I am looking for a cancellation policy for customers that call after hours the job is scheduled early morning and the driver leaves to the job before the message is recieved??

We answer our phone 24 hours a day, Our operators do call the customer before they leave the shop only if adverse weather is being called for or is in the area. We try to work with customers if they cancel after hours for reasons other than weather but most generally charge a 2 hour cancellation fee.

This is what WE do, it may or may not work for you.

2 hour showup plus travel charge , if we pump the job at a later date , we will only add 2 hours to the pump ticket

If the operator has already left we charge them driving time for however far we drove and back. If we're already onsite then they cancel we charge driving time plus whatever time is spent at the site. Sometimes exceptions are made depending on customer and job.

The problem I have is they all think that if they cancel the concrete at the last minute it is all good and often the pump has left, If you mention charges they freak and you may lose the customer. These are all sitiations that are not weather pending. I hate when they cancel just before the pump is to leave the shop, it messes with your porfitability.  This is why I try to keep the rates up to cover for these situations, 

2hr cancellation if less than 12hr notice

if the weather is a forecast to be rain in the morning, the customer must ring us 1 hr before the pump is due to leave the yard. I keep the boys at home till they ring, if yes I call them in. No customer call, then no pump or men are mobilised till they do. more difficult if its unexpected rain, then we call them before the pump leaves. no answer and we send the pump, once its on the road its a 2hr charge or added onto the next job.