Understanding the Dwell Time Ripple Effect
Dwell and detention times impact every aspect of the supply chain, starting with the procurement process, all the way through freight delivery and beyond. The transportation industry has grappled with this challenge for decades, but we’re striving to change things for the better with industry-first dwell time metrics available in numerous Trimble solutions and as an API integration.
Here’s a breakdown of how dwell time delays impact every stage of a transportation company’s daily operation.
Bidding Process
A lack of visibility into the typical amount of dwell time at any given facility is a problem even before any freight is moved: carriers are unable to accurately account for excessive delays, potentially leading to additional, unforeseen costs and fees. According to Trimble data, unexpected dwell time at facilities occurs 30-60% of the time.
Route Planning & Dispatch
During daily or weekly route planning, fleet managers, dispatchers and route planners need to take into account times their drivers might spend at problematic facilities and allot extra time according to what they expect to be wasted. This ties up assets and drivers that might otherwise be available for more routes or stops.
ETAs
Variable road conditions are part of the work, but excessive dwell and detention times can greatly impact the ETAs carriers provide their customers. Unpredictable ETAs increase tension between customer expectations and the regulations that govern a driver’s hours of service, and could ultimately cost relationships and business.
At the Loading Dock
It’s not uncommon for there to be some downtime for drivers once they arrive at a facility for loading and unloading. Freight needs to be offloaded from the delivery vehicle. However, if this time becomes excessive, the resulting detention time can begin to impact the remainder of the day: facilities only have so many docks, so once the backup begins it can quickly ripple out to others.
Excessive Detention Time Costs
Every hour of detention spent is another bite out of revenue. No one wants to deal with excessive detention time and associated detention pay. According to the Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA), the average amount shippers are charged for detention pay is $85 per hour.
Cause & Effect
Once a truck is loaded or unloaded, the ripple effect impacts the rest of the driver’s day, turning inefficiency into a safety risk as they rush to make up lost time. In fact, the DOT’s Office of the Inspector General found that “a 15-minute increase in the average dwell time…increases the average expected crash rate by 6.2%, resulting in an additional 6,509 crashes per year.”
Lose-Lose-Lose
By the end of the day, extended dwell and detention times have cost the carrier time, reputation and profitability; they have caused the driver frustration and unhappiness; and they have cost the shipper detention fees and reputation as well. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimates that detention costs the industry more than $3 billion annually in lost time and productivity every year.
Understanding the Dwell Time Ripple Effect
Dwell and detention times impact every aspect of the supply chain, starting with the procurement process, all the way through freight delivery and beyond. The transportation industry has grappled with this challenge for decades, but we’re striving to change things for the better with industry-first dwell time metrics available in numerous Trimble solutions and as an API integration.
Here’s a breakdown of how dwell time delays impact every stage of a transportation company’s daily operation.
Bidding Process
A lack of visibility into the typical amount of dwell time at any given facility is a problem even before any freight is moved: carriers are unable to accurately account for excessive delays, potentially leading to additional, unforeseen costs and fees. According to Trimble data, unexpected dwell time at facilities occurs 30-60% of the time.
Route Planning & Dispatch
During daily or weekly route planning, fleet managers, dispatchers and route planners need to take into account times their drivers might spend at problematic facilities and allot extra time according to what they expect to be wasted. This ties up assets and drivers that might otherwise be available for more routes or stops.
ETAs
Variable road conditions are part of the work, but excessive dwell and detention times can greatly impact the ETAs carriers provide their customers. Unpredictable ETAs increase tension between customer expectations and the regulations that govern a driver’s hours of service, and could ultimately cost relationships and business.
At the Loading Dock
It’s not uncommon for there to be some downtime for drivers once they arrive at a facility for loading and unloading. Freight needs to be offloaded from the delivery vehicle. However, if this time becomes excessive, the resulting detention time can begin to impact the remainder of the day: facilities only have so many docks, so once the backup begins it can quickly ripple out to others.
Excessive Detention Time Costs
Every hour of detention spent is another bite out of revenue. No one wants to deal with excessive detention time and associated detention pay. According to the Operator Independent Driver Association (OOIDA), the average amount shippers are charged for detention pay is $85 per hour.
Cause & Effect
Once a truck is loaded or unloaded, the ripple effect impacts the rest of the driver’s day, turning inefficiency into a safety risk as they rush to make up lost time. In fact, the DOT’s Office of the Inspector General found that “a 15-minute increase in the average dwell time…increases the average expected crash rate by 6.2%, resulting in an additional 6,509 crashes per year.”
Lose-Lose-Lose
By the end of the day, extended dwell and detention times have cost the carrier time, reputation and profitability; they have caused the driver frustration and unhappiness; and they have cost the shipper detention fees and reputation as well. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) estimates that detention costs the industry more than $3 billion annually in lost time and productivity every year.
Trimble’s Average Dwell Time Metrics Provide Deeper Insight
Stop guessing how much extra time your drivers may spend at a facility: Trimble provides the industry’s first average dwell time metrics for commercial locations, now available in numerous Trimble solutions and as an API integration.
Contact us or fill out the form, to learn how we can help you create more accurate bids, better plan your days and transform your operations with insightful data integrations.
Or, visit transportation.trimble.com/solutions to learn about all of our solutions.
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