Layover applies when a driver must wait more than one business day at a location — an extended version of the detention problem. Common causes: freight not ready at the scheduled pickup date; delivery facilities closed on weekends or holidays with no exception receiving; appointment slots unavailable until the following business day.
Layover charges are flat per-day rates published in the carrier's tariff. They begin after the first full day of waiting and compensate the carrier for the driver's time and the truck's displacement from revenue-generating freight.
The practical distinction from detention: detention is an hourly charge for a delay within a single working day. Layover is a daily charge when the driver cannot depart at all and must remain through the following day or longer. A driver detained four hours and then able to leave pays detention. A driver who cannot leave until Monday morning after arriving Friday pays two days of layover.
Preventing layover requires accurate freight readiness dates, appointment availability confirmed before dispatch, and communication with carriers when plans change. A carrier notified before the driver is dispatched can often reschedule without accruing a charge.
For the full breakdown of layover scenarios and how to prevent them, see the layover guide.