Glossary

Bill of Lading (BOL)

The legal contract between customer and carrier required by FMCSA on every interstate move.

The BOL must list inventory, declared value, pickup/delivery addresses, charges, and customer + driver signatures. Without a signed BOL the carrier can't lawfully transport the load. Digital BOL with e-signature is FMCSA-acceptable and cuts admin time by 30+ minutes per job.

Related terms

Carmack Amendment
Federal law setting carrier liability for damaged goods at $0.60 per pound per article, unless full-value protection is purchased.
Binding Estimate
A FMCSA-recognized quote that locks in the price as long as the inventory matches what was surveyed.

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