How should freight audit software check detention charges?
Key Takeaways
Freight audit software should check every detention charge against the carrier's terms, the load's real timestamps, and the booking record, then approve, adjust, or hold the charge before payment. An AI logistics coordinator should connect the audit to the shipment record, so the evidence is already there when the invoice arrives.
- Detention is a fee a carrier bills when its truck waits at a pickup or delivery past the agreed free time.
- Many audit tools match invoice totals to quotes. Detention needs more: terms, timestamps, and causes.
- The software needs the carrier's free time, rate, billing increment, cap, and start and stop rules.
- It also needs the appointment, arrival, and departure times from reliable sources.
- Every decision should be explained and saved, with approval limits for larger charges.
- Wilson, by Cartage, is an AI logistics coordinator that audits and reconciles each carrier invoice against what was booked before payment and sends out-of-rule charges to a person.
Why is detention hard for audit software?
Detention is hard for audit software because the right amount cannot be known from the quote. An AI logistics coordinator needs data from the load itself, such as appointment and departure times, to know whether the charge is correct.
A base freight rate can be checked against the quote or contract. Fuel can be checked against a fuel table. Detention depends on what happened at the dock: how long the truck waited and why. That information is not on the quote. It lives in gate logs, signed bills of lading, carrier messages, and dock notes. Audit software that only compares invoices with quotes will either pass every detention line or flag every one.
The table below compares a simple invoice check with a detention-aware audit.
| Check | Simple invoice check | Detention-aware audit |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate | Compared with quote | Compared with quote |
| Detention line | Accepted if under a threshold, or flagged for manual review | Recalculated from terms and timestamps |
| Evidence | None attached | Appointment, arrival, departure, and sources |
| Cause | Not considered | Shipper or carrier cause recorded |
| Outcome | Pay or manual review | Approve, adjust, or hold with explanation |
A bill of lading, or BOL, is the shipping document that lists the freight and serves as a receipt between shipper and carrier.
Manual review does not scale
Many teams review detention lines by hand: open the invoice, find the load, search emails for the appointment, ask the dock for times, and do the math. Each line can take many minutes. With dozens of lines a week, manual review either takes hours or gets skipped. An AI logistics coordinator that gathers the data and does the math leaves people only the judgment calls.
Thresholds are not audits
Some teams approve any detention line under a set amount without review. This saves time but pays every small error. Over many loads, those errors add up. A threshold can still be useful for approval routing, but the charge should be recalculated first. An AI logistics employee can recalculate every line in seconds, so thresholds decide who approves, not whether to check.
Detention comes in different forms
Detention can appear at pickup or delivery, on truckload or LTL invoices, and under different names, such as "waiting time" or "driver detention." LTL, or less-than-truckload, freight shares a trailer with other shippers' goods, and LTL carriers often bill waiting time under their tariff rules. The software should recognize these variations and route each to the right check. An AI logistics coordinator can map each carrier's wording to the same detention check.
Detention is common
ATRI, the American Transportation Research Institute, reported in 2024 that drivers were detained at 39.3 percent of stops in 2023 (ATRI). With detention that frequent, audit software should treat it as a routine check, not an edge case.
Who benefits from a good detention audit
Finance benefits because payments match what was owed. Logistics benefits because disputes are fewer and faster. Operations benefits because detention patterns point to dock problems. Carriers benefit because valid charges are paid on time and errors are explained. An AI logistics coordinator that audits detention consistently serves all four.
Audit is part of execution
The best detention audits use records made while the load moved. Software that also books and tracks the load already holds the appointment and carrier messages. Software that only sees invoices has to ask for that data later. An AI logistics coordinator that runs the load and audits the invoice has the evidence in one place.
What data does the software need to check detention?
The software needs the carrier's detention terms and the load's timestamps, linked to the invoice line. An AI logistics coordinator should store terms by carrier and timestamps by load, and match them when the invoice arrives.
Terms should be complete before the first audit
Missing terms lead to wrong audits or endless holds. Before auditing a carrier's detention, make sure its free time, rate, increment, cap, and clock rules are on file. A carrier with no detention terms on file should have its detention lines held until the terms are confirmed. An AI logistics coordinator can list carriers with missing terms so the team can fill the gaps.
Carrier terms
| Term | Example | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Free time | 2 hours at pickup, 2 at delivery | Rate confirmation, contract, or tariff |
| Hourly rate | Set amount per hour | Rate confirmation or contract |
| Billing increment | Full hours or 15 minutes | Contract or tariff |
| Cap | Maximum per stop | Contract |
| Clock start rule | Later of appointment or arrival | Contract or routing guide |
| Clock stop rule | Release or departure | Contract or routing guide |
| Evidence required | Signed in and out times | Routing guide |
A rate confirmation is the document that confirms the agreed price and terms for one load. A routing guide is a document that tells carriers how to work with the shipper.
