Bill of Lading (BOL)
Logistics Term
What’s a Bill of Lading (BOL)?
A bill of lading is a legal document that acts as the receipt of the cargo being transported. It serves as the agreement for your load. At the pickup point, a BOL should be signed by both the shipper and carrier after they’ve both inspected the load. It’s the responsibility of the shipper to read and understand terms and conditions on BOL form before signing it. In case there’s a clause you don’t understand or don’t agree with, make a point of asking the carrier before signing.
Bill of Lading - In The Field
Once you sign the BOL form, the carrier will issue you a copy that should keep safe. Some of the details on the BOL form if you’re transporting a car for example include year, make, model, colour, mileage, VIN, address of pickup and drop off location, invoice, city and state, driver’s name among others. When a load is delivered, the receiver should inspect it once more in reference to the BOL form filled at the pickup point to confirm whether it’s been delivered in the condition it was picked in. In case the details on the BOL form don’t match the condition of the load, you should be fully compensated.
