Yardo/Tools/TONU / Cancellation Cost Calculator
Carrier Exception Tool

What Does the
Cancellation Really Cost?

Measure short-notice load cancellations beyond the flat TONU number. This estimator combines policy payout, empty reposition cost, lost time, and possible recovery so ops teams can see the real exposure quickly.

TONU feeDeadheadLost timeReload recovery
01 - Calculator

Cancellation Inputs In.
Net Exposure Out.

Use this when a load is slipping or getting pulled and you need to know whether the likely cost is modest friction or a serious exception.

Inputs

Estimate cancellation exposure

Blend the contractual TONU amount with deadhead, driver time, and possible reload recovery so the real cancellation cost is visible before the exception is approved.

Use the recovery field for whatever cost you think can realistically be offset by reloading the truck, reusing the capacity, or salvaging the move later in the day.
Results

Modeled TONU exposure

The estimate separates contractual payout from wasted reposition and time cost so teams can see whether the cancellation is mostly fee-driven or mostly operational waste.

Gross exposure
$500
TONU plus deadhead and lost time cost
Net exposure
$375
After modeled reload or reuse recovery
Deadhead cost
$166
Empty reposition cost from 85 miles
Notice pressure
High
Short notice sharply increases the chance that TONU and empty reposition cost will stick.
Recovered value
$125
That offsets about 25% of gross modeled exposure. Driver and admin time contributes $84 from roughly 2 hr 0 min of lost effort.
TONU fee
Use the actual policy amount if one is already negotiated. If not, use your best estimate of what the carrier will expect for a truck ordered not used outcome.
Deadhead handling
Empty reposition cost matters most when the truck has already moved a meaningful distance toward pickup or has few backfill options nearby.
Recovery logic
The recovery input should stay conservative. Teams often assume the truck can be reused faster than the market or dispatch reality actually allows.
Important note
Real TONU outcomes also depend on proof of dispatch, dispatch timing, market leverage, and customer-specific cancellation language. Use this as exposure planning, not as a contract ruling.
02 - Method

Fee Plus Waste
Not Fee Alone

A cancellation does not only create a TONU payout. It can also burn empty miles, driver time, dispatch effort, and the chance to use that truck on another move.

Start with Policy
The TONU or cancellation fee establishes the contractual base, but it rarely tells the full story by itself.
Add Empty Motion
If the truck has already committed miles, the cost of that empty reposition should stay visible in the decision, especially under short notice.
Subtract Real Recovery
Some of the cost may be recoverable if the truck can be reused. The key is to be realistic instead of assuming perfect backfill.
03 - Use Cases

Useful for
Load Recovery Decisions

The tool is strongest when operations needs to choose between cancelling, delaying, or trying to salvage a troubled shipment quickly.

Same-Day Exceptions
See whether a same-day cancellation is cheap enough to absorb or expensive enough that the team should keep trying to protect the move.
Notice Timing Review
Compare how the risk changes when pickup notice gets pushed inside the short-notice window.
Customer Escalations
Give customer-facing teams a more defensible cost picture when explaining why a cancellation or late pullback is not operationally free.
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