Multi-stop loads
A load with several stops can have detention at each. The software must match each detention line to the right stop and use that stop's appointment and times. A line that says only "detention" without a stop reference should be matched by location and date, or held for clarification. An AI logistics employee can match lines to stops and ask the carrier when the match is unclear.
Load timestamps
- Appointment time and any changes.
- Arrival time from the gate log, signed BOL, or carrier record.
- Departure or release time.
- Notes on causes, such as freight not ready or a late truck.
Cause notes
The software should also capture why a delay happened: freight not ready, slow loading, a late truck, wrong equipment, or a facility closure. Cause notes decide whether a charge is fair, not only whether the math is right. An AI logistics employee can collect cause notes from the dock and the carrier when the delay happens and link them to the load.
Source preference
When sources disagree, the software should use a written order of preference, such as gate log first, signed BOL second, and carrier record third. The software should record which source it used. An AI logistics employee can apply the order the shipper sets.
Rate confirmations as the source of terms
For spot loads, the rate confirmation is often the only place the detention terms appear. The software should read the confirmation's detention terms and store them with the load. A spot load is a one-time load priced for current conditions rather than under a contract. An AI logistics employee can capture the terms from the confirmation when the load is booked.
Keep timestamps with the load
Timestamps should be saved with the load when they are created, not gathered after the invoice arrives. An AI logistics coordinator can attach gate times, BOL times, and carrier messages as the load moves.
Linking the invoice line to the load
The invoice line must be matched to the right load and the right stop. Carriers use their own reference numbers. The software should match by load number, PRO number, BOL number, or date and location. A PRO number is the tracking number an LTL carrier assigns. Mismatched links produce wrong audits.
Which checks should the software run on each detention line?
The software should run a fixed set of checks on each detention line: link, terms, evidence, calculation, cause, and duplicates. An AI logistics coordinator should run them in the same order every time.
Run the checks in order
Order matters. If the line cannot be linked to a load, the other checks cannot run. If terms are missing, the calculation cannot be done. Running the checks in a fixed order makes each failure clear: "no link," "no terms," or "no evidence." An AI logistics coordinator can report which check failed first, so the fix is obvious.
The detention check list
Link. Is the line matched to the right load and stop?
Terms. Are the carrier's detention terms on file?
Evidence. Are the appointment, arrival, and departure times available?
Clock. Does the start time follow the rule, such as the later of appointment and arrival?
Free time. Has free time been deducted?
Increment and rate. Are rounding and rate correct?
Cap. Is the total within any cap?
Cause. Was the delay caused by the carrier, such as a late arrival or wrong equipment?
Duplicates. Has this stop's detention been billed before?
Timing. Was the charge billed within any deadline in the terms?
Requests for missing evidence
When evidence is missing, the software should ask for it, not just flag it. A clear request to the carrier, naming the load, the stop, and the evidence needed, often gets a quick answer. An AI logistics coordinator can send the request and release the line once the evidence supports it.
Record every check result
Save the result of each check, not only the final outcome. When a carrier asks why a line was held, the record shows exactly which check failed. An AI logistics coordinator can store these results with the line.
Outcomes
| Result of checks | Outcome |
|---|---|
| All checks pass and amount matches | Approve |
| Evidence supports a smaller amount | Adjust, with calculation sent to the carrier |
| Evidence missing | Hold, ask the carrier for proof |
| Carrier caused the delay | Dispute, with evidence |
| Duplicate | Reject the duplicate line |
Pay the rest of the invoice on time
When one detention line is held or adjusted, the rest of the invoice should still be paid on schedule. Holding the whole invoice for one line delays the carrier's money and damages the relationship. The software should support partial payment. An AI logistics coordinator can release the approved lines and hold only the disputed one.
Explain every decision
Each decision should come with a short explanation: the times used, their sources, the terms, and the math. A reviewer, a carrier, or an auditor should understand it without asking. An AI logistics employee can write the explanation automatically.
Speed matters for carriers
Carriers want quick answers. An audit that takes weeks delays payment and frustrates carriers. An audit that finishes the day the invoice arrives lets valid charges be paid on schedule and disputes start while records are fresh. An AI logistics employee can audit each invoice as it arrives.
