Documents, sources and the words people use
Where the authoritative answer actually lives, and what the terminology means.
- Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) — Carrier and broker registration, operating authority, safety records and hours-of-service rules.
- FMCSA company snapshot search — Look up a carrier or broker's authority and status yourself before you hand anyone freight.
- Bureau of Transportation Statistics — Published freight volume, mode share and cost index data, from the source rather than a vendor blog.
- US Customs and Border Protection — Import and export documentation requirements for anything crossing a border.
Operators, rules, costs and providers described here are those of the United States.
The clocks that run against you
Freight disputes are lost to time limits more often than to facts. Confirm yours in your own contract of carriage — these are the checkpoints, not the deadlines.
| When | What happens |
|---|---|
| At pickup | Bill of lading completed with weighed weight, measured dimensions, piece count and any accessorial required. Photograph the wrapped pallet. |
| At delivery | Inspect before signing. Note visible damage or shortage specifically on the delivery receipt, before the driver leaves. |
| Immediately after delivery | Report concealed damage as soon as it is found — the window is measured in days and is set by the contract of carriage. |
| Within the tariff's claim window | File the claim with the full documentation set. Late claims are declined on time alone, regardless of merit. |
| At contract renewal | Re-check the dimensional divisor and the accessorial schedule — both are price changes that never appear in a rate comparison. |
Always confirm current dates with the official source — they move.
Checklists you can work through
Before the truck arrives
- Shipment weighed, not estimated.
- Dimensions measured as presented, wrapped, including the pallet.
- Pallet built inside the footprint, no overhang.
- Bill of lading shows piece count, packaging, weight, dimensions and class.
- Pickup and delivery conditions written in: dock, hours, liftgate, appointment.
- Photograph of the wrapped pallet with the bill of lading visible.
Comparing two freight quotes
- Same measured weight and dimensions on both requests.
- Fuel surcharge stated as a percentage and an index, not a dollar amount.
- Accessorial schedule supplied by both.
- Free loading and unloading time stated, with the detention rate after it.
- Claims procedure and time limits in writing.
- Transit stated as a service standard, and understood as such rather than as a promise.
The mistakes that cost the most
Estimating weight instead of weighing
Buy a pallet scale. It removes an entire category of re-rate and pays for itself the first time it does.
Building pallets that overhang
Nothing beyond the footprint. Overhang is measured as if the whole pallet were that size, on every shipment, forever.
Signing a clean delivery receipt for damaged freight
Note the damage specifically before the driver leaves. A clean signature is the most common reason a claim fails.
Comparing rates without comparing accessorials
Price your five most common delivery profiles from each carrier's accessorial schedule, then compare.
Never re-checking the mode
Re-run your last twenty shipments in the mode above the one you used. Shipment sizes grow quietly; defaults do not.
Assuming carrier liability equals value
Read the per-pound limit in the tariff, then decide deliberately between declared value and separate cargo insurance.
Glossary
The words that get used as if everyone already knows them.
Linehaul
The base charge for moving freight between two points, before fuel and accessorials.
Chargeable weight
The greater of actual weight and dimensional weight — the figure your rate is applied to.
Dimensional weight
Length × width × height in inches, divided by the carrier's divisor. It prices space rather than mass.
Dim divisor
The number that converts cubic inches into dimensional pounds. Larger favours the shipper.
Freight class
An LTL classification derived from density, stowability, handling and liability. Lower class, lower rate.
Accessorial
A charge for a service that is not driving: liftgate, residential delivery, detention, redelivery and the rest.
Detention
Time charged when loading or unloading exceeds the free allowance, usually billed by the hour.
Fuel surcharge
A percentage of linehaul indexed to a published diesel price, reset on a schedule.
Bill of lading
The receipt, the evidence of the contract of carriage, and the delivery instruction, in one document.
Proof of delivery
The signed delivery receipt, including any notation about damage or shortage.
Re-rating
A carrier correcting the charge after measuring or weighing the shipment themselves.
Deadhead
Miles run empty. They cost the same to drive and earn nothing, which is why they belong in your cost per mile.
Partial truckload
Volume freight too large for economical LTL and too small for a dedicated trailer, quoted per shipment.
Carrier liability limit
The maximum a carrier is liable for under its tariff, often per pound rather than by value.