Bear Shift Guide for shippers
Accessorial charges explained: liftgate, detention, TONU and more
- Accessorial charges are fees for services beyond moving freight from one dock to another: a liftgate, a home delivery, a truck kept waiting, or a truck ordered and not used.
- They exist because each of those services costs the carrier time, equipment or an extra trip.
- Most surprises can be avoided: describe both ends of the shipment upfront and read the extras section of your quote before you approve it.
Why accessorials exist
A freight rate assumes a standard move: a loading dock at pickup, a loading dock at delivery, freight that matches its description, and a truck that loads and unloads within the normal time. Anything beyond that takes the carrier's time, special equipment or another trip, and the charge for it is called an accessorial.
Accessorials aren't a trick, but they are the most common reason an invoice differs from the first price. That is why the best time to deal with them is before the truck is booked. At Bear Shift, whether the price comes from the online instant quote or from a person, you approve it before anything is booked, and the terms of your quote explain how each extra would be charged — a liftgate, an extra stop, detention, a TONU (truck ordered, not used), or freight that turns out different from its description. Our FAQ on the instant quote and extras sums it up.
Liftgate and residential
A liftgate is a powered platform at the back of a truck that lowers freight from the trailer floor to the ground. It is needed wherever there is no loading dock and no forklift — many small businesses, shops and homes. Not every truck has one, so it has to be requested when the shipment is booked; a truck that arrives without a liftgate can't unload at a site with no dock or forklift, and the delivery has to be tried again.
Residential and limited-access deliveries — homes, schools, churches, construction sites and similar locations — often carry their own charge, because they take longer and usually need a smaller truck or a liftgate. A box truck with a liftgate is often the right equipment for those stops. Related charges include inside delivery (taking the freight past the front door) and appointment or call-before-delivery services, which take extra time to arrange.
Detention and layover
Detention is the charge for keeping a truck waiting beyond the free time agreed for loading or unloading. Quotes and rate confirmations commonly include a set amount of free time at each stop, often around two hours, after which waiting time is charged under the terms of the shipment. A driver kept at a dock can't move on to the next load, and that is what detention pays for.
Layover applies when a truck can't load or deliver on the scheduled day and has to wait until the next one — for example, because the receiver can't take the freight. The driver loses a working day, so the carrier charges for it.
The best protection against both is good information: accurate dock hours, appointment numbers given ahead of time, and freight that is ready when the truck arrives. On a full truckload, a slow start at the loading dock can turn into detention quickly.
TONU (truck ordered, not used) and reconsignment
TONU stands for truck ordered, not used. If a truck is dispatched and the load is cancelled, or isn't ready when the truck arrives, the carrier has lost the trip and may charge a TONU fee. Cancelling as early as possible — and telling us right away if the freight won't be ready — gives everyone the best chance to avoid it.
Reconsignment means changing the delivery address after the freight has been picked up. The carrier has to re-plan the route and may drive extra miles, so the change is charged as an extra. A related charge, redelivery, applies when a delivery attempt fails — a closed business, a missed appointment, a receiver who wasn't ready — and the truck has to come back.
Other charges you may see include an extra stop, driver assist (the driver helps load or unload), and reweighs or reclassifications on LTL shipments when the weight or the class on the bill of lading was wrong. Some warehouses and distribution centers also use outside crews to unload trucks, and their lumper fees can appear on a delivery.
How to avoid surprises (tell us upfront; quote terms)
Almost every accessorial can be priced in advance if it is known in advance. When you ask for a price, tell us:
- whether each end has a loading dock and, if not, that a liftgate is needed;
- whether either stop is a home or a limited-access site;
- the dock hours and any appointment requirements at each end;
- the real weight, dimensions and pallet count;
- any extra stops, and how firm the dates are.
Then read the extras section of your quote before you approve it: it explains how each extra is charged. Our FAQ answers common questions about prices and payment, and you can ask for a quote with the details above.
Get a price with the extras spelled out
Questions about accessorial charges
Can accessorials be included in my quote?
Yes, when they are known before booking. Tell us about a missing dock, a home delivery, an appointment or an extra stop when you ask for a price, and the quote accounts for it. Extras that come up later are charged as your quote's terms explain.
What is a TONU fee?
TONU means truck ordered, not used: a charge a carrier may apply when a truck is dispatched and the load is cancelled or isn't ready. Cancelling early is the best way to avoid it.
Why was my LTL shipment reweighed?
LTL carriers can reweigh and reinspect shipments. If the weight, the dimensions or the freight class on the bill of lading were wrong, the carrier can correct them and adjust the charges. Accurate numbers on the BOL prevent it.
This guide is general information about freight brokerage, not legal advice. Your bill of lading, quote terms and the carrier's tariff govern each shipment.