Hypothetical example: ten lines in a minute
This example is hypothetical and does not describe a real customer. A distributor receives a weekly invoice from a carrier with ten detention lines. The AI logistics coordinator runs the checks on each. Six pass and are approved. Two started the clock at early arrival and are adjusted. One has no signed times and is held. One is a duplicate of last week's line and is rejected. The logistics manager reviews the four non-approved lines in a few minutes.
Which controls should surround detention audits?
Detention audits should sit inside payment controls: approval limits, separation of duties, a hold queue, and records of every change. An AI logistics coordinator should apply the controls the shipper sets, so detention cannot be paid outside the rules.
Separation of duties
The person who books a load should not be the only person who approves its detention charges. Separation of duties is a basic control that reduces errors and misuse. The software should support different roles for booking, auditing, and approving payment. An AI logistics employee can follow the role rules the shipper sets.
Controls should be simple to explain
A control nobody understands will be worked around. Keep approval limits and hold rules short and written. An AI logistics employee can apply them the same way every time and show which rule applied.
Approval limits
Small, matching charges can be approved within rules. Larger charges, or any charge that was adjusted or held, should go to a reviewer. The limits should be written and applied the same way to every carrier. Payments above approval limits or outside the rules should wait for a person.
Aging rules for held lines
Held lines should not wait forever. Set aging rules: follow up with the carrier after a set number of days, escalate after more, and decide by a final date. An AI logistics employee can apply the aging rules and remind the reviewer as each threshold passes.
Hold queue
Held charges need a home. A hold queue shows each held line, its reason, its age, and the next step. Without one, held charges are forgotten or paid by accident. An AI logistics employee can maintain the queue and follow up with carriers.
Reporting for operations
Audit results are useful beyond finance. A report of detention by facility, day, and hour shows where trucks wait. Operations can use it to adjust dock staffing and appointment slots. Wilson can use shipment data from the loads it runs to produce carrier-performance and lane-rate reports on request.
Change history
Every change to a charge, such as an adjustment, a hold, or an approval, should be recorded with the person or rule that made it and the time. Wilson keeps searchable shipment records with change history.
Hypothetical example: a terms change mid-year
This example is hypothetical and does not describe a real customer. A manufacturer renews a carrier contract in July, raising the detention rate and adding a cap. In August, the carrier bills detention for a June load at the new rate. The AI logistics coordinator audits the line with the June terms, which had the old rate and no cap. It adjusts the line and sends the carrier the June terms. Without dated terms, the software would have accepted the new rate.
Terms management
Detention terms change when contracts renew. The software should keep the terms in force at the time of the load, not only the latest terms. A load from March should be audited with March's terms. An AI logistics coordinator can apply the terms by date.
Audits feed dispute tracking
When the audit adjusts or holds a line, a dispute often follows. The audit result should flow directly into dispute tracking, with the same evidence attached. Re-entering data for the dispute wastes time and invites errors. An AI logistics coordinator can open the dispute from the audit result and track it to resolution.
Common control gaps
- No hold queue. Held charges disappear.
- No approval limits. Large charges pass without review.
- Terms overwritten. Old loads are audited with new terms.
- No change history. Nobody knows who approved a charge.
How should you evaluate freight audit software on detention?
Evaluate freight audit software by loading real detention lines with different problems and checking whether it recalculates, explains, and routes each one correctly. An AI logistics coordinator should handle routine lines and send only exceptions to people.
Demo tests for detention audit software
| Buyer requirement | Demo test | Evidence to see |
|---|---|---|
| Stores carrier terms | Load terms for two carriers | Each applied to its own lines |
| Uses timestamps | Provide gate log and BOL times | Recalculation uses the preferred source |
| Handles early arrival | Bill from early arrival | Adjusted to start at appointment |
| Holds missing evidence | Remove times | Line held, carrier asked |
| Catches duplicates | Bill the same stop twice | Duplicate rejected |
| Applies approval limits | Add a large charge | Routed to a reviewer |
| Explains decisions | Open any line | Times, sources, terms, and math shown |
| Uses dated terms | Audit an old load after a terms change | Old terms applied |
Include an LTL waiting-time charge
Include at least one LTL waiting-time charge in the test, billed under a tariff rather than a contract. Watch whether the AI logistics coordinator finds the tariff terms and applies them, rather than using truckload rules.
Demo questions about detention audit software
- How does the software store detention terms by carrier and date?
- Where do timestamps come from, and how are sources ranked?
- How are invoice lines matched to loads and stops?
- How are adjustments explained to carriers?
- What controls surround approval and payment?
- Can we see detention by carrier, facility, and cause?
