CMR and loading order: what to check before the truck leaves

Most disputes in road freight do not start on the road, they start in the paperwork. A late delivery, a damaged pallet or an unpaid invoice, in the end it all comes down to what the documents say and who has them.

The loading order

The loading order is your deal on paper. Before the truck leaves, check that it includes:

• the exact loading and delivery address, not just the city
• the loading date and an approximate time
• the type of goods, the weight and the number of pallets
• the price, the currency and the payment term
• the name and phone number of a contact person on both sides

If anything is missing, ask for it right away. Later it is much harder.

The CMR

The CMR is the international consignment note and the main proof that goods were picked up and handed over. Pay attention to three things. The sender and the consignee must be filled in correctly. At delivery, ask for the consignee's signature and stamp, with the date. If goods are damaged or a pallet is missing, write it on the CMR before signing, not afterwards over the phone.

Photos help more than you think

Take photos of the goods at loading, of the seal if there is one, and of the signed CMR at delivery. A photo with a time and place often settles an argument in five minutes.

Where to keep documents

The worst place for documents is a chat group or the driver's phone gallery. When you need them, nobody can find the right version. Documents belong with the load and with the conversation with the company you work with.

In CargoTrust you send the order, the CMR and photos straight into the chat with the other company, and every file from every conversation stays in one overview you can search by company and route. If you ever leave a review about the job, the same documents serve as proof that the job really happened.

In short

A clean loading order, a correctly filled CMR and a few photos solve most problems before they start. You just need them in one place when it matters.