Building a Load Review Checklist That Prevents Mistakes

Why You Need a Load Review Checklist in the First Place

Trucking moves fast. But when you move fast without checking the details, you leave money on the table — or worse, you create fires your team has to put out later.

Here’s what usually goes wrong when you skip a proper load review:

• Rate confirmation errors
  
• Wrong pickup or delivery times
  
• Missed accessorials like detention or layover
  
• Incorrect equipment assigned
  
• Incomplete driver instructions
  
• Routing issues that cause late arrivals
  
• No backup contacts if something goes wrong
  

Now multiply that by 5, 10, or 15 loads a week — and you’re not just dealing with headaches. You’re bleeding out in your back office.

A proper checklist catches all of this upfront. It slows you down just enough to speed everything else up.

Step 1 – Build the Review Into Your Load Intake Process

Your load review process doesn’t start after the load is dispatched. It starts right when the load gets booked — before you send it to dispatch, before the driver ever sees it.

This means your checklist lives inside your load intake workflow, not as an afterthought. Whether you use a TMS, spreadsheet, or just a paper file, every load should go through the same checklist before it’s marked “ready.”

If you’ve got a team, train them to use the checklist the same way, every time. If you’re solo, train yourself to stop cutting corners. Structure isn’t a luxury — it’s survival.

Step 2 – The Essentials You Can’t Skip

Here’s what needs to be on every single load review checklist — no exceptions:

Load Information

• Load number, PO, or reference ID
  
• Pickup address and ZIP code
  
• Delivery address and ZIP code
  
• Appointment times (verify AM vs PM)
  
• Time zone confirmations for long-haul loads
  
• Commodity description and weight
  
• Hazmat or special handling flags
  
• Temperature requirements (reefer-specific)
  

Rate and Terms

• Agreed rate (linehaul + fuel)
  
• Accessorials: detention, layover, TONU, etc.
  
• Reimbursement agreements (lumper, tolls, etc.)
  
• Payment terms and method (quick pay, factoring, etc.)
  
• Is the rate confirmation signed and stored
  

Broker or Shipper Contact Info

• Primary contact name and number
  
• After-hours contact info
  
• Email for document submission
  
• Any carrier packet or insurance compliance notes
  

Equipment Check

• Equipment type required (van, reefer, flatbed)
  
• Is your equipment compliant (straps, load bars, reefer temp range)
  
• Does the driver assigned match load requirements (e.g., hazmat cert)
  

Driver & Dispatch Readiness

• Has the driver received a full brief on the load
  
• Has the dispatcher confirmed route and delivery timing
  
• Are special instructions communicated clearly (e.g., FCFS, check call frequency)
  
• Is the BOL format known and understood (some shippers require specific forms)
  

Risk & Red Flag Review

• Are there previous issues with this broker or shipper
  
• Is the load origin/destination known for delays or strict receivers
  
• Are there any weather alerts, road closures, or traffic impacts expected
  

This is the difference between “I thought we covered that” and “We checked it — it was covered.”

Step 3 – Create a Template You Can Use Every Time

Now that you know what goes on the checklist, let’s talk format.

Your checklist should live in one of three places:

• Inside your TMS (if your system supports custom fields)
  
• A shareable Google Form or spreadsheet
  
• A printed form kept in a load binder or clipboard
  

What matters isn’t where it lives — it’s that it’s used consistently.

Pro tip: Add a final “Verified By” field at the bottom with a name and timestamp. If you have a team, this builds accountability. If you’re solo, it builds discipline. You’d be surprised how many mistakes you catch when you know you have to sign off on your own process.

Step 4 – Tie the Checklist Into Driver Communication

The best checklist in the world is useless if it doesn’t translate into clean communication with your driver.

Once a load is reviewed and cleared, create a driver-ready version of the details. This could be a PDF dispatch sheet, an in-app dispatch (if you use TMS), or a text/email summary that’s easy to reference.

Here’s what your driver should have on hand:

• Pickup and delivery addresses with contact numbers
  
• Appointment windows
  
• Commodity details and any special instructions
  
• Deadhead miles and routing notes
  
• Instructions for paperwork, PODs, and check calls
  

Your checklist should make sure the driver doesn’t have to guess. That’s how you cut down on phone tag, missed updates, and “I didn’t know” moments.

Step 5 – Review the Review

Even checklists need to evolve. Once a month, sit down and audit your own process.

Look back at loads that had issues and ask:

• Was the issue something the checklist should have caught
  
• Was the checklist used and completed
  
• Do we need to add a field or question
  
• Are there brokers or shippers we need to flag based on patterns
  

This is how you keep the system sharp. Checklists aren’t one-and-done. They’re living tools that help your business adapt and improve.

What a Clean Review Process Looks Like

Let me paint the picture.

A load offer comes in. Your dispatcher enters the details, and the checklist gets pulled up immediately. Each field is verified — addresses double-checked, rates confirmed, driver assigned based on equipment, and all contacts logged. The rate con gets reviewed, signed, and attached. The driver receives a formatted dispatch sheet with every detail clear as day. The load runs smoothly. No calls. No confusion. No back-and-forth.

That’s not luck. That’s the process.

That’s what allows you to scale without falling apart.

Final Word

Too many carriers are running loads on hope and memory. Hope that the dispatcher caught everything. I hope that the rate was right. I hope that the driver doesn’t forget the appointment time.

Hope is not a strategy.

If you want to build a real business — one that’s lean, profitable, and built to last — you need structure. A load review checklist isn’t optional. It’s how you protect your time, your team, and your bottom line.

One mistake on one load might feel small. But a missed accessorial here, a miscommunication there — those little cracks add up. And if you don’t tighten your process, they’ll sink you before you ever hit your stride.

So build the checklist. Use it every time. And run your operation like a carrier who plans to win.

Let’s get to work.