A rate confirmation (often just “rate con”) is the paperwork a broker sends to lock in a load. It lays out the agreed rate along with the specifics of the job — pickup and delivery locations, dates and times, commodity, and any special requirements — and both sides treat it as the contract for that haul.
Dispatchers check the rate confirmation carefully before a driver rolls, because it’s the reference point if anything is disputed later: the rate that gets invoiced, the appointment times, and terms like detention all trace back to what’s written on it.