TONU (Truck Ordered Not Used): When the Load Cancels After Dispatch
TONU (truck ordered not used) compensates carriers when a confirmed, dispatched load is cancelled — covering the deadhead, hours, and lost opportunity. Amounts vary by contract, so know your agreement's terms. Protect yourself with written confirmations, timestamped reliance, written cancellation notices, and prompt claims.
TONU — truck ordered not used — is the accessorial charge for the load that evaporated. You dispatched the truck, the driver drove to the shipper, and the freight was not there: cancelled, double-booked, or never real in the first place. The truck burned fuel and hours for nothing, and TONU is the industry's mechanism for making the carrier whole — or at least less un-whole.
TONU sits in an awkward spot. Unlike detention, which bills for time visibly spent at a facility, TONU bills for an opportunity destroyed — the load the truck could have hauled instead. That makes it harder to claim and easier to dispute, which is exactly why carriers need to understand it before they need it: the terms, the documentation, and the practices that turn a cancelled load from a total loss into a recoverable one.
This page explains TONU conceptually: what it is, when it applies, what it typically covers, and how carriers protect themselves. We state no dollar amounts, because TONU compensation varies by contract — some agreements specify a flat fee, others an hourly or mileage formula, and some say nothing at all. The constant is the principle: terms vary, so check your agreement and your rate confirmation.
What TONU Is
TONU compensates the carrier when a confirmed load is cancelled after the truck has been dispatched — typically after the truck is en route to or has arrived at the pickup. The carrier committed equipment, driver hours, and often a deadhead to position for the load; the cancellation destroyed that commitment's value. TONU is the charge that recognizes the loss.
The key trigger is dispatch reliance: the carrier acted on the tender. A load cancelled before dispatch — while the truck was still on its previous load, with no repositioning — is an annoyance, not a TONU event. A load cancelled after the driver deadheaded two hours to the shipper is squarely in TONU territory. The line between them is documented action in reliance on the confirmation.
TONU is distinct from detention and layover. Detention bills waiting time at a facility during a live load; layover bills extended delays, usually an extra day; TONU bills the cancelled load itself. Carriers sometimes conflate them when a bad day involves all three — a cancelled load that strands the truck overnight can generate both a TONU and a layover claim — but each needs its own documentation and its own contractual basis.
When TONU Applies — and When It Does Not
TONU applies when a confirmed, dispatched load is cancelled by the tendering party — the broker or shipper — after the carrier has acted on it. The classic cases: the shipper cancelled the order, the freight was given to another carrier (double-tendered), the pickup appointment was pulled, or the load details changed so materially (commodity, weight, destination) that it is effectively a different load.
It generally does not apply when the carrier cancels, when the truck never dispatched, or when the 'cancellation' was really a reschedule the carrier agreed to. It also gets murky when the load was never firmly confirmed — a verbal 'probably' from a broker is not a dispatched load, which is why confirmation discipline matters so much.
The disputed middle ground is the late cancellation: the broker cancels an hour before pickup while the truck is already rolling. Most carrier agreements treat post-dispatch cancellation as a TONU event regardless of how close to pickup it happens — the truck was committed — but brokers may argue otherwise. Written terms decide these fights, which is why the agreement language comes before the incident, not after.
What TONU Typically Covers
TONU compensation structures vary by agreement. Some specify a flat fee per occurrence; others calculate from the deadhead miles driven in reliance on the load, or from the driver's lost time. Some agreements tier it — a smaller amount for early cancellation, a larger one once the truck arrives at the shipper. There is no industry standard; there is only your contract.
What TONU conceptually covers is the reliance loss: the deadhead fuel and miles, the driver hours consumed, and the opportunity cost of the foregone alternative load. In practice, contracted TONU amounts rarely make the carrier fully whole — they are a negotiated compromise between the carrier's real loss and the broker's willingness to pay for a load that never moved.
The practical takeaway is to know your number. Before a TONU event, understand what your agreement provides and what your actual reliance cost typically runs. That knowledge turns the post-cancellation conversation from an emotional argument into a contractual claim — calmer, faster, and more likely to be paid.
Protecting Yourself: Confirmation Discipline
TONU protection starts before dispatch with confirmation discipline. Get the load confirmed in writing — rate confirmation with load number, pickup details, and rate — before the truck moves. A dispatched truck on a verbal promise is a TONU claim with no foundation; a dispatched truck on a signed confirmation is a contractual event.
