Skip to content
RescueLoad

    What is TONU in trucking? Getting paid for a load that never moved

    TONU, truck ordered not used, pays a carrier for a load that was cancelled after the truck was already committed to it. The driver turned down other freight, drove toward the pickup, maybe sat at the shipper, and then the load disappeared. TONU compensates for that. It's owed only when the rate con includes it, and paid only with proof of when the truck was dispatched and when the load was cancelled. This guide covers when it's owed, how it's written, and what to keep.

    Below is an EXAMPLE hotshot offer. Accept or decline it first, then pick when the load gets cancelled to see whether the EXAMPLE TONU term pays and which proof carries the claim.

    Load offer 1 of 1

    Example

    Odessa, TX to Oklahoma City, OK

    Miles
    410
    Rate
    $1,150
    Per mile
    $2.80

    Pickup Tomorrow 07:00

    The load is cancelled. When?
    1. 06:10 · Rate con signed, TONU line on it
    2. 06:25 · Dispatched, rolling to the shipper
    3. 06:50 · Broker cancels by message

    TONU owed under the EXAMPLE term

    The truck was dispatched and driving to the pickup. The EXAMPLE term pays TONU once the truck is dispatched.

    • Signed rate con with the TONU line
    • Dispatch time (your message to the broker, ELD start)
    • Cancellation message with its time

    When TONU is owed

    TONU depends on the moment the load is cancelled.

    • Before dispatch: the truck hasn't moved for the load. Usually nothing is owed by anyone; a broker cancels, or a carrier declines, and life goes on.
    • After dispatch: the truck is on its way, or the driver turned down other work to cover the load. Most TONU terms pay from here.
    • After arrival: the truck is at the shipper and the load is cancelled or can't be loaded. TONU applies, and some rate cons add detention for the time on site.

    The rate con decides. Some pay TONU only after arrival; some from dispatch; some scale it with the miles driven. Read the line before you roll, because that's the line the broker will read when you bill it.

    How TONU is written on the rate con

    A clear TONU term answers three questions: how much, from what point, and what proof. For example, an EXAMPLE term might read "TONU $150 if the load is cancelled after the carrier is dispatched; carrier to provide dispatch confirmation and cancellation notice." If the rate con has no TONU line, ask for one before you accept. Brokers usually agree, because a cancelled load is rarely the carrier's fault.

    How TONU affects pay

    A TONU payment rarely covers what a cancelled load costs. The truck loses the loaded miles it planned, burns fuel getting to the pickup, and often loses the day, because the other loads it turned down are gone. For hotshot carriers running short, time-critical loads, one cancellation can wipe out a day's profit. That's why the amount matters, and why the term belongs on every rate con. The accessorial charges calculator adds TONU, detention and the other lines on a load so you can see them together.

    Cancellations happen. What matters is whether the TONU line is on the rate con before you roll. Our dispatchers put TONU, detention and layover terms on every load.

    Get TONU on every rate con

    Why loads get cancelled

    Knowing why loads fall through helps you spot the risky ones. Common reasons: the shipper's order changed or the freight wasn't produced in time; the broker found a cheaper truck after booking yours; the receiver can't take the delivery; the load was posted twice and covered by someone else; or the details were wrong, such as the weight or equipment. A broker who cancels often is a broker to price carefully, or to avoid. Keep a note of every cancellation and who caused it.

    When the carrier cancels

    TONU runs one way: it pays the carrier for a cancellation it didn't cause. If the carrier cancels after accepting, because of a breakdown, a missed reset or a better load, the broker may charge back costs under the broker-carrier agreement, and the relationship takes a hit. That's why accepting a load should mean something. At our desk, nothing is booked until the carrier sees the rate con and says yes, so the loads we commit to are loads the carrier means to haul.

    What to check and document

    1. Before you roll: confirm the TONU term is on the signed rate con.
    2. When you dispatch: message the broker that the truck is rolling, with the time. That message is your dispatch proof.
    3. At the shipper: get your check-in time recorded.
    4. When it's cancelled: get the cancellation in writing, even a short message, with the time.
    5. Bill it promptly: send the invoice with the rate con and the messages attached.

    TONU and other accessorials

    TONU sits alongside detention and layover in the accessorials family, all covered in our guide to accessorial charges in freight. A load cancelled at the dock can involve more than one: detention for the wait, then TONU for the cancellation. And not every surprise at a dock is a cancellation. Sometimes the load goes ahead but the receiver requires paid unloading: see our guides to the lumper and lumper fees. Or the load was booked as no-touch freight and the driver is suddenly asked to unload, which is a pay question to settle before you start.

    Hotshot carriers live on short notice and tight windows, which makes cancellations costly. Our hotshot dispatch desk puts TONU terms on every rate con and files the claim with proof, and you approve every load. Send an application.

    Questions people ask

    What does TONU mean in trucking?
    TONU stands for truck ordered, not used, sometimes written as truck order not used. It's a payment owed to a carrier when a load is cancelled after the truck was dispatched to it, or after it arrived at the pickup. It compensates for the miles, time and other loads the carrier gave up to cover the cancelled one.
    What is a TONU in trucking?
    A TONU is the charge itself: a usually flat amount a carrier bills when a broker or shipper cancels a load the carrier had already committed a truck to. It's owed only if the rate con or contract includes it, and the carrier needs proof of the dispatch, the arrival if it happened, and the cancellation.
    How much is TONU pay?
    There's no standard amount. TONU is whatever the rate con or contract says, usually a flat fee, sometimes more if the truck had already arrived or driven far. Carriers negotiate it with the rate. If the rate con is silent, a carrier can still ask, but the broker isn't bound to pay.
    When is TONU owed?
    Usually when the load is cancelled after the carrier has dispatched the truck or the truck has arrived, and the cancellation wasn't the carrier's fault. A cancellation before dispatch typically costs nothing on either side. The rate con's wording sets the exact trigger, so read it before you roll.
    Can a carrier charge TONU if the shipper wasn't ready?
    If the truck arrived on time and the load was cancelled or couldn't be loaded because the freight wasn't ready, TONU often applies, along with detention for the time on site, depending on the rate con. If the load is only delayed rather than cancelled, it becomes a detention or layover question instead.