Wait Times Cost Money
It comes as no surprise that long wait times mean a loss of revenue, but how much money are truckers losing annually? Detention time is loosely defined as the minutes, or sometimes hours, that truckers are forced to wait beyond the anticipated time that they need to load or unload their trailers. The unspoken rule in the industry is anything over two hours is considered detention time, which is incredibly inaccurate, and robs drivers of pay. Some estimates put annual loss per trucker at around $1,500 per year, which adds up to over $1 billion per year industry-wide, and makes up about 3-4% of their average income. These numbers come from the audit by Department of Transportation’s Office of Inspector General. According to this report, the estimated loss of for-hire carriers is around $302 million. Although DOT estimates losses in the billions, the actual amount could possibly be even higher. However, because the amount of data that they have is so limited, they could not know for certain. With the new ELD mandate, detention time may be easier to track. But, most electronic systems do not distinguish between detention time and actual loading and unloading tasks.
This report points to a much larger issue with the industry, and long-standing labor problems– drivers are not paid for their detention time, and they do not have the power to control it. Long wait times mean a loss of revenue for everyone involved, and indicated inefficiency. Not only are long wait times wasteful and irritating, they can cause safety problems. Unexpected wait times at ports and weigh stations can also increase probability of getting into an accident. Detention time cuts into available waking hours, which can lead to fatigue. Even a fifteen minute increase in detention time can increase the chances of getting into an accident by six percent.
For more info, check out the DOT report and this article by Trucks.com.
Written By: Shayla Powers