BOL is short for Bill of Lading. It is the central piece of paperwork on almost every shipment, laying out the terms between the shipper and the carrier and describing the load itself — commodity, weight, piece count, and the pickup and delivery details.
The document is typically signed by the parties involved as proof that the handoff happened, so it works as both a contract and a receipt. Dispatchers rely on an accurate BOL because it backs up billing, resolves disputes, and travels with the freight from pickup to delivery.