The rate confirmation checklist: read it before the truck rolls

Confirm who the agreement is actually with

Before anything else, match the names on the document. The broker or shipper listed on the rate confirmation should be the party you verified during setup, and the carrier name should be your carrier's legal name exactly as it appears on its authority. A wrong name can turn a simple invoice into a payment dispute.

If anything looks different from what you agreed on the phone - a different company name, a different email domain, a new contact - pause and verify through a phone number you already trust. Do not let a good rate rush you past this step.

Check the money line by line

Read the linehaul rate, any fuel surcharge, and every accessorial separately, then confirm the total matches what was agreed. If detention, layover, lumper or stop-off pay was discussed, it must be written on the rate confirmation or in a written addendum. A verbal promise is not collectible.

Look for the payment terms too: how many days to pay, whether quick pay is offered and what it costs, and what paperwork the invoice requires. Knowing this before pickup prevents surprises weeks later.

Verify every appointment and requirement

Confirm the pickup and delivery dates, times and time zones, and whether each is a firm appointment or a window. Check the addresses carefully - a city name is not an address. Note facility requirements such as appointments made in advance, specific check-in procedures, or hours that could trap the truck over a weekend.

Match the load to the equipment: weight, pallet count, temperature settings, tarps or team requirements. If the rate confirmation lists a requirement the truck cannot meet, raise it before signing, not at the dock.

• Broker and carrier legal names match your records.
• Linehaul, fuel surcharge and accessorials add up to the agreed total.
• Pickup and delivery dates, times and time zones are written.
• Weight, equipment and facility requirements fit the truck.
• Payment terms and required invoice paperwork are listed.

Save it and compare it at delivery

File the signed rate confirmation with the load reference where you can find it in seconds. When the proof of delivery arrives, compare the two: same load number, same addresses, same agreed rate. If a facility added a charge or a stamp that changes the deal, flag it immediately through the carrier's process.

The rate confirmation is your reference for the invoice and for any dispute. A dispatcher who can produce the written deal quickly resolves problems faster than one searching through old text messages.