A shipper called us in August disputing a $340 fuel surcharge line item. The broker had quoted "all-in" over the phone. The rate confirmation, the one document that governed the move, listed base linehaul only and left fuel surcharge blank. Blank doesn't mean zero. It means the carrier fills it in later, and by the time the invoice showed up, the shipper had no paper to argue with.
Why a Phone Quote Isn't Enough
Rate confirmations exist because memory is unreliable and invoices come from whoever writes them, not whoever agreed to them on the phone. A carrier's accounting department bills off the paperwork in front of them. If that paperwork doesn't match what a dispatcher promised verbally, the shipper loses the argument almost every time — not because the shipper was wrong, but because there's nothing signed to point to.
We see this most on spot moves booked fast during vessel bunching or a chassis shortage, when everyone's rushing and a broker says "I'll send the paperwork after." Sometimes that paperwork never arrives before the truck rolls. Once the container's moving, leverage to negotiate terms is gone.
What a Rate Confirmation Covers
A rate confirmation, or "rate con," is the document a broker or carrier sends confirming the agreed price and terms for a specific move: one container, one date range, one set of conditions. It sits between the quote and the invoice. A quote is a starting offer. An invoice is a final bill. The rate con is the only document that legally pins down what got agreed before the truck left the yard.
It should reference the specific container or booking number, not a general lane rate. A rate of $285 for PortMiami-to-Doral means nothing if the paperwork doesn't tie it to container MSCU1234567 on this specific pickup.
The Line Items That Need Numbers, Not TBD
Every rate con should break the price into line items rather than one lump "all-in" figure. Lump sums hide disputes. Line items make them provable.
If any of these show as a range instead of a number ("$50-150 chassis fee"), ask which end applies before you sign off. Ranges on a rate con almost always resolve to the higher number on the invoice.
Accessorials Brokers Leave Off the Page
Accessorial charges are where most disputes start, because they only apply under specific conditions and brokers don't always think to list every one up front.
Ask directly: "Does this rate include TWIC, pre-pull, and live unload if needed?" A broker who hesitates on that question is telling you those charges are coming later.
Detention and Per Diem Terms
Detention is the charge for holding the truck and driver beyond the agreed free time at pickup or delivery. It needs three numbers written down: the free time window (commonly 1-2 hours), the hourly rate after that window (often $65-95/hour in South Florida), and whether it's billed in 15-minute or full-hour increments.
Per diem is separate — that's the carrier's charge for holding the chassis or container itself past the agreed return date, distinct from port or terminal storage fees. If your rate con doesn't distinguish detention from per diem, ask which term applies to which delay, because they get billed differently and disputing the wrong one wastes time.
Cancellation and No-Show Language
Warehouse no-shows and cancelled appointments happen constantly in Miami drayage, and the rate con should state what triggers a cancellation fee before you book. Typical terms: a flat fee (often $75-150) if the shipper cancels inside a defined window, usually 2-4 hours before dispatch, and a separate no-show charge if the truck arrives and the warehouse isn't ready to receive.
Without this written down, a broker can charge full linehaul for a truck that never moved, arguing the truck was "dispatched and available." Get the cancellation window and fee amount in writing before you need it, not after a dispute starts.
When a Broker Won't Put It in Writing
A broker who resists sending a written rate con before dispatch is telling you something. Legitimate brokers send paperwork fast because it protects them too — a signed rate con is how they get paid without a fight from their own carrier.
If a broker says "we'll sort out the details later" or "just trust me on this one," don't dispatch. Ask for the rate con by email before the truck moves, even if it delays pickup by an hour. An hour's delay costs less than a disputed invoice three weeks later.
The Checklist
Before you approve a move, confirm the rate con has: the specific container/booking number, base rate broken out from fuel surcharge, chassis fee terms, load/unload free time and detention rate, every accessorial that could apply (TWIC, pre-pull, live unload, overweight, hazmat), and cancellation/no-show terms with a specific dollar figure and time window.
At One A Trucks, every rate con we send breaks these out as separate line items before a truck gets dispatched, because a dispute over a blank line costs both sides more time than filling it in up front ever would.