How long did they hold you?
Two times. We do the math and write the letter — free, no signup. The letter is written right here in your browser and never uploaded.
A detention dispute letter wins on documented times, not on tone. State the load, the facility, your arrival and departure, the free-time window and hourly rate from your rate confirmation, the math, and a payment deadline. Attach the rate confirmation and a signed BOL or ELD record. This tool writes that letter from two times you enter.
Free time = the hours the facility gets before detention starts. Both numbers come from your rate confirmation — tap a pill above if yours says something different.
Where, and what load?
Straight off your rate confirmation.
Sign it.
Who the letter is from, and where they should reply.
Why this works
Detention is a contract right, not a favor. No federal law forces a shipper to pay detention — your rate confirmation does. That is why this letter leads with your contract terms, proves the times with documents, does the math in a table, and sets a deadline. Disputes die when the times are vague; they get paid when the paper is clean.
Industry research backs the pressure: detention appears on roughly 39.3% of stops and costs for-hire trucking about $15B a year (ATRI, 2024). Facilities know this. A documented, professional invoice is the difference between being in the half that gets paid and the half that does not.
Frequently asked
Is the shipper legally required to pay?
No statute forces it — your rate confirmation or carrier agreement does. That is why the letter cites your contract terms, not made-up law.
What should I attach?
Rate confirmation, signed BOL with in/out times, ELD arrival record, or timestamped gate photos. Proof of times is the whole case.
Does this letter get stored anywhere?
No. The letter is generated entirely in your browser and never uploaded. If you leave the "log this wait" box checked, the only thing sent is the facility name and wait minutes for the anonymous yard index — never the letter, your name, or the load.
Run a yard? This letter is what you get when times are disputed.
Vantage timestamps every gate in and out automatically, so detention ends in records instead of letters.
This tool produces a professional demand letter template based on the numbers you enter. It is not legal advice, and Vantage is not a law firm. Your actual entitlement to detention depends on your contract and documentation. Benchmark sources: ATRI 2024 detention research.
Related: log this wait anonymously (YardPulse) · detention pay calculator · 2026 detention benchmarks · the yard side of detention