An empirical study of truck driver detention time: a shipper's perspective

PurposeThis study aims to conduct a regression analysis of factors contributing to truck driver detention time, including shipper, carrier and customer facility characteristics. Specifically, we examine how the impact of private fleets versus for-hire carriers on detention time varies with customer facilities that have different operating hours and cargo processing efficiency.Design/methodology/approachBased on time-stamped shipment data collected from a large US fresh producer, this study assesses the impacts of contributing factors on detention time through a regression analysis of a large dataset consisting of 16,227 shipment records over a three-month period.FindingsResults show that private fleets are associated with less detention time than for-hire carriers. The advantage of private fleets over for-hire carriers is more pronounced at customer facilities with 24-h shifts or fast processing speeds. The impact differences between private fleets and for-hire carriers are not statistically significant at slow-processing customer facilities or those without 24-h shifts. There appears to be an inverted U-shaped relationship between carrier size and detention time.Practical implicationsThis study offers evidence-based recommendations to shippers, carriers, receivers and policymakers on the reduction of detention time.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical study to examine detention time using a comprehensive shipment-level dataset collected from a major US fresh producer. The findings offer managerial insights and policy recommendations to address detention, a significant challenge facing the US trucking industry.