Guide
POD checklist: what a clean packet contains
A broker pays on paper. If the proof of delivery is unsigned, unreadable or missing a time, the invoice waits, and so does your money. Most of the fixes cost nothing if they happen at the dock instead of three weeks later.
Read the page like an accounts payable clerk
The clerk at the broker does not know your driver. They compare three papers: the rate con, the BOL and your invoice. Anything they cannot match, they set aside.
The six numbered spots on the form are where packets most often fail. Check them at the dock, with the receiver still standing there.
Layouts differ by shipper. The checkpoints do not.
- Piece count and weight agree with the pickup BOL and the rate con.
- Seal number matches what was applied at the shipper.
- Arrival and departure times written in, not only the date.
- Any shortage or damage written here before the signature.
- A real signature, not a stamp alone.
- Printed name and date beside it.
The packet, item by item
POD means proof of delivery: the signed bill of lading (BOL) and whatever else shows the freight arrived as agreed.
| Item | Why it matters | How it usually fails |
|---|---|---|
| Signed BOL at delivery | The core proof that the receiver took the freight | No signature, a scribble with no printed name, or a stamp with no signature |
| Receiver name, date and times | Arrival and departure times support detention and show on-time delivery | Times left blank, or only the date |
| Piece count and weight | Must agree with the rate con and the shipper's BOL, or the receiver can claim a shortage | Counts that differ between pickup and delivery with no note |
| Exceptions written before signing | Shortage, overage or damage noted at the dock protects you; noted later it protects no one | A clean signature, then a claim a week later |
| Seal numbers | Shows the trailer was not opened in transit | Seal number on the rate con but not on the BOL, or a different one at delivery |
| Reference numbers | The broker's AP team matches the POD by load number, PO or pro number | BOL carries a shipper PO but the rate con carries a broker load number, and nothing links them |
| Lumper and scale receipts | Needed to bill the fee and sometimes the weight | Photo cut off, amount unreadable, no approval attached |
| Signed rate confirmation and revisions | Terms for detention, layover and extra stops live here | Original on file, revision by email never saved |
| Photos (optional) | Seal, trailer number, a damaged pallet, the dock door and time | Taken on a personal phone and never uploaded |
Before the truck leaves the dock
- Read the BOL, not only the signature line. Counts, weights and seals should match what you picked up.
- Ask for printed name, signature, date and in and out times. A receiver who says "just take the signed one" will not be there when the broker asks.
- Write exceptions in the notes area first, then get the signature.
- Photograph the finished page, straight on, with every corner visible.
- Send it to the office the same hour, with the load number in the file name.
What the office checks the same day
- Is every field readable at full size?
- Do the load, PO and rate con numbers connect?
- Are arrival and departure times present? If not, ask the driver today, while they remember.
- Are lumper, scale and other receipts attached?
- Does the invoice match the rate con total, with the accessorials you can prove?
A missing item found on day one is a text message. On day twenty it is a dispute.
Questions
Is a photo of the BOL enough?
Many brokers accept a clear photo or scan, and some still ask for the original. Check the broker agreement or the rate con for what counts as proof.
The receiver would not write times. What now?
Record them yourself the same day: arrival and departure with the driver's own message or ELD record. It is weaker than a signed time, so say honestly in the claim how you know them.
How long should I keep PODs?
Longer than the time limit for any claim or dispute under your contract. Ask your insurer and your accountant. We do not give a number because it depends on your agreements.
Next: detention evidence and rate con versus invoice. The free audit lists which of your last 20 loads have a complete packet.
Related: POD and BOL errors.
See what your last 20 loads show.
One short form. We reply by email with the next step, and a one-page report follows. Free, no obligation.
Mon-Fri, 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Eastern Time (Raleigh, NC). Voicemail is answered the next business day.