Preparation
The Bill of Lading Is the Only Document That Matters
It is the inspection record, the receipt and the contract in one page. How to read it at pickup, what to write at delivery, and the one line that ends a claim before it starts.
ReadPreparation
The Pre-Pickup Routine: Preparing a Vehicle So Nothing Goes Wrong
Most transport disputes are avoidable and start days before the truck arrives. This is the routine we walk every customer through — including the toll transponder step almost everyone forgets.
July 28, 2026 · 6 min read
Wash it — then photograph everything
A clean vehicle is the single best protection you have. Dirt hides chips, scuffs and stone rash, and a driver cannot note a defect on the Bill of Lading that neither of you can see.
After washing, take timestamped photos in daylight: all four corners, each panel straight on, the roof, the wheels, the windshield, the interior and the odometer. Photograph any existing damage close up with something for scale. This set of images is your entire evidence file if a claim is ever needed.
Turn off your toll transponder
Remove or fully deactivate any SunPass, E-ZPass, PikePass or similar device before pickup. A transponder left active on a truck deck will register at gantries the whole way across the country and bill your account for tolls you never drove through.
Tolls, tickets and citations incurred while the vehicle is in transit remain the vehicle owner's responsibility. Sliding the device into its shielded pouch is not enough on every system — take it out of the windshield and put it in your luggage.
Fuel, fluids and mechanical checks
Leave roughly a quarter tank of fuel. That is enough for loading and unloading without adding unnecessary weight. Check tire pressure, top off the battery charge, and top up fluids so the driver can start and move the car without troubleshooting.
Any active leak needs to be disclosed. A vehicle dripping oil on the deck can damage the car parked below it, and the carrier may refuse the load at the door.
Strip it down
Remove toll tags, parking passes, garage remotes, dash cams, loose electronics and anything in the trunk you would miss. Retract or remove aftermarket antennas, fold mirrors, and secure or remove spoilers, bike racks and roof boxes.
Personal items are not covered by cargo insurance. Carriers are licensed to move vehicles, not household goods, and loaded weight affects DOT compliance at the scales.
- Quarter tank of fuel
- Toll transponder removed and deactivated
- Alarm disabled or instructions written down for the driver
- Two sets of keys — one travels, one stays with you
- Photos of every panel, plus the odometer
Key takeaways
- Wash and photograph before the truck arrives — that file is your claim evidence.
- Deactivate and remove toll transponders; transit tolls stay with the owner.
- Leave a quarter tank, empty the car, and disclose any leaks or quirks.
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