FD
FreightDesk

Detention Recovery

$1.9M

That's what a 100-truck fleet loses every year to detention fees they earned but never collected.

94.5%
of carriers charge detention
29.3%
actually collect
3–4%
typical carrier net margin

Source: ATRI 2024

Why the money disappears

01

No documentation

Drivers are driving. Facilities refuse to sign forms. The burden of proof is 100% on the carrier, and most detention events never get documented at all.

02

Missed deadlines

Every broker has different submission windows. Some give 24 hours, some give a week. Miss it by a day and the claim is dead regardless of merit.

03

Not worth chasing

Your office manager is juggling dispatch, billing, and compliance. A $150 claim that takes 90 days and 5 follow-ups to collect doesn't make the priority list.

How it works

01

ELD detects it

We plug into your existing ELD — Samsara, Motive, or any provider with an API. When a truck sits at a facility past the free time window, we see it from the GPS and HOS data. No driver input required. No app to install. No buttons to press.

02

Claims file automatically

We match the detention event to your rate confirmation, extract the contracted terms and deadline, assemble the documentation package (ELD timestamps, geofence data, BOL), and file the claim with the broker before their submission window closes.

03

Follow-up until paid

Automated escalation at 7, 14, and 30 days. If a broker ignores the claim, we escalate — demand letters, surety bond claims, the works. You see every claim on a single dashboard. Your office manager stops chasing paper and starts collecting money.

The math on a 100-truck fleet

Annual detention exposure $2.6M
Currently uncollected $1.9M
Recoverable with automation $1.1M
Typical fleet net profit $750K

Most carriers in the 5–200 truck range run 3–4% net margins. The detention money sitting on the table is often larger than your entire bottom line.

And detention is just the biggest category. The same system catches layover, TONU, lumper fees, and driver assist charges your back office doesn't have time to invoice.

Based on ATRI 2024 industry data. Dry van, broker freight mix, $60/hr blended detention rate, 39.3% detention frequency per stop.

Beyond detention

Same system, more of your back office automated.

Accessorial Recovery

Layover, TONU, driver assist. Same automation, same follow-up. More revenue in your pocket without more work.

Driver Settlement

Per-mile, per-stop, percentage splits, deductions. Automated from delivered loads. No more spreadsheets on Friday afternoon.

Compliance Tracking

DQ files, medical cards, CDL expirations. Alerts before anything lapses, not after a DOT audit puts you out of service.

Per-Truck P&L

Revenue, fuel, maintenance, insurance, tolls. By truck, by lane, by customer. Know which runs actually make money.

Get in
touch

Tell us your fleet size and ELD provider. We'll show you how much detention revenue you're leaving behind.

Or book a call

15 minutes, no pitch

We'll walk through your detention exposure and show you what you're leaving on the table.