Inland Bill Of Lading

Categories: Company Management

A bill of lading is a document used for transportation. It's essentially a contract between the company shipping something and the firm doing the transporting. An inland bill of lading just refers to one of these deals that involves a trip over land. (Not just roads, though. The document also relates to trips using inland waterways.)

The application of inland bills of lading often comes up in international shipments.

You want to move your vintage Donkey Kong arcade game from your apartment in Boston to a new house you just bought in Toronto. You don't have room in your car, so you hire your cousin Ronnie to drive it there in his truck. You and Ronnie sign an inland bill of lading. It acts as a receipt showing that Ronnie's in possession of the game until he delivers it in Toronto.

The document also sets out the terms of your carriage contract, outlining what the product is and how much its worth. It also describes the origin of the item and its destination, as well as the financial terms agreed upon by the parties (you're giving Ronnie $100 + gas and tolls).

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