POD (Proof of Delivery)
The signed confirmation — typically the delivery-signed bill of lading or an electronic signature capture — that freight was received, when, and in what condition.
How it works — and why it matters
The POD is what turns a delivered load into a billable one: carriers invoice against it, brokers release carrier payment on it, and claims for shortage or damage are argued from the exceptions noted on it. A missing or illegible POD stalls the entire cash cycle for the load.
Mobile capture changed POD economics — a driver photographs or e-signs at the dock, the document syncs to the TMS immediately, and invoicing starts the same day instead of when paper reaches the office. Paired with geofenced arrival and departure events, the POD timestamp also corroborates detention and on-time records.