Tracking Pickups and Deliveries
Monitoring Live Shipments: Origin & Destination Cushion
Last Updated: Jan 2026
Applies to:
Shippers, Brokers, Carriers
The Origin Cushion and Destination Cushion fields are visibility tools designed to help monitor live shipments in real-time. These fields provide a live countdown (or elapsed timer) relative to pickup and delivery appointments.
1. What is the "Cushion"?
The "Cushion" field allows you to see at a glance exactly how much time remains before a scheduled event or how far past an appointment a driver currently is.
2. How the Cushion is Calculated
The system looks for the most specific "Anchor Time" available in the shipment details following this priority:
-
Appointment Start: Primary anchor.
-
Facility Open Time: Used if no appointment exists.
-
Null: If neither are present, the field stays empty.
3. Understanding the Values
The calculation is: Current Time - Anchor Time
| Scenario | Value Example | What it means |
| Future Appointment | - 0:20 | Appointment is 20 mins away (Negative = Time Remaining) |
| Passed Appointment | + 2:40 | Appointment was 2h 40m ago (Positive = Time Elapsed) |
| No Appt (Open Time) | - 0:40 | Facility opens in 40 minutes |
4. Broker Visibility & Actions
-
Negative Numbers (e.g., -1:30): You are in the "Cushion" window. Ensure the driver is on track.
-
Positive Numbers (e.g., +0:15): The appointment time has passed. Check driver status immediately.
-
Empty Field: No appointment or open time data is available for this stop.
Pro Tip: Sort your dashboard by the Origin Cushion column. This brings the highest positive numbers (the most overdue shipments) to the top of your list automatically.