Import fee benchmark
Driver waiting time: how often it hits and what it costs
Billed when the driver waits beyond the free time at pickup or delivery.
The short answer. In our data, 5.6% of ocean container shipments whose final trucking the forwarder arranged were charged driver waiting time. When it was charged, the median bill was $170 per shipment. The middle half of bills ran from $100 to $285, and 1 in 10 was over $500.
Shipments from July 2024 to June 2026. Updated October 22, 2026.
What is driver waiting time?
Truckers usually include a short window of free time at pickup and at delivery. When the driver waits longer, at a congested terminal gate or at a warehouse that is not ready to unload, the trucker bills waiting time, normally by the hour.Driver waiting time by port
How often shipments at each published port were charged driver waiting time. Ports with too few importers are left out, and a dash means too few bills to publish a cost.
| Port or rail hub | How often | Median bill | Shipments |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa | 21.6% | — | 78 |
| Houston | 14.5% | — | 156 |
| New York / New Jersey | 12.6% | — | 291 |
| Long Beach | 8.4% | — | 122 |
| Savannah | 7.5% | — | 115 |
| Omaha | 6.5% | — | 550 |
| Los Angeles | 4.9% | — | 354 |
| Miami | 4.7% | — | 597 |
| Minneapolis / St. Paul | 3.5% | — | 526 |
| Chicago | 2.6% | — | 620 |
| Port Everglades | under 9.1% | — | 55 |
| All ports in the data | 5.6% | $170 | 5,536 |
How to avoid driver waiting time
- Book delivery appointments and have the dock and labor ready when the truck arrives.
- If unloading takes hours, a drop delivery can cost less than waiting time. Check the chassis days.
Questions
What is driver waiting time?
Billed when the driver waits beyond the free time at pickup or delivery. Truckers usually include a short window of free time at pickup and at delivery. When the driver waits longer, at a congested terminal gate or at a warehouse that is not ready to unload, the trucker bills waiting time, normally by the hour.
How often do importers pay driver waiting time?
In our data, 5.6% of ocean container shipments whose final trucking the forwarder arranged were charged driver waiting time at least once (95% range 5.1% to 6.3%).
How much does driver waiting time cost?
When it was charged, the median driver waiting time bill was $170 per shipment. Half of all bills fell between $100 and $285, and 1 in 10 was over $500.
Free quote
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