What a freight invoice needs
A freight invoice has to match the paperwork that moved the load. The receiver's clerk or the broker's accounts team checks your bill against the bill of lading (BOL, the shipping document signed at pickup) and the proof of delivery (POD, the signed receipt at drop-off). Put these on every one:
- Load or BOL number, and your PRO number if the broker uses one. Put it in the reference field so it prints near the top.
- Pickup and delivery: the city, state and date for each stop.
- Miles between the stops, and the rate basis you used.
- Weight or pieces, if the rate depends on them.
- Each charge on its own line: linehaul, fuel surcharge, detention, tolls and extra stops.
- Your company details, the broker or shipper's details, and the payment terms.
Attach the signed POD. Many brokers ask for it before they pay.
Pricing a load: per mile, flat rate and fuel surcharge
| Pricing | How it shows on the invoice | Typical use |
|---|---|---|
| Per mile | Miles as the quantity, rate per mile as the price | Loads quoted by the mile |
| Flat rate per load | Quantity 1, the agreed total as the price | Short hauls and one-off jobs |
| Per hour or per stop | Hours or stops as the quantity | Local delivery routes and multi-drop work |
| Fuel surcharge | One line, worked out from the fuel price | Loads where fuel rises above the agreed base price |
A common fuel surcharge works like this. You and the customer agree on a base diesel price and the truck's fuel economy in miles per gallon (mpg). When diesel costs more than the base, the extra cost per mile is multiplied by the miles driven:
(current price - base price) ÷ mpg × miles
Example: base $1.25 per gallon, current $1.55, 6.0 mpg, 452 miles. ($1.55 - $1.25) ÷ 6.0 × 452 = $22.60. Many carriers use the weekly U.S. Department of Energy diesel price as the current price. Write the source, the base price and the mpg in the contract or the notes, so the client can check the number.
Waiting time, stop-offs and tolls
Trucks often wait at a dock. The waiting charge is called detention, and most agreements give a set number of free hours at each stop before it starts. Two hours is a common free time, but the number is whatever you agreed.
- Write the times on the BOL. Record the arrival and departure time at each stop. Without times, a detention line is hard to defend.
- Bill detention on its own line. Hours past free time as the quantity, the agreed hourly rate as the price. Three hours at $50 is $150.
- Add stop-offs as separate lines. A load picked up or dropped at an extra address gets a flat charge or a charge per stop.
- Pass tolls through at cost. Show them on their own line and attach the receipts or the toll statement. Add a markup only if the agreement says so.
Sales tax on freight
Freight rules differ from state to state. Some states treat transport charges differently when they are billed separately from goods, and interstate hauling can follow its own rules. Ask your state's department of revenue, or the customer's accounts team, which rule applies before you set a tax rate.
Duebolt lets you set a tax rate on each line. If freight is exempt in your case, leave those lines at 0% and set the rate only on the lines that are taxable.
Getting paid faster
- Send the invoice the same day the POD is signed, with the POD attached.
- Use the load number as the reference so the broker's system matches the bill to the load.
- Agree on payment terms before the truck rolls. Net 30 is common with brokers. Some carriers offer quick pay for a fee. Write the terms on the invoice.
- Keep a copy of every BOL and POD with the invoice, for your records and for any dispute.
Last checked October 28, 2026.
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