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What is Origin/Destination Cushion?

The Pickup Cushion and Delivery Cushion fields help dispatchers and operations teams quickly identify loads that may be at risk of missing scheduled appointment times.

These fields appear in all BOL (Bill of Lading) grids as:

  • Origin Cushion
  • Destination Cushion

The cushion acts as a real-time countdown or elapsed-time indicator based on the current date and time.

Purpose

The cushion fields serve as a Call to Action by highlighting whether a pickup or delivery appointment is approaching, overdue, or still has time remaining.

This helps users:

  • Prioritize urgent loads
  • Identify shipments in jeopardy
  • Monitor appointment timing in real time
  • Improve operational visibility

How Cushion Is Calculated

Step 1: Determine the Appointment Time

The system first checks for an appointment window.

If an Appointment Start Time exists:

The cushion is calculated from the Appointment Start Time.

If no Appointment Time exists:

The system uses the:

  • Pickup Date/Time (for Origin Cushion)
  • Delivery Date/Time (for Destination Cushion)

Cushion Format

The cushion displays in:

 
Hours : Minutes
 

Examples:

 
+2:40
-0:20
 

Understanding Positive and Negative Values

Negative Cushion

A negative value means the appointment time has not yet started.

Example:

 
-0:20
 

This means there are 20 minutes remaining until the appointment start time.

Positive Cushion

A positive value means the appointment start time has already passed.

Example:

 
+2:40
 

This means the appointment started 2 hours and 40 minutes ago.

Positive cushions can indicate a load may require immediate attention.

Example Scenarios

Example 1 — Positive Cushion

Load Information

Field Value
Origin Appointment 3/25 — 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Origin Pickup Date 3/25 — 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Current Date/Time 3/25 — 4:40 PM

Result

 
Origin Cushion = +2:40
 

Explanation

The appointment started at 2:00 PM, and the current time is 4:40 PM.

The load is now 2 hours and 40 minutes past the appointment start time.

Example 2 — Negative Cushion

Load Information

Field Value
Origin Appointment 3/25 — 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Origin Pickup Date 3/25 — 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Current Date/Time 3/25 — 1:40 PM

Result

 
Origin Cushion = -0:20
 

Explanation

The appointment start time is still 20 minutes away.

Once the current time reaches 2:00 PM, the cushion will change from negative to positive.

Key Notes

  • Cushion values update dynamically based on the current date and time.
  • Appointment Start Time always takes priority when available.
  • If no appointment exists, the system falls back to Pickup or Delivery Date/Time.
  • Positive values may indicate operational risk or delays.
  • Negative values indicate remaining time before the scheduled appointment begins.