What is a shipper?

The shipper is the party that sends the freight. On a US domestic bill of lading the shipper is the named sender. In many contracts the same party is called the consignor. Parcel Management Group is a registered freight broker (USDOT 3266041 · MC 1030328) in Ventura, CA 93001. Call (805) 984-4114.

What a shipper does

The shipper books or arranges the move, names the origin, the pieces, the weight, and the accessorial needs, and is named as the shipper on the bill of lading.

Arranging the move can be a call to a broker or a tender from the shipper's traffic desk. The name in the shipper box is the sender of record either way.

Origin is the pickup address and the dock or yard the truck enters. Pieces are the cartons, pallets, or loose units on that pickup. Weight is the total the carrier rates. Accessorial needs at origin are extras such as a liftgate, inside pickup, or a limited-access stop.

The shipper is not always the seller. A 3PL or a warehouse can ship for the owner. A plant can ship to another plant in the same company. A fulfillment center can tender retail stock it does not own. The party that hands the freight to the carrier is the shipper.

At pickup, someone at the shipper's dock signs the bill of lading. The signature records that the freight was tendered as described. The driver does not rename the shipper.

Shipper vs consignee

The shipper sends the freight. The consignee receives it. Both names go on the bill of lading, in different boxes.

The shipper block is the pickup party. The consignee block is the delivery party. A company can be the shipper on freight it sends and the consignee on freight it receives. The role follows the shipment.

Ownership in transit depends on the sale terms, such as FOB. Those terms say where risk changes hands. They do not rewrite the shipper box. Who the carrier bills is separate too: prepaid bills the shipper, and collect bills the consignee.

Shipper vs consignor

In US truck freight, consignor usually means the same party as the shipper, the sender of record. Other modes may prefer consignor. Ocean bills and many international contracts use that word for the sender.

On a domestic bill of lading, look for the shipper box. If a contract says consignor and the bill says shipper, read them as the same sender unless the contract names a different party.

What to tell your broker

Send these facts before the quote.

1. Origin dock rules and hours.
2. Piece count, pallet count, and weight.
3. Appointment needs.
4. Who pays accessorials at origin.
5. Whether a packing list will be ready.

Dock rules and hours decide whether the truck can check in. Piece count, pallet count, and weight are the rating inputs and the count the receiver will match. An appointment is a booked time instead of an open arrival. Say who pays accessorials at origin so a liftgate or similar need is on the quote. If the receiver expects a packing list, have it with the freight before pickup.

Put the same piece count on the shipping manifest.

See how freight quoting works. Start an LTL freight quote once those facts are ready.

How PMG helps

PMG books LTL and FTL with vetted carriers and checks origin rules before booking so shipper details on the bill of lading match the dock. That check covers the shipper name, the pickup hours, and the accessorials the origin requires. Quote path: /ltl-freight-quote/ · /services/.

Call (805) 984-4114 or start a chat at /#contact.

What is a consignee · What is a bill of lading · What is a packing list · How freight quoting works · LTL freight quote · Services