Mercury CDL TrainingLearn the road before you drive it
Educational examples only · Always follow the actual shipping paper, regulations, and carrier procedures.

Practical document lesson

How to read a BOL and a hazmat shipping paper

A bill of lading tells you what you accepted, where it is going, and what needs special attention. When hazardous material is involved, the shipping paper becomes an emergency communication document. Learn to read both before the truck moves.

Read in / Leer en

First, know the documents

BOL, shipping paper, and proof of delivery are related—but not identical.

Bill of lading (BOL)

A freight document describing the shipment and the parties involved. Forms vary by shipper and carrier; there is no single universal layout for ordinary freight.

Hazmat shipping paper

A BOL, manifest, waybill, shipping order, or other document can serve as the shipping paper if it contains the required hazardous-material information.

Proof of delivery (POD)

The signed delivery record. Before leaving, make sure shortages, visible damage, refusals, seal issues, and other exceptions are written clearly.

Never sign automatically. Your signature may acknowledge receipt or delivery. Read the form, compare it with the freight you can reasonably verify, and write exceptions before signing. Follow company procedure when freight is marked “shipper load and count” or “said to contain.”

Example 1 · Standard freight

Read an ordinary BOL from the shipment identity down to the signatures.

This fictional form highlights the fields a driver commonly uses. The names, addresses, numbers, and shipment are invented.

The horizontal scroll on a phone is intentional: it keeps the sample document large enough to read. Each highlighted number matches the explanation below.
1
Document identity

Use the BOL number and date when speaking with dispatch, the shipper, or the receiver. Do not confuse the BOL with a PO, pickup, or load number.

2
Shipper

The location offering the freight. Confirm the pickup facility and contact instructions match your dispatch information.

3
Consignee

The receiving party. Compare the name, complete address, appointment, and any facility-specific directions.

4
Carrier, trailer, and seal

Confirm the correct carrier and equipment. If a seal is applied, compare the number before departure and protect its integrity.

5
Reference numbers

PO, pickup, delivery, and appointment numbers identify different parts of the transaction. Know which number the gate or receiver will request.

6
Freight details

Read handling units, package type, description, freight class when used, and weight. Compare counts and visible condition only to the extent you are permitted and able to verify them.

7
Instructions and exceptions

Read temperature, securement, delivery, seal, and handling notes. Write shortages, refusals, or visible damage clearly and obtain acknowledgment when required.

8
Signatures

Check what your signature means. Add the date and time if required, keep the correct copy, and never sign a blank or unreadable document.

A practical reading order

Five checks before you leave the shipper

1. Right place

Shipper, consignee, pickup number, destination, and appointment match dispatch.

2. Right freight

Description, package type, handling-unit count, and weight make sense for the load.

3. Right equipment

Trailer, container, temperature, seal, and special equipment information are correct.

4. Exceptions recorded

Shortage, overage, visible damage, rejected product, or seal problem is documented—not merely discussed.

5. Correct copies

You have the documents required for transit and delivery, and dispatch receives what company procedure requires.

Example 2 · Hazardous materials

The hazmat line must communicate the hazard in the required sequence.

Hazmat entries may appear on a BOL or another shipping paper. The form can vary, but the regulated information cannot be guessed, rearranged casually, or replaced with an internal product nickname.

1Identification number
UN1203
2Proper shipping name
Gasoline
3Hazard class or division
3
4Packing group, when assigned
PG II
This mock document teaches placement and reading order. It is intentionally incomplete as a real shipping record and must never be used to offer or transport material.
1
Hazmat indicator

When hazmat and non-hazmat materials share a paper, the hazardous entry must be made identifiable by an allowed method—for example, an “X” in an HM column, listed first, or shown in a clearly contrasting manner.

2
Basic description

Read the identification number, proper shipping name, hazard class or division, and packing group when assigned—in that order, with no unrelated information inserted between them.

3
Package and quantity

Check the number and type of packages plus total quantity as the rules require. Bulk packages and cylinders have specific ways quantity may be shown.

4
Emergency telephone

The number must be easy to find and satisfy federal monitoring and knowledgeable-response requirements while the material is in transportation. A service-provider name or contract identifier may also be required.

5
Emergency information

Required emergency-response information must be available. Use the identification number and proper shipping name to match the material—never an informal product name alone.

6
Cross-check the load

Compare the document with package markings and labels, cargo tank markings, and placards. Stop and contact the shipper or carrier when the communication does not agree.

7
Shipper certification

The initial carrier generally checks for the required certification and signature, subject to regulatory exceptions. The certification belongs to the person offering the material; do not invent or alter it.

Keep the hazmat shipping paper recognizable and reachable. At the controls, it must be within immediate reach while restrained and either visible to someone entering the cab or in the driver-door holder. Away from the controls, place it in that door holder or on the driver's seat. If carried with other papers, tab it distinctly or place it first.

Stop before movement

Do not accept a mismatch as “close enough.”

Pause and contact the shipper, carrier, dispatch, or qualified hazmat employee when a name, number, quantity, package, marking, label, placard, seal, emergency contact, or certification appears missing or inconsistent. Drivers should not repair regulated descriptions by guessing.

Continue learning

Connect the shipping paper to the vehicle communication outside the cab.

Study the hazardous-materials endorsement lesson →
Open the hazmat placard decision tool →

Official sources

Federal hazardous-material rules used for this lesson

Last reviewed: September 2026. This lesson is general education, not shipment-specific hazmat training or legal advice.