Who this is for
Owner-operators, small carriers, regional fleets, freight brokers invoicing shippers, and small 3PLs. Designed for LTL and FTL B2B freight billing.
What every freight invoice needs
Bill of Lading reference. The BOL number is the invoice's authoritative link to the shipment. Without it the shipper's AP team has no way to match the invoice to the load and your payment stalls.
Origin, destination and miles. The line-haul rate calculation needs all three. State them on the line itself: Line haul, Atlanta GA to Dallas TX, 925 miles. Calculation should be visible and auditable.
Fuel surcharge as a separate line. Industry standard. Pegging it to the DOE national diesel index keeps the maths honest on both sides. State the calculation basis in the Notes block if the basis is anything other than the standard weekly DOE figure.
Detention and accessorial lines visible, even at zero. Showing "Detention: 0 hrs" signals professionalism and pre-empts confusion. If detention happened, list it with the hours over free time.
Carmack Amendment language
US interstate trucking is governed by the Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. § 14706). Two important clauses worth having in the Terms block:
- Damage or shortage must be noted on the BOL at delivery; otherwise carrier defences are stronger.
- Claims must be filed in writing within 9 months of delivery.
Both go in the Terms field of the template and they measurably shorten claim disputes.
Payment terms in trucking
Net 30 is the standard for B2B freight. Many small carriers factor invoices through a factoring company for faster cash flow; if you do, state the factor's payment instructions clearly in Notes so the shipper does not pay you direct in error. Late fees of 1.5 percent per month are standard and enforceable.
How to use this template
- Open the trucking template.
- Fill in the BOL number and shipment details in Notes.
- Replace origin, destination and miles on the line-haul line.
- Update the fuel surcharge based on the current DOE rate.
- Add detention or accessorial lines if applicable.
- Download the PDF and send to the shipper or broker.