What is LTL shipping
Where the bill of lading sits in a shipment, from quote to proof of delivery.
Read the LTL shipping guideShipping documents
Bill of lading vs waybill
Shippers bookmark this page because the two words get used as if they were the same document. They are not. The bill of lading is the contract. The waybill is the carrier's working record.
What a bill of lading is
Bill of lading (BOL) is the contract of carriage: the record of what was picked up, from whom, going to whom, and in what condition. It is signed at pickup and it travels with the freight.
It is not optional paperwork. It is the reference point whenever there is a question about what shipped, how much of it there was, or what condition it left in.
Bill of lading vs waybill
| Document | What it is | What you do with it |
|---|---|---|
| Bill of lading (BOL) | The contract of carriage. The shipper prepares it, or accepts the carrier's form, and someone at pickup signs it. | Describe the freight, the docks, and any extra work. Keep the signed copy. |
| Waybill | The carrier's operational record of that same shipment: the reference, the status, the stops, the documents. | Follow the freight in the customer portal. Quote the reference to dispatch. |
People say "send me the waybill" when they mean the reference. People say "the BOL" when they mean the signed contract. Use the precise word when you file a freight claim.
What to put on the BOL
- Shipper and consignee
- Names, full dock addresses, and a contact at each end who can sign.
- Freight description
- A plain description of the goods. "Freight" and "goods" describe nothing; name the commodity.
- Piece and skid count
- How many skids, and how many pieces are on them, so a short count is obvious at delivery.
- Weight and dimensions
- Measured, not estimated, including the pallet and the wrap.
- Handling requirements
- Tailgate, appointment, inside delivery, and anything fragile or non stackable.
- Receiving details
- Receiving hours and the appointment number the consignee gave you.
Have the bill of lading at the dock for pickup, on paper or as the file dispatch asked for. If you only have a pickup number, say so on the quote so dispatch can tell you what they need.
Shipper and consignee responsibilities
The shipper
Describe the freight accurately, weight and dimensions included. An under described skid is the most common cause of a corrected charge. Have someone available to sign at pickup, and note any pre-existing damage before the driver leaves.
The consignee
Inspect before signing, not after the truck leaves. Count the skids against the bill of lading, look for visible damage, and write any exception directly on the paperwork. A clean signature is treated as freight received in good order.
Common mistakes
- Signing clean without actually counting the skids
- Leaving the commodity description vague, such as "freight" or "goods"
- Guessing at weight or dimensions instead of measuring
- Holding back a special instruction, such as a tailgate, until the driver is already there
- Keeping no copy of the signed document
What to keep
Keep the signed bill of lading, the delivery receipt or proof of delivery, and the shipment reference. Photos of the freight as it was tendered help if the wrap later becomes the argument. Those four things are the spine of a claim file.
When something goes wrong
Shortage or damage is a freight claim. The how-to is on that page. The binding process is on claims procedure. The bill of lading is evidence. It is not the claim.
Questions
Questions shippers ask
What is the difference between a bill of lading and a waybill?
The bill of lading (BOL) is the contract of carriage the shipper signs at pickup. The waybill is the carrier's operational record of that shipment. You follow the freight on the waybill. You build a claim from the BOL and the delivery receipt.
Which document should I keep?
Keep the signed bill of lading, the delivery receipt or proof of delivery, and your shipment reference. Those are what a claim file is built from.
Does the driver need a paper BOL?
Have the bill of lading at the dock for pickup, on paper or as the file dispatch asked for. If you only have a pickup number, say so on the quote so dispatch can tell you what they need.
Get a quote for your skids
Describe the freight the same way on the quote and on the bill of lading. That is how the price and the paperwork stay in agreement.