Timestamp your reliance. When dispatch sends the truck, note the time; when the driver starts the deadhead, log it; when the driver arrives, document it. If the cancellation comes mid-deadhead, you can show exactly how much reliance occurred. ELD data, dispatch messages, and check-in records together build an airtight timeline.
Communicate cancellations in writing. When a broker cancels, get it in text or email — who cancelled, when, and why. Phone cancellations evaporate into disputed memory; written cancellations become claim exhibits. A simple 'confirming per your call that load 12345 is cancelled' message takes thirty seconds and wins claims.
The Post-Cancellation Playbook
When a load cancels, the first job is mitigating the loss: get the truck working again. Contact your broker network immediately, check the load board at the truck's actual location, and consider whether the deadhead to the cancelled pickup can be converted into positioning for a real load nearby. Every hour the truck sits after a cancellation compounds the loss.
The second job is the claim. Notify the tendering broker promptly that you are claiming TONU under the agreement, cite the confirmation and the reliance timeline, and submit it in writing. Calm, contractual, and fast beats angry, vague, and late — and it preserves the relationship for the next load, which matters more than any single TONU payment.
The third job is the post-mortem. Why did this load cancel? A shipper with chronic cancellations, a broker who double-tenders, a facility with unreliable freight — these are patterns, and patterns inform future decisions. Track cancellations by broker and shipper the way you track detention by facility; the data tells you who is worth the risk.
Negotiating TONU Terms Upfront
The best time to negotiate TONU is when you set up the carrier agreement or accept the load — not after a cancellation. Ask what the TONU policy is; get it in writing; make sure the rate confirmation references it. Brokers with clear TONU policies are signaling professionalism; brokers who dodge the question are signaling how your first cancellation will go.
For carriers with leverage — consistent volume, strong service records, specialized equipment — push for better terms: TONU that triggers on dispatch rather than arrival, amounts that reflect real reliance costs, and clear claim procedures. These terms cost the broker nothing until a cancellation happens, which makes them easier to win than rate increases.
And know your walk-away point. A broker who refuses any TONU language, combined with a shipper known for flaky freight, is describing a risk you are being asked to carry for free. Sometimes the right move is declining the load or pricing in the cancellation risk. The carriers who survive longest are not the ones who never get cancelled on — they are the ones whose agreements and habits make cancellations survivable.
Key takeaways
- TONU applies when a confirmed load cancels after the truck was dispatched in reliance on it.
- Compensation varies by contract — flat fee, mileage, or time formulas; know yours.
- Written confirmation before dispatch is the foundation of every TONU claim.
- Timestamp reliance: dispatch time, deadhead start, arrival — build the timeline.
- Get cancellations confirmed in writing; phone cancellations become disputed memory.
- Mitigate first, claim fast and contractually, then track patterns by broker and shipper.
Questions carriers ask
What does TONU mean in trucking?
Truck Ordered Not Used — the accessorial charge when a confirmed load is cancelled after the carrier dispatched the truck in reliance on it. It compensates the reliance loss: deadhead fuel and miles, driver hours, and the foregone alternative load.
When can I claim TONU?
When a confirmed load is cancelled by the broker or shipper after you dispatched the truck — en route to or arrived at pickup. The key elements are a written confirmation and documented reliance: timestamps showing the truck acted on the tender.
How much does TONU pay?
It varies by contract — some agreements specify a flat fee, others use mileage or time formulas, some tier by how far the reliance went. There is no industry standard amount. Know what your agreement provides before you need it.
What is the difference between TONU, detention, and layover?
TONU is the cancelled load after dispatch; detention is waiting time at a facility during a live load; layover is an extended delay, usually an extra day. A single bad day can involve more than one — document and claim each separately under its own terms.
What should I do the moment a load cancels?
Three jobs: mitigate (get the truck reloaded fast), claim (notify the broker in writing, citing the confirmation and reliance timeline), and learn (track cancellations by broker and shipper to spot patterns worth avoiding).
How do I protect myself from TONU losses?
Confirm every load in writing before dispatch, timestamp your reliance, get cancellations confirmed in writing, negotiate TONU terms into your carrier agreements upfront, and track cancellation patterns by broker and shipper.