by Jason Dasher
Truck drivers have an interesting connection to time. A driver needs to meet his or her delivery time, but there are other things that need to be taken into account. One of the issues that must be taken into account is driver detention time.
This particular issue tends to be controversial. Delivery companies do take some loading and unloading time into account, but a truck driver knows that this allotted time is nothing compared the actual time that is needed.
The Controversy With Driver Detention Time
Most truck drivers–about 30 percent of them–will say that they are detained for at least 2 hours every time. This happens because there are delays in loading or unloading. The delays could be occur because there are workforce shortages, or there may be accidents that need to be accounted for.
The driver has to take this extra detention time into account because it reduces the time that he or she will have to get to their final destination.
One of the issues that drivers have is determining detention time. The norm, at the moment, is any time after 90 minutes, though most drivers will say that this number is ludicrous. The number came about because shipping companies wanted to stay competitive in the industry. The number has nothing to do with average loading and unloading times, which disturbs some drivers.
The reason truck drivers fight for a reasonable detention time has nothing to with collecting the fee. In fact, it is known that about 41 percent of all drivers do not even ask for a detention fee, while 28 percent ask for the fee only 1 out of 4 times.
It is obvious that most drivers are not looking to get paid just to sit around and do nothing. Detention time chips away time from things like thorough equipment checks or other steps that ensure a driver’s successful delivery.
Drivers want to get on their way with enough time to complete the order and not have to rush. Drivers want to take breaks when they feel tired without feeling pressured. And, ultimately, a driver wants to finish the delivery in time to get back to his or her family.
There is a lot to discuss regarding how much detention time should be awarded to drivers or what could be done to optimize the loading and unloading procedure. But at least drivers have begun the conversation and made a step forward.