolt.com/tools/reefer-truck-detention-calculator" width="100%" height="640" style="border:1px solid #e5e7eb;border-radius:12px;max-width:680px" title="Reefer Truck Detention Calculator — ToolJolt" loading="lazy"></iframe>Related Logistics tools
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