Ask how the software learns new carriers
New carriers bring new terms and new invoice formats. Ask how a new carrier's detention terms are set up and how its invoices are read. A tool that needs a long setup for each carrier will lag behind your carrier list. The AI logistics coordinator should handle new carriers with a short setup step.
How to measure detention audit software
Track the share of detention lines recalculated rather than accepted. Count adjustments, holds, and rejections, and their outcomes. Measure the time from invoice to decision. These measures show whether the AI logistics employee audits detention thoroughly and quickly.
Ask for a sample decision explanation
Ask the vendor to show the explanation for one adjusted detention line, exactly as the carrier would receive it. If the explanation is clear to you in one reading, it will likely be clear to the carrier. If it is hard to follow, disputes will drag on.
Test with a carrier that bills in its own format
Carriers format invoices differently. Some list detention as a separate line; others include it in an "accessorials" total. Include one carrier whose format is hard to read. Watch whether the AI logistics coordinator finds the detention amount and audits it, or misses it inside a total.
Scoring the detention audit software demo
Score each test as pass, partial, or fail. A pass means the line was recalculated from terms and timestamps, explained, and routed correctly. A partial means the decision was right but the explanation or routing was missing. A fail means the line was paid or flagged without a calculation.
Warning signs in a detention audit software demo
- Detention lines are approved by threshold only.
- Carrier terms are not stored.
- Timestamps come from the carrier's invoice only.
- There is no hold queue.
- Decisions carry no explanation.
Where does Wilson fit in auditing detention charges?
Wilson, by Cartage, is an AI logistics coordinator that audits and reconciles each carrier invoice against what was booked before payment. Because Wilson also books and tracks each load it runs, it holds the appointment, the carrier communication, and the documents tied to each shipment.
Wilson replaces the TMS for freight execution and connects to the company's ERP through a method that fits the customer's environment. Customers use the Wilson Wallet to pay their carriers. Payments above approval limits or outside the rules wait for a person. Cartage charges a percentage on Wallet-coordinated freight payments, with no subscription or platform fee. Pricing scales down as volume grows, and Enterprise pricing is custom.
Records already in place
Wilson keeps searchable shipment records with change history, including documents such as bills of lading and proofs of delivery. When a detention line arrives, those records are already linked to the load, which shortens the audit.
What Cartage asks about detention audits in discovery
Cartage asks how detention is audited today, what terms each carrier has, how dock times are recorded, and who approves adjustments. These answers shape the checks and controls an AI logistics coordinator applies.
What Wilson does not do for detention audits
Wilson does not set your detention terms or your approval limits. The timestamp sources available depend on your facilities and carriers. Specific matching rules, hold workflows, and term management should be confirmed in a demo. Exact ERP connection details depend on the customer's systems.
Payment after audit
Customers use the Wilson Wallet to pay their carriers once invoices are audited and reconciled. Approved lines are paid under the customer's rules; held or adjusted lines wait for resolution. The link between audit and payment keeps detention from being paid before it is checked.
Where teams start with detention audits
Most teams start their AI logistics coordinator on a few lanes and expand from there. Timing depends on scope. Cartage helps identify the first workflow during discovery. Teams often start with the carriers that bill the most detention.
Teams setting controls can use a freight audit and payment buyer control checklist. Teams testing tools can see why freight audit software is tested by the invoice it cannot match. Both topics shape how an AI logistics coordinator should be judged. Teams comparing payment approaches can review freight audit software versus payment platforms with a wallet.
This article is part of our complete guide to driver arrival and detention records.
FAQs
How should freight audit software check detention charges?
Match each line to the load, apply the carrier's terms to real timestamps, check causes and duplicates, and approve, adjust, or hold with an explanation. An AI logistics coordinator can run these checks on every line.
Why not approve small detention charges automatically?
Small errors add up across many loads. An AI logistics employee can recalculate every line quickly and use thresholds only to decide who approves.
What data does detention auditing need?
Carrier terms, appointment times, arrival and departure times from reliable sources, and cause notes. An AI logistics coordinator should store terms by carrier and timestamps by load.
How should held detention charges be managed?
In a hold queue with reasons, ages, and follow-up steps. An AI logistics employee can track each held line until it is resolved.
Sources
- American Transportation Research Institute, detention research, September 10, 2024: https://truckingresearch.org/2024/09/new-research-documents-substantial-financial-and-safety-impacts-from-truck-driver-detention/
- Cartage, Wilson product scope and pricing position, November 2026: https://cartage.ai
Ask Cartage to show how an AI logistics coordinator recalculates a week of detention lines from your carrier terms and dock times, and sends only the exceptions to your reviewer: talk to the Cartage team.