Truck Waiting Charges at Loading and Customs | SPS

A truck arrives on time, but the goods are still being prepared, export documents are missing or the consignee cannot complete import clearance. The vehicle remains committed to the shipment, and waiting charges may increase the delivery cost. Who pays depends on the contract, the cause of the delay and the documented waiting period.

For international road freight, agree these terms alongside the transport rate. A clause stating that waiting charges are “subject to agreement” does not define when the clock starts, the daily charge or responsibility for the delay.

What the 48 plus 48 hour arrangement means

In international road freight between Ukraine and European countries, a commonly agreed arrangement allows two separate periods:

• 48 hours for loading and export customs clearance. This is a combined allowance for the two operations at origin.
• 48 hours for import customs clearance and unloading. This is a separate combined allowance at destination.

The allowance is included in the agreed transport price, with no additional waiting charge within that period. It does not mean 48 hours for each of the four operations. Unused time at origin does not automatically transfer to destination unless the parties expressly agree otherwise.

The 48 + 48 arrangement is a contractual practice, not a universal statutory entitlement for every international shipment. The CMR Convention does not prescribe this general allowance or a standard daily waiting rate. The contract, transport order and applicable law must be checked for the individual shipment.

When the clock starts and stops

The transport order should define the event that starts the agreed 48 hours: arrival at the scheduled time, registration at the warehouse or terminal, or notification that the vehicle is ready. Arriving before a booked slot does not by itself start the clock. Late arrival or a vehicle that fails to meet the agreed requirements also needs separate consideration.

Specify whether the allowance covers elapsed or working hours and how weekends, public holidays and night-time periods are treated. If the truck is loaded but still waiting for documents, completion of physical loading does not necessarily end the combined period. Travel between the warehouse and customs terminal also needs an explicit time-accounting rule.

When arranging EU customs clearance, confirm the clearance location, the party responsible for documents and what must be completed before the truck can proceed. Plan customs clearance in Ukraine on the same basis at the receiving end.

Who is responsible for paying

In a typical arrangement, the carrier bills its contractual customer for a justified waiting charge. If a freight forwarder booked the vehicle, the carrier invoices the forwarder; any onward charge to the customer must have a basis in their separate agreement. Whether the payer can then recover the amount from the supplier or consignee depends on their obligations and the cause of the delay.

The consignor has not prepared the cargo or documents. Check who undertook to make the goods available, arrange loading and complete export formalities. Under CMR, the sender must provide the necessary customs documents and information; responsibility for deficiencies is assessed alongside any wrongful act or neglect by the carrier. To reduce documentation risks, check the invoice before international shipping.

The consignee has not completed clearance or cannot accept delivery. An unavailable warehouse, missing unloading equipment or late import documents may cause the delay. Both the basis for the charge and the party billed must follow the contractual obligations and established circumstances.

The carrier caused the delay. Late arrival, a defective vehicle or missing agreed equipment does not automatically justify charging the customer for the resulting waiting time.

Where a freight forwarder arranges the shipment, check both contractual relationships: customer to forwarder and forwarder to carrier. A carrier’s invoice alone does not establish that the customer must reimburse every amount shown. Incoterms agreed between seller and buyer also do not replace waiting-time provisions in the transport contract. A contract may allocate certain waiting costs to the customer even without customer fault, so the agreed risk allocation matters.

Does the border queue count towards the allowance

Queueing before a border crossing, a customs inspection and clearance at an inland terminal are different stages. Border waiting should not automatically be deducted from the loading or unloading allowance, or billed as a separate waiting charge without an applicable basis.

Agree how border delays are treated, whether they have their own included allowance and what evidence is required. A customs inspection does not by itself establish customer fault, make the customs authority responsible for payment or automatically qualify as force majeure. For practical steps during a delay, see what to do if cargo is stuck at the border.

How to calculate waiting charges

Establish the actual period under the transport order, deduct the agreed allowance and exclude any time that is not chargeable under the contract. Then apply the agreed rate and rounding method.

Illustrative example: a truck registers at 10:00 on Tuesday and is ready for loading. The transport order starts the clock at registration, includes 48 consecutive hours and provides no exclusions for this period. Loading and export clearance finish at 16:00 on Friday. Total elapsed time is 78 hours, leaving 78 − 48 = 30 chargeable hours beyond the allowance.

If the agreed rate is EUR 100 for each commenced 24-hour period of excess waiting, the charge is 2 × EUR 100 = EUR 200. If pro-rata calculation is expressly agreed instead, the same 30 hours would cost 30 ÷ 24 × EUR 100 = EUR 125. These figures illustrate the calculation; they are not Save Pro Solutions tariffs.

Completed days, commenced 24-hour periods and calendar days can produce different results. Clarify a phrase such as “EUR 100 per day” before dispatch. Our article on the cost components of international freight explains how additional charges affect the overall delivery budget.

Documents that support a waiting charge

The evidence should connect the vehicle and shipment with the cause and duration of the delay. A useful supporting set includes:

• the agreed transport order and contract specifying the allowance and rate;
• arrival and departure records in the CMR note, terminal ticket, warehouse log or other document;
• a waiting-time report, correspondence with responsible parties and delay notifications;
• GPS records, broker or terminal documents, and an itemised calculation accompanying the invoice.

If the warehouse refuses to sign a waiting-time report, record the refusal and retain other evidence. A driver’s entry or GPS location alone does not explain every circumstance. Notify the customer as soon as a delay occurs and warn them before chargeable waiting begins, following the contract’s notification deadlines.

How to reduce unexpected waiting costs

Before dispatch, confirm cargo readiness, the loading slot and warehouse opening hours, and check vehicle and driver requirements. Agree the documents and actions needed for both customs procedures with the broker. Record the 48 + 48 arrangement or other agreed allowances, the rate, partial-day rules, treatment of border queues and notification process in the transport order.

Save Pro Solutions arranges international transport and customs brokerage services. Send the route, cargo details, clearance locations and warehouse requirements so that transport, documentation and waiting terms can be agreed before the journey starts.

Frequently asked questions

Does 48 plus 48 mean four days at one location?

No. There are two separate allowances: loading with export clearance, and import clearance with unloading. Combining them requires a separate agreement.

Are weekends chargeable?

That depends on the agreed time-accounting rules. Do not automatically include or exclude weekends without checking the transport order.

What if no waiting rate has been agreed?

Do not insert an arbitrary “market rate”. Review the contract, applicable law and the basis for recovering documented expenses or losses. A disputed charge may require legal assessment.