The rate confirmation ("rate con") is the contract for a single load. It is issued after the rate is agreed on the phone and before the truck picks up. Signing and returning it commits the carrier to the load on the stated terms.
Every number that will end up on the invoice should be on the rate con: the linehaul rate, fuel surcharge treatment, the free time and hourly rate for detention, the layover amount, stop-off charges, tarping, and how lumper receipts are reimbursed. Charges that are not on the rate con are the ones that get short-paid.
It also carries the operational details the driver needs — appointment numbers, facility hours, commodity, weight, and any special requirements — and the broker’s billing instructions, including where to send the invoice and paperwork and how many days payment takes.
Example
A broker books a carrier at $1,900 for a 950-mile load and emails a rate confirmation showing that rate, a 0800 pickup appointment, a 2-hour free window with $60/hour detention after, a $200 layover, one extra stop at $50, and a note that lumper receipts are reimbursed with the invoice. The carrier signs it back before dispatching the truck.
Why it matters
The rate confirmation is the reference every billing dispute goes back to. If detention terms or a stop-off charge were not written on it, collecting them after the fact is difficult.
In Trailflow, this shows up in dispatch.