Invoices / Operator resources
Pilot car detention and wait time
We separate product guidance from regulatory claims and link to official sources where rules or public data are discussed. Report a correction.
Detention or wait-time charges pay for time held on a job under the terms you agreed with the client. There is no universal pilot car waiting rate or automatic allowance. Agree on when the clock starts, any included time, the hourly rate, and who can approve the charge before the run.
Document the interval
Record arrival, readiness, the reason for the hold, and release time. Save the approval and the contact’s name. A note saying “1.5 hours waiting for loading, approved by dispatch” is easier to review than an unexplained surcharge.
Calculate billable time
Subtract only the included time specified in the agreement. For example, 1.5 billable hours at an illustrative $45 per hour equals $67.50. Use the actual agreement and do not round time in a way the client did not accept.
Related: Pilot car invoice software · Free pilot car invoice generator
Separate waiting from the day rate
If a day rate includes some waiting, avoid billing the same time twice. A delay that changes the travel day may also change lodging or the next assignment; discuss those effects before adding charges.
Illustrative billing example · not market rates
Sample pilot car invoice
Example invoice PCP-1001 · load OD-204 · Lead escort
Origin: Springfield, MO · Destination: assigned delivery site
Service date and billing terms: enter the actual agreement.
| Service | Quantity × rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Lead escort — loaded miles | 176 mi × $1.85 | $325.60 |
| Approved wait time | 1.5 hr × $45.00 | $67.50 |
| Approved hotel | Receipt reimbursement | $110.00 |
| Agreed FSC | 176 mi × $0.05 | $8.80 |
| Example total | $511.90 | |
Keep 64 additional deadhead miles in the cost record if they were not authorized for billing. Attach the trip sheet, required acceptance/signature record, and receipts.
Create a printable invoice with your actual numbers →Next up
A little more help for the next run.
Your next run starts here
Less to catch up on. More room to move.
Try Pilot Car Pros free for 14 days. No credit card required.