What Is a Rate Confirmation?

Also called a "rate con" — plain-English explanation for anyone getting into dispatch.

If you're getting into truck dispatching, the rate confirmation is one of the first documents you'll touch on every single load. Here's exactly what it is and why it matters.

What's actually on a rate con

Every rate confirmation covers the same core information, no matter which broker it comes from:

• The rate — the total dollar amount the carrier gets paid for the load.
• Pickup and delivery — the origin and destination, with dates and appointment times.
• Load details — commodity, weight, equipment type, and how it's loaded.
• Reference numbers — the load or PRO number used to track the shipment.
• Broker and carrier info — MC numbers, contacts, and payment terms.
• Accessorials — any extra charges agreed to, like detention or layover.

Why it matters to a dispatcher

The rate con is your protection and your record. Once it's signed, the rate is locked — a broker can't quietly pay less than what's on the document. As a dispatcher, reading a rate con correctly is how you catch a bad rate before your driver ever rolls, spot missing accessorials, and make sure the pickup window actually works for the truck.

It's also the document you'll reference for every problem that comes up mid-load: a detention claim, a delivery dispute, a payment question. If it's not on the rate con, it's hard to enforce — which is why experienced dispatchers read every line before signing.

Rate con vs. bill of lading

People new to freight mix these up. The rate confirmation is the agreement about money, signed before the load moves. The bill of lading (BOL) is the legal receipt for the freight itself, signed at pickup and delivery. Two different documents, two different jobs — you'll use both on every load.