Your freight is packed and ready for pickup. But before it leaves, the driver and shipping team need a shared record of what is being handed over and where it is going.
That record is usually a bill of lading.
A bill of lading, often shortened to BOL, follows a shipment from pickup through delivery. The details on it can also affect how a carrier handles and bills the freight, so it deserves a careful look before the truck leaves.
What a bill of lading is
A bill of lading is a shipping document issued by a carrier for goods it receives for transportation. It identifies the shipper, the receiving business, the freight, and the route. Depending on the shipment and the form used, it may also include service instructions and terms of carriage.
Businesses shipping trucking and freight may encounter a BOL in paper or electronic form. The layout varies by carrier, but its core purpose is the same: create a record that the shipper, carrier, and receiver can refer to during the shipment.
What’s the difference between a BOL and an invoice?
A BOL records the goods being transported and the shipping arrangement. An invoice requests payment. A commercial invoice for the goods is also separate from a carrier’s freight invoice for transportation.
What a bill of lading does
There are three things that a bill of lading typically does. A bill of lading demonstrates the:
- Receipt of goods: At pickup, the carrier acknowledges receiving the goods described on the BOL. The signed document records the handoff, although a signature doesn’t necessarily verify what is in a sealed packaging or resolve every question about condition.
- Contract of carriage: The BOL records shipment details and may incorporate terms governing transportation. The applicable terms can also come from a carrier agreement or other shipping documents, so it’s vital to carefully review all terms listed in the document.
- Document of title: A BOL can (although doesn’t always) represent rights to the goods in transit. With a negotiable order BOL, those rights may be transferred under the rules for negotiating the document. Most businesses arranging routine domestic freight delivery will encounter a nonnegotiable straight BOL naming a specific receiver.
For day-to-day shipping, there is immediate practical value to a BOL. It offers everyone involved a shared record of what the carrier picked up and where it should be delivered. The receiving team can compare that record with what arrives, and the shipper and carrier can refer to it if pieces are missing.
Who fills out the bill of lading?
The business sending the freight provides the shipment details. It may complete the BOL itself, or the carrier may prepare one using the information supplied when the shipment is booked. In either case, the shipping team should check the finished document against the packed freight before pickup. The driver then acknowledges the handoff according to the carrier’s process.
What information a bill of lading includes
The precise information included on a bill of lading can vary by carrier and type of shipment, but some of the most common areas to include are:
- The shipper’s and receiver’s names and addresses
- The locations for pickup and delivery
- The number and type of handling units
- A description of the goods and their weight
- Shipment or purchase order reference numbers
- The party responsible for freight charges
- Any instructions the carrier needs for pickup or delivery
For a traditional less-than-truckload shipment, the form may also request dimensions, an NMFC item number, and freight class. Those details can affect the rate being quoted, but not every carrier uses freight class for every shipment.
Compare the BOL with the freight as it will be handed to the driver. For example, if two pallets are ready for pickup, the document should list two. Also verify that the stated weight includes the pallets or crates if the carrier needs the total packed weight. If there are errors, they should be corrected before the freight leaves.
It’s also important to confirm delivery instructions separately with the carrier. A note jotted down on a form might not be enough to secure appropriate equipment or handling if it wasn’t discussed during booking.
What happens if the bill of lading is wrong?
If a bill of lading is incorrectly filled out, contact the carrier as soon as you find the mistake and ask how to correct the shipment record.
If the freight has already been picked up, keep the original BOL and the corrected information together. What happens next generally depends on the mistake. For example, an address error may affect delivery, while an inaccurate weight or freight class may affect an LTL charge.
Common types of bills of lading
The main distinction for a domestic business shipment is between a straight BOL and an order BOL. The difference concerns who is entitled to receive the goods and whether that right can be transferred while they are in transit.
A straight bill of lading names the business that should receive the goods and is nonnegotiable. It is the form businesses are more likely to see when sending freight to a known warehouse, office, or other receiving location.
An order bill of lading is negotiable. It directs delivery according to the order stated on the document and can be used when control of the goods needs to change while they are in transit. Its transfer requirements make it different from a routine delivery document.
You may also see paper and electronic BOLs. Those describe the format, not a separate category of shipping service. Ask the carrier which form or electronic process it accepts before pickup.
Why the bill of lading matters for your shipment
The BOL matters for your shipment because it gives the carrier information it needs to identify and deliver the freight. A wrong receiving address or missing reference number can send the shipment to the wrong dock or make it harder for the receiving team to match the delivery to its order.
The description matters for billing, too. In traditional LTL shipping, a carrier may check the freight’s weight, dimensions, or classification against the BOL and revise its charges if they differ. Depending on the carrier’s terms, that can lead to a reweigh or reclassification charge. A correct BOL reduces the chance of a preventable adjustment, but it does not guarantee that a carrier will accept the shipper’s stated class.
Before pickup, compare the document with the packed shipment and the booking confirmation. Pay particular attention to the number of handling units, total weight, freight description, receiving address, and any equipment or access needs. For more on how different carriers build a quote, see our guide to freight pricing.
Get the shipment details ready before you book
A BOL is easier to check when the freight details are resolved first. To make sure you have all the details ready before you book, make sure you have information like packed weight and dimensions, handling-unit count, commodity description, pickup and delivery addresses, and receiving requirements ready when you speak with the carrier.
With those details in hand, you can describe the load and delivery requirements when requesting a quote.
For business freight in New Jersey and the surrounding region, contact A1 Xpress or call 732-431-9112 to discuss the shipment and request a quote.