The Bill of Lading is a multi-purpose document and mandatory for auto shipping company, therefore federal laws require one copy each to be kept by the shipper and the driver hauling the vehicle. Many auto shippers, especially first timers are usually unaware about the criticality of the document and sign the dotted line without reading it. Every auto shipper needs to understand the purpose of Bill of Lading and having said that, the blog post discusses five essential elements to check before Signing the Bill of Lading. Let’s take a look.
1. General Details of the Auto Carrier
1. General Details of the Auto Carrier
The header section contains essential details about the auto shipping company responsible for hauling your vehicle. This generally includes the name of the auto shipping company, their registered logo, office address, contact details and sometimes, information of the driver hauling the vehicle. If your auto shipping is seeking assistance from a third party which is common during international shipping, you are likely to find those details also in the header of your bill of lading.
2. Shipping Details
Browse through the bill of lading and you will find the exact pickup and delivery dates along with the expected timelines. As the bill of lading also serves as a dispatch sheet, pickup and delivery contact details are also mentioned, no matter whether one or more individuals are involved in the shipping process. If you are the one shipping and receiving the vehicle at both the ends, it’s fine; however, double check for accuracy. Moreover, check for any typos in address as drivers are strictly instructed to ship to the designated address and not elsewhere.
3. Essential Vehicle Information
When you ship through an auto shipping company, they assure you that the vehicle shipped and received are the same and there were no manipulations during the transit. The bill of lading, therefore, also documents essential and easily identifiable information such as the make and model, year of manufacture, color and the most important- license plate number and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Make a note of these details when you ship and after the delivery of the vehicle. When you hire a reliable auto shipping company, you won’t find any discrepancy.
4. Vehicle Condition
The federal law mandates auto shipping companies to duly inspect the vehicle before loading on the truck trailer and note the findings in the Bill of Lading. Essential details include whether the car is in running condition or there are any prevalent scratches or other damage to the vehicle prior to shipping. Your job is to go through the section that states about vehicle condition and check if the damage is over or understated. Click photographs of the vehicle and match with the information in the bill of lading once the vehicle is delivered. If there is a deviation, you should immediately contact the auto shipping company.
5. Terms and Conditions
Understanding the terms and conditions of shipping is crucial, especially when a third party such as broker firm is involved in the process. The shipping rules and conditions specified by the broker and the actual auto shipping company may differ and cause unnecessary hassles in future. The golden rule says, never proceed with auto shipping until you are familiar with the terms and conditions, no matter whether pertaining to broker or the actual auto shipper. Read the clauses related to payment, insurance, additional charges or any actions on your or the shipper side that may invite a penalty. Learn in detail about what’s covered and not covered and then only, sign on the dotted line.
The Bottom Line
Signing a bill of lading is an acknowledgement and you need to fully understand the contents or the terms and conditions governing auto shipping. Before you sign the dotted line, be sure that you are clear about every aspect of delivery, whether it’s payment, timelines or security. Once you sign, no modifications are permissible and you need to abide by the terms of the document. If you have any confusions, clarify them first with your auto shipping company before proceeding for shipping.
