Wasting Hours, Losing Pay: Why Truckers Deserve to Bill for Wait Time Like a Lawyer

by TRUCKERS VA
(UNITED STATES)

Because your time is worth more than free coffee and a “sorry for the delay”

Imagine a lawyer shows up for a 2 p.m. court case…
…and the judge makes them sit in the hallway until 6:30 p.m., unpaid.

Yeah. Not happening.

But truckers? That’s our everyday life — sitting in a dock for 5, 6, sometimes 10 hours while getting paid nothing… or maybe $25 if the stars align and your dispatcher fights for you.

So here’s the truth:
If your truck ain’t moving, your time still matters.
It’s time for truckers to bill like professionals — not beg like peasants.

The Problem: “Detention Pay” Is a Joke

They say you’ll get detention pay after two hours.
But here’s how it really goes:

You wait 4 hours

You might get $15/hour for 2 of them

You fight dispatch, who fights the broker, who fights the shipper

You get paid next month… maybe

Meanwhile, that lawyer’s charging $200/hour just to answer an email — and you’re moving the whole dang economy.

How did we let this become normal?

Let’s Break Down the Math

Say you make $1,500 a week driving 70 hours.
That’s $21/hour before expenses.

Now subtract:

8 hours a week wasted at docks

2 hours waiting for dispatch to find a backhaul

1 hour daily sitting at fuel islands, checking in, or waiting for BOLs

That’s 20+ unpaid hours.
Your actual hourly rate? Maybe $14… before taxes and fuel.

You’d make more working the register at Buc-ee’s with less back pain.

But This Ain’t Just About the Money

The worst part?
It’s the mental drain.

You show up on time.

You’re ready to roll.

Then you sit. And sit. And sit.

Can’t sleep. Can’t run errands. Can’t get paid.

It destroys your momentum, your sleep schedule, your route planning… and your sanity.

Lawyers bill for thinking time…
You can’t even bill for being physically trapped in a dock.

Why the Industry Doesn’t Fix This

Simple.
Because you let them.

Mega carriers don’t want the fight — they roll it into contracts.

Brokers won’t demand better unless drivers walk away.

Shippers pass the buck, and everyone shrugs.

Meanwhile, truckers are dying early, quitting early, and barely scraping by — while companies post record profits.

The Solution: Start Thinking Like a Professional

Lawyers, consultants, even plumbers — they bill by the hour.
So should truckers.

Here's how you start the shift:

✔️ Know your value per hour — and say it out loud
When you're negotiating a load or lease, ask:
“How’s detention handled?”
If it’s vague… walk.

✔️ Document everything
Take pics, log times, use apps. If you're ever gonna fight back, you need receipts.

✔️ Push back… together
You alone won’t shift the system. But if more drivers demand time-based pay, they’ll have to listen.

✔️ Build income that doesn’t depend on the dock clock
You can’t win if 100% of your money depends on people who don’t respect your time.

💸

Want to Break Free of the Wait-Time Trap?

While you’re sitting in that dock with your wheels chocked…
You could be learning how to build income that works whether you're rolling or parked.

👉 Visit OffDutyMoney.com

and start using your off-hours to build something that pays — even when dispatch leaves you hanging.

AI, content, affiliate marketing — truckers are flipping the game with side hustles built inside the cab.

👊 Final Word: No More Free Time for Billion-Dollar Companies

They charge you for being late.
They fine you for reschedules.
But when they waste your time? You get excuses.

That stops now.

Start billing your time with your mindset — even if the check hasn't caught up yet.

And if you're new to the game, don’t walk in blind.
👉 Hit up LifeAsATrucker.com
for the real inside scoop.