What is "TONU" in trucking?
TONU means Truck Ordered Not Used. It is the fee a broker or shipper pays a carrier when a load is cancelled after the truck has already been dispatched toward the pickup. The logic is simple: the carrier turned down other freight, burned fuel and hours, and now has an empty truck sitting in the wrong place. A typical TONU runs US$150 to US$500 depending on how far the truck travelled and what the rate confirmation says. The word carriers need to hear, though, is 'says' — a TONU is only reliably collectable when it was agreed in writing before the truck rolled. Dispatchers who treat TONU as an after-the-fact argument almost always lose it.
- Dispatcher checklist: What TONU stands for and when it applies
- How much a TONU pays in 2026
- The TONU clause you want on every rate confirmation
- How a dispatcher actually collects a TONU
- FAQ coverage: What does TONU mean in trucking? · How much is a TONU fee? · When can a carrier claim a TONU?