DockBOL guides
Bill of lading guides
Plain-English references for the paperwork that moves freight — what a BOL is, which form to use, how the barcodes work, and how LTL classification really works. Written for shippers, dock leads, dispatchers, and drivers.
The guides
What is a bill of lading?
The receipt, contract, and delivery instruction every shipment rides on — what goes on a BOL, who signs it, and a worked example.
- BOL basics
- Carmack Amendment
- Worked example
Straight vs. VICS bill of lading
Both are non-negotiable — the difference is the 17-digit GS1 shipment ID retail distribution centers expect. Includes the check-digit math, worked.
- VICS/GS1
- 17-digit ID
- Routing guides
Bill of lading barcodes
Code 128 vs. GS1-128, what AI (402) means, and how to print BOL and PRO barcodes that scan the first time — with live examples.
- Code 128
- GS1-128 · AI (402)
- Print tips
LTL freight class & NMFC, explained
What classes 50–500 mean, the four classification factors, density math you can do yourself, and who actually assigns a class.
- NMFC
- Density math
- Reclass risk
How to fill out a bill of lading
A field-by-field domestic-freight workflow that separates the covered carrier baseline from carrier, LTL, and regulated-cargo details.
- BOL fields
- Pickup check
- LTL details
BOL vs. invoice, packing list & freight bill
A document-lifecycle map for the shipment record, order contents, sale, carrier charge, and proof of delivery.
- Packing list
- Freight bill
- POD
BOL, PRO, SCAC & PO numbers
Who assigns each identifier, what it identifies, and how to keep customer and carrier references from being mixed up.
- PRO number
- SCAC
- PO number
NMFC vs. freight class
The distinction between an NMFC item, applicable freight class, and density calculation—with a clear confirmation boundary.
- Classification
- Density
- LTL
Straight vs. order bill of lading
An educational guide to nonnegotiable and negotiable terminology, and when domestic BOL software is not the right workflow.
- Nonnegotiable
- To order
- Scope
Hazmat BOL vs. shipping paper
Why an ordinary BOL is not a hazmat-compliance tool, and the DOT/PHMSA boundaries to check before tendering regulated freight.
- Hazmat
- Shipping paper
- PHMSA
The free tools
Straight BOL generator
The everyday non-negotiable form — fill it in, watch the document build, download the PDF.
VICS/GS1 generator
Retail-inbound mode with the 17-digit shipment ID builder and live check-digit math.
BOL template PDF
Start blank or load a sample — a printable US Letter BOL without the blank-PDF hunt.
Reading done? The generator is free
Everything in these guides is built into the tool — live preview, scannable barcodes, density math, and a print-ready US Letter PDF. No signup, no watermark.
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