Who this is for
Owner-operators, small carriers, regional fleets, freight brokers invoicing shippers, and 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 accounts payable team has no way to match it to a load.
Origin / destination / miles. The line haul rate calculation needs all three. State them on the line itself: Line haul — Atlanta GA to Dallas TX, 925 miles.
Fuel surcharge as a separate line. Industry standard. Pegging it to the DOE national diesel index keeps negotiations honest. State the calculation basis in Notes if relevant.
Detention and accessorial lines, even at zero. Showing "Detention: 0 hrs" signals professionalism. If detention happened, list it with the duration over free time.
Carmack Amendment language
US interstate trucking is governed by the Carmack Amendment (49 U.S.C. § 14706). Two important clauses to include:
- Damage or shortage must be noted on the BOL at delivery (otherwise carrier defenses are stronger).
- Claims must be filed in writing within 9 months.
Both go in the Terms field.
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. Late fees of 1.5% per month are standard and enforceable.
How to use this template
- Open the trucking template.
- Fill in BOL # and shipment details in Notes.
- Replace origin/destination/miles in the line haul line.
- Update fuel surcharge based on current rate.
- Add detention or accessorial lines if applicable.
- Download the PDF and send to the shipper or broker.