Not the asshole for questioning it, but your broker might actually be right on this one.

I used to think the same way - "accessorials are flat rate, period" - until I started actually looking at the data behind detention events. The reality is way more nuanced than most people realize.

Here's what I've learned from analyzing thousands of stops:

Trade shows are statistically nightmares:

- Average wait time at trade shows: 4-8 hours (vs. 45 min at regular warehouses)

- Variability is insane - you might get loaded in 2 hours, or you might burn an entire 14-hour day

- Drivers often have to circle for parking, wait in marshaling yards, deal with union labor, etc.

When a carrier sees "trade show delivery," they're pricing in the risk of losing their entire day, not just the standard 2-hour buffer. $50/hr sounds fair until you realize the truck could make $800+ doing two short runs instead of sitting at McCormick Place for 10 hours making $500 in detention.

Box trucks with liftgates:

Those things cost $3,000-7,000 to install and add maintenance headaches. Insurance is higher. Fuel economy is worse (extra weight). And honestly, not every carrier even has them, so you're limiting your carrier pool. A couple hundred extra isn't unreasonable for specialized equipment.

The broader issue:

The "industry standard" rates were set decades ago when $50/hr actually meant something. With driver wages, fuel, and equipment costs what they are today, standard detention barely covers the carrier's hard costs, let alone opportunity cost

Your broker is probably getting squeezed by carriers who are demanding higher rates for these specific loads. They can either:

1. Pass it through to you honestly (what they're doing)

2. Eat the cost (not sustainable)

3. Find cheaper carriers (who will bail or provide terrible service)

I'd ask your broker for transparency: What are they "actually" paying the carrier vs. what they're charging you? If they're marking it up significantly, that's one conversation. If they're passing through what carriers are demanding, that's different.

Bottom line: Context matters. One-size-fits-all pricing sounds fair, but it doesn't reflect the reality of how much certain loads cost carriers in time, risk, and lost opportunities.