Marten institutes automatic detention pay

Company drivers that are dispatched to flagged locations will earn $20 per hour and independent contractors will earn $30 per hour for detention.

The Trucker News Services

7/5/2011

MONDOVI, Wis.– Detention has been a problem in the trucking industry since the first trucks hit the road but Marten Transport is leading the way to hold customers accountable for delays by compensating drivers for their time with automatic detention pay.

“There have been various attempts in the past to curb detention and to hold customers accountable but we felt more needed to be done,” says Tim Norlin, director of recruiting for Marten Transport, one of the first carriers in 2003 to begin charging customers a detention fee if trailers were not loaded or unloaded in a set period of time. “With new hours of service regulations, CSA, and electronic logs, there is a lot of pressure on driver productivity. We understand that every minute the wheels are not rolling affects earnings for our drivers and the company.”

To combat this problem and to respond to the input of drivers regarding detention pay, Marten Transport has announced that effective July 1, 2011, drivers who arrive on time and are delayed by a shipper or receiver for more than two hours beyond the scheduled appointment time will automatically receive detention pay. The rate will be $12 per hour for company drivers, $20 per hour for independent contractors for every hour detained beyond the two hour limit, up to 11 hours. “This eliminates waiting to see if the customer will pay for the detention before you are paid,” says Norlin. “You will receive the detention pay automatically no later than the time you are paid for that trip.”

Until those issues are resolved, company drivers that are dispatched to flagged locations will earn $20 per hour and independent contractors will earn $30 per hour for detention. Drivers will be notified at time of dispatch if their pickup or delivery location has been flagged for long detention times.

According to Norlin, detention will be calculated in quarter hour increments. “For example, if you arrive on time for an 8 a.m. delivery and the receiver keeps you in the dock until 11:45 a.m., you will receive 1.75 hours of detention pay i.e. 3.75 hours-2 hours allowed = 1.75 hours,” says Norlin. “Remember, to qualify for detention time, you must be on-time for your pick up or delivery and must submit your Macro 20 (arrived at pickup) or Macro 22 (arrived at delivery) shortly after your arrival time.”

Marten’s sales and customer service staffs are working with customers every day to eventually eliminate detention time.  The carrier’s automatic detention pay is now in place to take care of drivers until then.

Marten Transport specializes in transporting food and other consumer packaged goods that require a time and temperature-sensitive or insulated environment.

For more information on Marten Transport driving opportunities or pay programs, call (800) 395-3331 or visit www.drive4marten.com.