LTL Bill of Lading Guide | How Freightzy Creates & Prints BOLs
Simplify Your LTL Freight Shipping with Pre-Filled Freightzy BOLs
When you're shipping LTL freight, the Bill of Lading (BOL) is one of the most important documents you’ll use. It tells the carrier exactly what they’re picking up, where it’s going, and how it needs to be handled. A clean, accurate BOL means your shipment moves smoothly. A vague or incorrect BOL often leads to delivery delays, fees, or frustrating reclassification and reweigh charges.
The good news? Freightzy makes the entire BOL process simpler, faster, and more accurate. Whether you’re creating an LTL shipment from scratch or handling recurring freight, most of the work is automated for you. The platform pulls the right information directly into your BOL, prompts you for anything missing, and generates properly formatted labels so you can ship without stress.
If you’ve ever wondered how your Freightzy BOL is created, how to print it correctly, or why accuracy matters so much in LTL freight, this guide walks you through the entire process in a clear, customer-friendly way.
What Is a Bill of Lading (BOL) in LTL Shipping?
A Bill of Lading is a legal shipping document that travels with your freight from pickup to delivery. It acts as three things at once: a contract, a receipt, and a record of ownership.
In LTL shipping, the BOL is essential because it communicates every detail the carrier needs to move your freight. It lists the shipper, consignee, commodity descriptions, freight class, weight, dimensions, accessorials, and any special instructions. Every movement of your freight - from loading at the origin terminal to unloading at the destination - is based on what’s written on this document.
Because LTL carriers consolidate freight from multiple shippers on a single trailer, they rely heavily on accurate documentation to make pricing, handling, and routing decisions. The cleaner your BOL, the smoother your shipment.
Why BOL Accuracy Matters for LTL Freight
LTL carriers use your BOL to determine how your freight is rated, handled, and inspected. If something on the BOL doesn’t match the actual freight, they adjust it - and those adjustments often result in rebills.
This is why many shippers experience unexpected charges such as:
- Reclass fees when the listed freight class is wrong - Reweigh fees when weight or dimensions are inaccurate - Accessorial fees when services weren’t listed on the BOL - Delivery delays caused by missing consignee information - Claims disputes when the BOL doesn’t match the freight condition
A well-completed BOL prevents the majority of these issues. When you’re shipping with Freightzy, much of this accuracy is built into the process, because the platform prompts you for the details that carriers rely on.
Freightzy automatically detects common errors such as missing dimensions, vague commodity descriptions, or incomplete address fields. This reduces the risk of reclassification charges and keeps your LTL shipments moving without interruption.
How Freightzy Automatically Builds Your BOL
One of the biggest benefits of shipping through Freightzy is how much of the BOL is prepared for you. Instead of having to fill out every field manually, Freightzy pulls relevant information from your shipment details, saved products, and previous shipments.
The platform automatically inserts:
1. Pickup and delivery addresses 2. Company names and contact details 3. Commodity information 4. Dimensions, weight, and packaging type 5. NMFC details (when available) 6. Accessorial selections 7. Volume LTL quote numbers (when required)
This means even if you’re not a freight expert, your BOL will be structured the way carriers expect.
Freightzy also formats your BOL using the industry-standard layout, which eliminates the guesswork and reduces the chance that a carrier will misread or misinterpret important information.
Step-by-Step: How to Create a BOL in Freightzy
Your BOL is generated automatically as part of your shipment workflow. Here's how the process works from your perspective.
1. Log In to Freightzy
- Access your BOL from the Freightzy portal anytime.
2. Start a New Shipment
- Enter your pickup and delivery information. Freightzy remembers your frequently used locations, making this step quick.
3. Enter Your Freight Details
- You’ll add weight, dimensions, packaging type, and a clear description of what you're shipping. If you’ve shipped the same item before, you can load saved product details to auto-fill everything.
4. Select Your LTL Carrier and Service
Once you choose from your available LTL rates, Freightzy stores the important carrier-specific fields that must appear on your BOL.
5. Review Your Auto-Filled BOL Fields
Before generating the BOL, you’ll see the full preview. This allows you to correct anything, update product descriptions, or adjust accessorials.
6. Generate Your BOL and Labels
With one click, Freightzy creates a clean, accurate BOL along with properly formatted labels.
7. Print or Download Your Documents
Once your documents are generated, they’re stored within your shipment view, making it easy to reprint or email to your warehouse or shipping team.
This structured workflow is designed to eliminate the guesswork that often leads to BOL errors in manual freight operations.
How to Print BOLs & Labels Through Freightzy
Your BOL and shipping labels should always accompany your LTL freight. With Freightzy, this is simple.
When your BOL is generated, you’ll see options to:
- Print - Download - Email the documents - Reprint them later
Your shipping labels are produced in Avery 5168 format, which is a standard label size for LTL freight. This ensures that your labels are clear and scannable when the driver arrives.
Once printed, attach the labels to each piece of freight and keep the BOL accessible for the carrier at pickup. Many shippers choose to place one copy inside a document pouch on the pallet and hand a second copy to the driver.
If you’ve updated anything in your shipment after generating the BOL, you can simply reprint the updated version. Freightzy always keeps your most recent BOL version visible in your shipment timeline.
Common BOL Errors and How Freightzy Helps Prevent Them
Even experienced shippers make mistakes when filling out a BOL manually. These mistakes are the leading cause of billing disputes, delays, and claims issues. The good news is that Freightzy is designed to help catch and prevent them.
Incorrect freight class
If you list the wrong freight class, the carrier will correct it and issue a reclass. Freightzy helps reduce this risk by prompting you for density-based information when necessary.
Vague commodity descriptions
Descriptions such as “machinery,” “equipment,” or “parts” are guaranteed to trigger inspections. Freightzy encourages clear, specific item descriptions that reduce the chance of reclassification.
Missing accessorials
If your freight requires a liftgate or residential delivery, but it isn’t listed on the BOL, the carrier will still charge for it - usually at a higher rate. Freightzy identifies common accessorial triggers to make sure they appear on the BOL.
Incorrect dimensions or weight
LTL carriers re-weigh almost everything. Freightzy helps ensure your shipment details are complete and consistent before generating your BOL.
Missing contact information
Incomplete consignee details lead to delivery delays. Freightzy confirms the required fields so your shipment doesn’t get stuck in a terminal.
By building your BOL around complete information, Freightzy helps ensure your LTL freight moves smoothly from pickup to delivery.
Need Help With Printing Your Freightzy BOL?
Have questions about Freightzy BOLs or your LTL shipment? Contact Freightzy support today we’re here to make your shipping experience seamless.
FAQ: About LTL Bill of Lading
How do I print my BOL in Freightzy?
After booking your shipment, your BOL appears in the shipment view. You can print or download it immediately or access it later at any time.
Why is my BOL auto-filled?
Freightzy uses your shipment data, saved addresses, and product details to automatically fill most BOL fields. This reduces errors and speeds up the process.
Can I edit my BOL after creating it?
Yes. If you update your shipment information, Freightzy regenerates the BOL with corrected fields.
How do I avoid reclass fees caused by bad BOL data?
Use accurate dimensions, weight, and clear descriptions. Freightzy prompts you when information looks incomplete or inconsistent.
Do I need a new BOL for recurring shipments?
Yes, but Freightzy makes this easy by allowing you to generate new BOLs from stored product and shipment data.
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