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Standard Truckload Bill of Lading (STBOL)

Purpose. The purpose of the STBOL is to establish standard terms and conditions for use by shippers and carriers in the transportation of truckload shipments.

Need. Standard or uniform bills of lading have been traditionally used in the transportation industry. By regulation, there is a uniform bill of lading is applicable to rail shipments. See 49 C.F.R. 1035. Less than truckload carriers, almost without exception, participate in the uniform bill of lading published by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association.

Truckload shippers and carriers have traditionally accepted the general rules of commerce which are common to both the rail and the LTL bills of lading, but the NMFTA bill is no longer the accepted standard in the truckload industry because very few truckload carriers meet the prerequisite requirement of tariff bureau participation.

The STBOL incorporates the general rules of commerce found in both the rail and the LTL bills. Because it is not published by a rate bureau nor created by collective carrier efforts, it may be used by shippers and carriers alike without a subscription fee or bureau membership.

Origin. The front or facing page of the STBOL includes all of the essential terms of the bill of lading published by VICS (a joint industry effort). The back side of the STBOL is an appropriately edited version of the traditionally accepted language condition in the rail bill (see 49 C.F.R. 1035, App. B) contains the general principles of transportation law found in both the rail and the LTL bills.

How to Use the STBOL. The STBOL may be downloaded from this web site and used by shippers, carriers and intermediaries without fee or enrollment. In order to achieve its goal of broad acceptance, users are asked to refer to the term "Standard Truckload Bill of Lading" only when using this document without altering its terms or conditions.

This document may be incorporated into contracts and carrier rules tariffs by republication or by reference.

Delta Nu Alpha is the official host web site for the Standard Truckload Bill of Lading (STBOL). To download and use the STBOL from this web site click on the links below.

Standard Truckload Bill of Lading (page 1)
Standard Truckload Bill of Lading (page 2)

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