Rate Confirmation Explained: Every Line on a Trucking Rate Con
The rate con decides what you get paid for detention, a cancelled load or a lumper. What each line means, how it fits with the broker-carrier agreement and the BOL, and how disputes over changes play out.
A rate confirmation, or rate con, is the document a broker sends a carrier to lock in one load: pickup and delivery details, the linehaul rate, fuel, and the terms for accessorials such as detention, lumper fees and truck-ordered-not-used (TONU). Once the carrier signs it, it works as the contract for that load, on top of the broker-carrier agreement that covers every load between the two companies.
What is a rate confirmation and why does it matter?
A rate confirmation is the written, load-specific agreement on price and conditions. It matters because almost every payment dispute between a carrier and a broker comes down to what the rate con said: whether detention was included, how many free hours applied, whether a TONU was promised, or what documents were needed for payment.
Brokers usually send it by email or through a load board or broker app after the rate is agreed on the phone or online. Spoken promises that never reach the rate con are hard to collect on, so carriers ask for any change in writing.
How is a rate con different from the broker-carrier agreement and the BOL?
The three documents do different jobs:
| Document | Between | Covers | Signed when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Broker-carrier agreement | Broker and carrier | Standing terms for all loads: insurance, liability for cargo claims, payment terms, back-solicitation, double brokering ban, dispute rules | Once, at carrier setup |
| Rate confirmation | Broker and carrier | One load: rate, fuel, accessorials, appointments, equipment, special rules | Before each load |
| Bill of lading | Shipper, carrier and consignee | The freight itself: what was tendered, count, condition, receipt at delivery | At pickup and delivery |
When the rate con and the broker-carrier agreement conflict, the agreement usually says which one wins. Read that clause at setup. The bill of lading is the shipper’s document and normally does not show the broker’s rate; see bill of lading explained for what it must show.
What does each line on a rate confirmation mean?
Layouts differ by broker, but most rate cons carry the same core lines:
| Line | What it means | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Linehaul | Base pay for moving the load from origin to destination | Matches the rate you agreed; flat or per mile |
| Fuel surcharge | Extra pay tied to diesel prices, sometimes included in an all-in rate | Whether the total is all-in or fuel is separate |
| Detention | Pay for waiting past free time at shipper or receiver | Free hours, hourly rate, cap, and how to request it (often notice before free time ends) |
| Layover | Pay when a driver is held overnight or a full day because the load cannot be picked up or delivered on schedule | Amount and what triggers it |
| TONU (truck ordered not used) | Fixed payment when a load is cancelled after the truck was dispatched or arrived | Whether it is promised at all, and the amount |
| Lumper | Reimbursement for paying third-party unloaders | Whether the broker pays directly with a code or reimburses with a receipt |
| Other accessorials | Stop-off pay, driver assist, tarping, overweight scale tickets, pallet exchange | Each one listed with a dollar figure |
| Payment terms | Days to pay and quick-pay options with their fee | Documents required: signed BOL, rate con, lumper receipt |
The fuel line is explained in how a fuel surcharge is calculated, and detention at docks in demurrage vs detention.
What should you check before signing a rate con?
- The broker’s identity. Name, MC or USDOT number, phone and email domain match the broker you talked to. Fake rate cons are a common double-brokering and fraud tool.
- Pickup and delivery details. Addresses, appointment times, reference numbers, and whether the appointment is firm or a window.
- Equipment and load details. Trailer type, weight, commodity, temperature for reefers, and any team or hazmat requirement.
- Every agreed dollar figure. Linehaul, fuel and each accessorial you discussed. If detention or TONU is not on the page, assume it will not be paid.
- Fines and deductions. Charges for late arrival, missed check calls, tracking app failures or paperwork received late.
- Payment conditions. Days to pay, required documents and how they must be sent.
Can a broker change the rate con after you sign?
Changes need both sides to agree. A broker who wants to cut the rate after the load is delivered, or deduct a fine not listed on the signed rate con, is trying to change the contract one-sidedly. The carrier’s evidence is the signed rate con, emails, timestamps from the ELD or tracking app, and the signed BOL.
Federal rules give each party to a brokered load the right to review the broker’s record of that transaction under 49 CFR 371.3(c). That record shows the compensation the broker received and the freight charges collected, and brokers must keep it for three years. Broker-carrier agreements often ask carriers to waive that right. In November 2024 FMCSA proposed rule changes that would state plainly that brokers must provide transaction records to the parties on request, and would change the records’ format and content. As of November 2026, the broker transparency proposal had not been finalized in the Federal Register.
If a broker refuses to pay what the signed rate con promised, the next steps are a written demand, a claim against the broker’s $75,000 bond or trust fund, and small claims or civil court. They are laid out in broker not paying.
Bottom line
The rate con is the one document where a broker’s phone promise turns into money. Carriers that refuse to roll until detention terms, TONU and every accessorial are written on it lose fewer arguments later, and those that keep the signed copy with ELD timestamps usually win the ones they have.
FAQ
Is a rate confirmation a legally binding contract?
Once both sides accept it, a rate confirmation is generally treated as a contract for that load, read together with the broker-carrier agreement. How a court treats a dispute depends on the documents and state law; an attorney can advise on a specific case.
What is a TONU in trucking?
TONU means truck ordered not used: a flat payment to the carrier when a load is cancelled after the truck was dispatched or arrived. It is not automatic and must be agreed, ideally on the rate con.
Can I see how much the broker was paid for my load?
Under 49 CFR 371.3(c), each party to a brokered transaction has the right to review the broker’s record of it, which includes the broker’s compensation. Many broker-carrier agreements include a waiver of that right, so check yours.
Should the rate con show the shipper’s name?
It shows the pickup and delivery locations, which usually name the shipper and receiver. Many broker-carrier agreements bar the carrier from soliciting those customers directly for a set period.
