One of the most important aspects of LTL shipping is documentation. Not only is accurate paperwork crucial to ensuring your cargo gets to its final destination on time, but it can also save you money on your shipment. Filling out the necessary freight documentation for your LTL shipment can prevent unnecessary delays, lost cargo, and additional charges added to your freight invoice.
Before a carrier picks up your LTL freight, you need to make sure you’ve accurately completed several key pieces of documentation, including:
The bill of lading is a document that serves as a contract between shippers and carriers, a receipt for services, and a title document for the LTL freight being shipped. The BOL should contain all the information needed to execute the freight shipment, including the carrier, the name and address of the shipper and recipient, a clear description of the items being transported, and the specific terms of the contract between the shipper and the carrier. A copy of the BOL should be provided to the carrier upon pickup, and a copy should be attached to the shipment itself.
Accurately filling out the bill of lading helps shippers ensure their freight invoice does not include additional or unexpected charges associated with their shipment. Weights, measurements, and descriptions of the LTL freight must be precise to avoid reweighs or missed pickups due to lack of trailer space. The names and addresses of consignors and consignees must be accurate to avoid lost or delayed freight. Affixing a copy of the BOL to the shipment and giving a copy to the driver also helps the carrier keep track of the shipment during transfers and consolidations at transit hubs along its journey.
Similar to the BOL, a freight bill will include a description of the items being shipped, the measurements and details of the shipment, the consignee’s information, the origin and destination of the load, and the total cost. A freight bill serves as a carrier’s invoice to the shipper for all charges incurred during shipping. The carrier typically presents a freight bill to the shipper on the day of the delivery. To avoid additional charges on your freight bill, make sure you include all the necessary information when filling out forms to get your initial freight quote.
The proof of delivery (POD) is a form the carrier presents to the shipment recipient at the time of delivery. It includes information such as the time of delivery, the delivery address, and the consignee’s name. The consignee is responsible for inspecting the shipment and ensuring that all the items are accounted for and have arrived undamaged. When they’ve done this, the recipient signs the POD as confirmation. Once the POD has been signed, ownership and any subsequent damage to the goods become the consignee’s responsibility.
The proof of delivery is a critical document in the case of damage or loss to the shipment. The consignee must thoroughly inspect the goods delivered and make note of any damages on the POD to be used in future carrier or freight insurance claims. Failing to notice and document damage or loss before signing the POD may result in an inability to file a successful claim form and recoup any monetary compensation from the carrier.
A cargo claim form is a document that shippers or consignees fill out if there is any damage or loss to their shipment. The claim form should detail the precise nature of the damage or loss and the specific monetary value of the compensation sought. The form must also provide sufficient evidence that the damage or loss occurred while the shipment was in possession of the carrier during the transportation time frame indicated in the BOL. To bolster these claims, consignees should take photos of any damages to properly document their exact nature. Failure to fill out a claim form within nine months of the alleged damage or loss will result in the form not being accepted. To ensure you are able to receive compensation for damages, shippers should fill out and submit claim forms in a timely fashion.
If you are confused about how to correctly fill out your LTL freight documentation, contact the freight experts at Koho to help you get your paperwork in order. When booking shipments through Koho’s online shipping platform, you will automatically receive a bill of lading filled out with all the information from your initial quote. You can find and print any other necessary forms and paperwork directly from your account and have direct access to Koho’s LTL freight experts if you have any questions about your shipment.
One of the most important aspects of LTL shipping is documentation. Not only is accurate paperwork crucial to ensuring your cargo gets to its final destination on time, but it can also save you money on your shipment. Filling out the necessary freight documentation for your LTL shipment can prevent unnecessary delays, lost cargo, and additional charges added to your freight invoice.
Before a carrier picks up your LTL freight, you need to make sure you’ve accurately completed several key pieces of documentation, including:
The bill of lading is a document that serves as a contract between shippers and carriers, a receipt for services, and a title document for the LTL freight being shipped. The BOL should contain all the information needed to execute the freight shipment, including the carrier, the name and address of the shipper and recipient, a clear description of the items being transported, and the specific terms of the contract between the shipper and the carrier. A copy of the BOL should be provided to the carrier upon pickup, and a copy should be attached to the shipment itself.
Accurately filling out the bill of lading helps shippers ensure their freight invoice does not include additional or unexpected charges associated with their shipment. Weights, measurements, and descriptions of the LTL freight must be precise to avoid reweighs or missed pickups due to lack of trailer space. The names and addresses of consignors and consignees must be accurate to avoid lost or delayed freight. Affixing a copy of the BOL to the shipment and giving a copy to the driver also helps the carrier keep track of the shipment during transfers and consolidations at transit hubs along its journey.
Similar to the BOL, a freight bill will include a description of the items being shipped, the measurements and details of the shipment, the consignee’s information, the origin and destination of the load, and the total cost. A freight bill serves as a carrier’s invoice to the shipper for all charges incurred during shipping. The carrier typically presents a freight bill to the shipper on the day of the delivery. To avoid additional charges on your freight bill, make sure you include all the necessary information when filling out forms to get your initial freight quote.
The proof of delivery (POD) is a form the carrier presents to the shipment recipient at the time of delivery. It includes information such as the time of delivery, the delivery address, and the consignee’s name. The consignee is responsible for inspecting the shipment and ensuring that all the items are accounted for and have arrived undamaged. When they’ve done this, the recipient signs the POD as confirmation. Once the POD has been signed, ownership and any subsequent damage to the goods become the consignee’s responsibility.
The proof of delivery is a critical document in the case of damage or loss to the shipment. The consignee must thoroughly inspect the goods delivered and make note of any damages on the POD to be used in future carrier or freight insurance claims. Failing to notice and document damage or loss before signing the POD may result in an inability to file a successful claim form and recoup any monetary compensation from the carrier.
A cargo claim form is a document that shippers or consignees fill out if there is any damage or loss to their shipment. The claim form should detail the precise nature of the damage or loss and the specific monetary value of the compensation sought. The form must also provide sufficient evidence that the damage or loss occurred while the shipment was in possession of the carrier during the transportation time frame indicated in the BOL. To bolster these claims, consignees should take photos of any damages to properly document their exact nature. Failure to fill out a claim form within nine months of the alleged damage or loss will result in the form not being accepted. To ensure you are able to receive compensation for damages, shippers should fill out and submit claim forms in a timely fashion.
If you are confused about how to correctly fill out your LTL freight documentation, contact the freight experts at Koho to help you get your paperwork in order. When booking shipments through Koho’s online shipping platform, you will automatically receive a bill of lading filled out with all the information from your initial quote. You can find and print any other necessary forms and paperwork directly from your account and have direct access to Koho’s LTL freight experts if you have any questions about your shipment.
