Detention Pay?

That they should.

It would greatly reduce the number of traffic accidents caused by fatigued drivers working all night because dispatch had kept them up all day without pay, waiting for a load only to discover that after being dispatched on their load at 4pm, it had an appointment to deliver 500 miles away first thing in the morning.

Driver has made no money all day, he has no choice but to drive all night tired or lose 1.5 days without any pay.

But then, these carriers only pay lip service to safety.
If they were serious about having drivers be safe, they would never put them in that position or pay the slave labor rates they expect drivers to survive on.

 

While I agree with some of the above dispatch can't keep you up all night UNLESS you as the driver let it happen!

 

No, but if your family is depending upon you to drive all night to make the money to feed them because dispatch has essentially forced you to, you will.

Whereas, if you'd been paid for your time during the day, you wouldn't have that burden or pressure.
Not to mention the risk to your own, health, safety, life as well as others from having to drive all night to manage that.

And we all know that dispatch has always had only one concern, making sure the load is delivered on time never mind the driver's physical state.

 

Detention, or demurage, is usually paid by the customer for tying up your companies assets. As mentioned layover is just that.....pay for laying over. Most companies will only give a very small token amount so they can advertise how great they are or they'll throw in enough hurdles to make it not worth your time to pursue. I pull tanker so detention is quite common. The company calls it "wait time" & it applies to the customer & the company. If the load & unload takes more than 2 hrs combined we go on the clock, waiting on a load release......clock. If we have to get a repair on the road that's also wait time. It adds up. Most OTR & seat meat carriers just laugh if you suggest being paid for your time. That's why I pull tankers.

 

can we clarify here, are these union or non-union drivers that are on the dock? becuase this determines amount of work, the hardest I've ever seen a union driver work on a dock was getting his bills signed

 

striker, I believe that ALL drivers be they union or non-union should be paid IN FULL for all of their time.
That means on the clock from the moment they begin work or report themselves as ready to be dispatched (while on the road) until they shut down for the day to comply with the HOS.
If dispatch can't find them a load or move them, that should not be the driver's fault and cross to bare financially all the while he/she is away from home, essentially on-duty throughout and responsible for the care and operation of his/her employers equipment.

Do you think a taxi's meter stops running because he's being kept waiting for you to tell him where to take you?
Why should drivers be treated any differently.

Driver's time away from home isn't nor should it be considered "free"

 

I love Det. pay.
In the H.H. world we charge them...
On some job sites we have to give them 4 hours. Then on the clock.
We also have day rates we charge.
The problem we are running into now is the cut throats wanting into this line of work. Not charging or do it for small money.
Our rate for a 13 axle unit used to be 2 thousand a day.
Now I'm hearing that another cut rate is only charging 1 thousand.

4 years ago I was on a job in Rio Vista,Ca. rained out for 14 days.
There were about 20 different trks. there with units from 5 axles to 13 axles.
5 axles got 750 a day 11 axles got 1 thousand and us on 13 got 2 thousand a day.
Big det. bill
But on the flip side if we are flat out late without a valid reason and failure to call with the issue 24 hours prior it runs into big bucks for us.
Crane charges, plus crew charges.. And big cranes are not cheap.
Most crane companies charge a 4 hour. mim. Some places 8 hours mim..

 

Union or not,......A driver should get payed all time spent working,....

If all I have to do is get the bills signed I get payed for all time spent waiting for the receiver to sign the bills,...

And if I have to wait for a shipper to get the freight ready I do get payed for all of that time as well,...

Why shouldn't a driver get payed for all time spent working??

 

And it will continue as it is as long as we allow it .