Building a Load Intake Process That Keeps You Organized

Why Your Load Intake Process Matters More Than You Think

When freight hits your phone or inbox, that’s the starting line of your service. And what happens next determines whether the rest of your operation flows smoothly or becomes a dumpster fire of last-minute calls and missed details.

Here’s what a poor intake process causes:

• Missed appointment windows
  
• Confused dispatching
  
• Incorrect billing
  
• Routing mistakes
  
• Lack of visibility for your team
  
• Stress you don’t need
  

All of this could’ve been avoided if the load was properly captured, stored, and communicated up front.

Your intake process is how you protect your business from rework, costly mistakes, and unnecessary stress. Get this right, and your dispatching, accounting, driver communication, and customer service all level up automatically.

Step 1 – Centralize Your Load Intake

You cannot build a system that depends on you remembering everything. So the first thing you need to do is centralize how loads come in.

One intake channel. One process. One location.

Whether it’s email, phone calls, or a load board, you need a consistent method for documenting and storing each load before it ever touches a driver.

Use a load intake form or TMS system where every load gets entered the same way every time — by you, your dispatcher, or whoever’s on intake duty.

Here’s what should be captured immediately:

• Load ID or PO number
  
• Broker/shipper contact name and phone number
  
• Pickup and delivery address (with ZIP codes)
  
• Appointment times (not just dates)
  
• Commodity and weight
  
• Equipment requirements
  
• Rate and terms (including detention, TONU, etc.)
  
• Any special instructions
  

If it’s not captured here, it will be missed later. Guaranteed.

Pro tip: Use a shared Google Form or TMS with required fields so nobody can skip a step. Don’t assume people will remember to ask for everything.

Step 2 – Lock Down Load Confirmation Protocol

Too many carriers run with verbal confirmation or “the rate con’s coming later.” That’s how you end up running loads you can’t bill for — or worse, getting ghosted on payment.

Every load should have a rate confirmation in writing before wheels turn.

Not only do you need the rate con, but you also need a checklist to verify:

• Is the rate con signed
  
• Do the pickup and delivery windows match what was agreed
  
• Are detention, layover, and accessorial terms clearly listed
  
• Are lumper instructions or reimbursements defined
  

Train your team to push back. If a broker sends a half-complete rate con, don’t move until it’s fixed. Your process has to protect your money.

Step 3 – Integrate Your Intake with Dispatch and Driver Communication

Once a load is confirmed, it’s time to hand it off cleanly. That means:

• Dispatch gets every detail without chasing you down
  
• Driver gets a clear briefing with no missing info
  
• You’re not retyping or relaying the same info three times
  

If you’re using a TMS like TruckingOffice, PCS, or Ascend, the info should flow straight into dispatch.

If not, use a standardized driver dispatch sheet. Here’s what should be on it:

• Load number
  
• Pickup and delivery info
  
• Appointment times
  
• Commodity details
  
• Special notes or delivery instructions
  
• Contact names and phone numbers
  
• Deadhead and loaded miles
  
• Rate
  

Make this part templated. Your drivers should know exactly what to expect when a load comes through — no guesswork, no confusion.

Step 4 – Document the Load Flow End-to-End

After the load is dispatched, you need to track its status — not just from the driver’s mouth, but in your system.

You should be able to answer these questions without digging:

• Has the driver been dispatched
  
• Did they arrive on time
  
• Was there a detention
  
• Any OS&D (Overages, Shortages, or Damages)
  
• Have we invoiced the broker yet
  
• Are the PODs uploaded and stored
  

This is where many carriers fall apart. They stop tracking the load after it leaves the dock — and then scramble when something goes wrong or payment is delayed.

Even if you’re small, build your habit like a big carrier. Track every load to the finish line. Use color-coded statuses, tags, or simple spreadsheets if you don’t have TMS software yet.

Step 5 – Review and Reconcile Weekly

This is the step that separates organized operators from those who just “hope it all works out.”

Every week, you should be reviewing:

• Which loads were entered and run
  
• What’s been invoiced
  
• What’s been paid
  
• Any exceptions (missed appointments, claims, etc.)
  
• Any breakdowns in your intake process
  

This is how you refine. If a dispatcher keeps forgetting to log accessorials, fix the process. If a broker always sends late rate cons, flag them. This is how you protect your profits and tighten your back office.

What It Looks Like When You Get This Right

Let’s paint the picture.

A load comes in. It’s entered into your system within five minutes. All load info is there — addresses, contacts, times, special instructions. A rate con is signed, saved, and attached. Your dispatcher sees it without asking. The driver gets a clean, formatted dispatch sheet on time. Delivery happens, POD gets uploaded, invoice goes out the same day. You follow up on payment without chasing paper.

That’s what it looks like when your operation is organized. That’s what allows you to scale without losing your mind. That’s how you build a business — not just run a truck.

Final Word

Every single load that comes into your business is an opportunity — or a liability. The difference is in the process. Don’t just “get the load covered.” Build a system that captures, stores, and communicates every piece of that freight from intake to invoice.

You don’t need a 10-truck fleet to run tight. You need discipline. You need repeatable steps. And you need a process that doesn’t rely on memory or last-minute scrambles.

Fix your intake, and the rest of your business gets easier.

Let’s get to work.