← GlossaryGlossary · Trucking

What is BOL?

Bill of Lading

A Bill of Lading (BOL) is a legal document issued by a carrier to a shipper that details the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being transported. It serves as a receipt of shipment, a contract of carriage, and a document of title.

How it works

The shipper prepares the BOL at pickup. The driver signs acknowledging receipt. At delivery, the consignee signs as proof of delivery — this signed copy becomes the Proof of Delivery (POD) and is required for payment on most loads.

Who uses it

Shippers, carriers, brokers, and consignees on every freight load. The BOL is one of the two documents (with the rate confirmation) required to factor or invoice a load.

Why it matters

The BOL is the legal evidence the freight was received. Disputes over damage, loss, or shortage hinge on the notes written on the BOL at pickup and delivery. For factoring and accounts-receivable, a signed BOL is non-negotiable.

In Rig Terminal

Rig Terminal's Smart OCR extracts all BOL fields — origin, destination, commodity, weight, piece count, PRO number, consignee signature — automatically from a photo. Attached BOLs flow directly into the factoring queue.

Learn more →

See how Rig Terminal handles BOL

Request a Demo