Few invoice lines generate more friction than a dry run. The container never moved, the delivery never happened, and there is still a charge on the bill. From the shipper’s side it can look like billing for nothing. From the carrier’s side, a truck, a driver, and a chassis were committed for a shift that produced no revenue.
Both views are defensible. Understanding how these charges actually arise — and which ones are genuinely preventable — is more productive than disputing them one at a time.
Dry run versus TONU
The terms get used loosely, but the distinction matters when you are reading a tariff.
- Dry run. The driver was dispatched and physically attempted the move, but it could not be completed. Typically the truck reached the terminal or the delivery location and was turned away.
- TONU (truck ordered not used). The move was cancelled after the truck was committed but generally before or shortly after dispatch. The driver may never have left.
In practice, many carriers bill both under a single “dry run” line item. What varies is the amount: a TONU caught early is often billed at a partial rate, while a full dry run to a terminal and back is frequently billed at or near the full move rate, sometimes plus the chassis and any gate fees incurred.
The six causes that account for most dry runs
1. The container was not actually released
This is the largest single category. Customs hold, freight hold for unpaid ocean charges, terminal hold, line release not transmitted, or a USDA or FDA hold still open. The booking looked clear in one system and was not clear in the terminal’s system.
Prevention is verification at the source — checking terminal availability status the morning of the move rather than relying on a release notice from the day before. Our guide to container pickup documents covers what has to be in place before a truck is worth dispatching.
2. No appointment, wrong appointment, or expired appointment
Appointment systems at PortMiami and Port Everglades are unforgiving. An appointment tied to the wrong container number, the wrong move type, or a window that has lapsed results in a refused gate. This is a documentation error with a trucking-cost consequence.
3. The container is not available on the terminal
Discharged but not yet grounded, buried in the stack with no dig-out, still on the vessel, or moved to a different terminal. The system says available; the yard says otherwise.
4. Receiver could not take the delivery
Closed dock, no appointment, no forklift, no labor, full warehouse, or a receiver who refuses the load over paperwork. The container comes back to the yard and the move is billed. For live unloads this risk is materially higher than for drop-and-hook, which is one of the practical arguments covered in our drop and hook versus live unload comparison.
5. Equipment mismatch
An overweight container dispatched on a standard chassis, a reefer without a genset, or a flat rack load that needs specialized securement. The driver arrives and cannot legally or safely take the load.
6. Empty return refused
The terminal stops accepting that container line or size, the return location changed, or the empty return appointment window closed. The driver takes the empty out and brings it back, which is a dry run in everything but name. See empty container returns and per diem for how this compounds.
How dry runs are billed
There is no industry-standard rate. Common structures:
- A flat fee per attempt, frequently in the range of a local drayage move
- Full linehaul rate plus any gate or chassis charges actually incurred
- Partial rate for a TONU cancelled before dispatch, escalating to full rate after
What matters more than the number is whether it is disclosed in advance. A carrier whose rate sheet does not mention dry runs will still bill them. Ask for the accessorial schedule before the first load, not after the first surprise. Our overview of drayage accessorial charges lists what a complete schedule should cover.
When a dry run charge is worth disputing
Reasonable grounds include:
- The carrier dispatched without checking availability when they had access to do so
- The carrier booked the appointment and booked it incorrectly
- The truck was dispatched against instructions to hold
- The charge exceeds the published accessorial rate
- The same attempt was billed more than once
Weak grounds include a customs hold you did not know about, a receiver who closed early, or a release that was revoked after dispatch. Those are real costs the carrier absorbed on your behalf.
Dispute promptly and in writing, with the dispatch time, the gate transaction record if one exists, and the release status snapshot. Vague disputes filed weeks later rarely succeed.
Reducing them structurally
The shippers with the lowest dry run rates tend to do four things consistently:
- Verify release status the morning of dispatch, not the afternoon before.
- Clear customs before booking trucking, so entry timing is not on the critical path.
- Confirm the receiving appointment separately from the pickup appointment, including who will be there and what equipment they have.
- Use a carrier with a local yard, so a failed delivery becomes a short reposition rather than a full return trip. Our Miami yard exists partly for this.
None of this eliminates dry runs entirely. Holds appear without warning and terminals change rules mid-week. But moving from several per month to a few per quarter is a realistic target for a disciplined import program, and the savings usually exceed whatever rate concession you were negotiating instead.
Request a quote and we will send our full accessorial schedule with it, dry run terms included.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to pay a dry run fee if the container was on hold?
Usually yes. Most drayage tariffs make the shipper responsible for the cost of an attempted move regardless of why the container was unavailable, since the carrier committed the truck in good faith. The exception is when the carrier had the ability and obligation to verify availability and did not.
How much does a dry run typically cost?
It varies by carrier and by market. Many South Florida carriers bill somewhere between a partial and a full local drayage rate, plus any chassis or gate charges actually incurred. Because there is no standard, the number should be in your rate agreement before you need it.
What is the difference between a dry run and a pre-pull?
A dry run is a failed attempt that produced no movement. A pre-pull is a deliberate, successful move of a container off the terminal to a yard for later delivery. One is a cost you want to avoid; the other is a cost you choose in order to avoid demurrage.