# Detention Management and Billing System **What It Does:** Automatically tracks driver detention time, calculates detention fees, manages billing for delayed loading/unloading, and helps recover lost revenue from facility delays that cost the industry $3.6 billion annually. **How It Works:** 1. Automatically tracks arrival, start, and completion times at loading/unloading facilities 2. Calculates detention time based on industry standards and contracted grace periods 3. Generates detention invoices and tracks payment status with automated follow-up 4. Monitors facility performance and identifies chronic delay locations for route planning 5. Creates comprehensive detention reports for rate negotiations and operational planning **What You Need:** - ELD system with location tracking and duty status monitoring - Fleet management platform with load and delivery data - Invoicing and billing system for detention fee processing - Communication platform for customer notifications and billing follow-up **Step-by-Step n8n Setup:** 1. **Create Detention Tracking Workflow** - Start workflow called "Detention Management and Billing System" - Add triggers from ELD system for arrival/departure events at facilities 2. **Detention Time Calculation** - Add "Code" node to calculate detention periods: - Track arrival time at facility (GPS geofence entry) - Monitor loading/unloading start time (duty status change) - Calculate free time allowance (typically 2 hours industry standard) - Compute billable detention time beyond grace period - Cross-reference with contracted detention rates and billing terms 3. **Automated Documentation** - Capture detention evidence automatically: - GPS location data with timestamps - ELD duty status changes and driver logs - Photos of facility conditions (if equipped with dash cam) - Communication logs with facility personnel - Generate detention incident reports with all supporting documentation 4. **Billing & Invoice Generation** - Create detention invoices with automated calculations: - Billable detention hours and applicable rates - Supporting documentation and evidence attachments - Customer-specific billing terms and contact information - Payment due dates and follow-up schedules - Send invoices through appropriate channels (email, EDI, customer portals) 5. **Performance Monitoring & Reporting** - Track facility performance metrics: - Average detention time by facility and customer - Detention fee collection rates and payment timelines - Cost impact analysis for route planning decisions - Historical trends for rate negotiation data - Generate monthly detention reports for business analysis **Alternative: Make.com Setup** 1. **Create Detention Tracking Scenario** - Name scenario "Detention Management and Billing System" - Add ELD system webhooks for location and duty status updates 2. **Time Calculation Pipeline** - Add "Date & time > Add/subtract time" for detention calculations - Use "Math > Perform a function" for billing rate calculations - Include "Filter" to identify billable detention events 3. **Documentation & Billing** - Add "Google Drive > Upload a file" for detention documentation - Use "Invoice > Create an invoice" or similar billing connector - Include "Email > Send an email" for invoice delivery 4. **Analytics & Reporting** - Add "Google Sheets > Add a row" for detention tracking logs - Use "Aggregator" for facility performance calculations - Include "Slack > Create a message" for detention alerts 💡 **Make MCP Tip**: Use the [Make MCP server](https://github.com/integromat/make-mcp-server) with Claude Code to build detention management scenarios with pre-built transportation and billing connectors. **What You Get:** - Recover 50-80% of detention fees through automated tracking and billing - Eliminate 3-4 hours/week of manual detention documentation and billing - Improve route planning with facility performance data and chronic delay identification - Increase detention fee collection rates from 50% to 85% through systematic follow-up - Create comprehensive detention documentation for dispute resolution and rate negotiations **💰 Monthly Operating Costs:** **Owner-Operator/Small Fleet (1-5 trucks):** - Automation platform: Free (n8n self-hosted) to $20/month (Make.com Standard) - ELD integration: Usually included in existing ELD subscription - GPS tracking enhancement: $50-150/month (enhanced location services) - Billing and invoicing tools: $30-100/month - **Total: $80-270/month** **Medium Fleet (5-25 trucks):** - Automation platform: $50/month (n8n Pro) to $99/month (Make.com Pro) - ELD integration: $200-500/month (enhanced fleet management features) - GPS tracking enhancement: $200-600/month (fleet-wide enhanced tracking) - Billing and invoicing tools: $100-400/month - **Total: $550-1,599/month** **Large Fleet (25+ trucks):** - Automation platform: $200+/month (enterprise n8n) to $400+/month (Make.com Enterprise) - ELD integration: $800+/month (enterprise fleet management platforms) - GPS tracking enhancement: $800+/month (enterprise tracking and analytics) - Billing and invoicing tools: $400+/month (enterprise billing systems) - **Total: $2,200+/month** *Cost assumptions: Fleet size, detention frequency, billing complexity, integration requirements with existing ELD and fleet management systems*