Are you overpaying for freight?
Upload a CSV or PDF of past freight invoices and instantly see how much you would have saved shipping with Warp. No login required.
How it works: Upload your invoice file. We re-quote every shipment using live Warp rates, then generate a savings report with side-by-side comparison, charts, and a downloadable CSV.
Why freight invoices need auditing
Carrier billing errors are more common than most shippers realize. Industry estimates suggest that 5-10% of freight invoices contain at least one overcharge, from duplicate charges and incorrect weights to fuel surcharge miscalculations and missed contract discounts. Without a systematic audit process, these errors go undetected and shippers overpay by thousands of dollars per year.
The complexity of LTL pricing makes errors almost inevitable. Base rates, fuel surcharges, accessorial fees, discount tiers, and freight class all interact. A single mistake in any of these variables produces an incorrect invoice that looks plausible unless someone checks every line item against the carrier tariff and contract.
How to audit a freight invoice
Start by comparing the billed weight and freight class against the bill of lading and commodity description. Verify that the fuel surcharge percentage matches the carrier tariff for the shipment date. Check that your contracted discount tier was applied correctly. Look for accessorial charges that were not part of the original quote or agreement. Finally, check for duplicate invoice numbers or overlapping charges for the same shipment.
For service-guaranteed shipments that arrived late, confirm that the carrier applied the guaranteed service refund. Many carriers do not automatically credit late deliveries. You have to file a claim within 15 days to recover the refund.
Common freight invoice overcharges
Warp invoices match the quote, every time
Warp eliminates invoice auditing entirely through all-inclusive pricing. There are no fuel surcharges to verify, no accessorial fees to dispute, no freight class reclassifications, and no discount tiers to track. The invoice always matches the quote. With Warp, there is nothing to audit because the price you are quoted is the price you pay.
Freight invoice audit FAQ
Why is freight invoice auditing important?
Freight invoice auditing is important because carrier billing errors are common, occurring on an estimated 5-10% of all freight invoices. These errors include duplicate charges, incorrect weights, wrong freight classes, unapproved accessorials, and missed discount tiers. Without regular audits, shippers overpay by thousands of dollars each year on charges that should never have appeared on their invoices.
What are the most common freight invoice overcharges?
The most common freight invoice overcharges are duplicate charges ($200-$2,000), wrong discount tiers ($100-$1,500), incorrect freight class ($100-$800), incorrect weight ($50-$500), incorrect fuel surcharge percentages ($50-$400), unapproved accessorial fees ($75-$300), and missed late delivery credits ($50-$500). Billing address errors are also frequent and can delay dispute resolution.
How does Warp eliminate freight invoice errors?
Warp eliminates freight invoice errors through all-inclusive pricing. The invoice always matches the quote. There are no fuel surcharges to verify, no accessorial fees to dispute, no freight class reclassifications, and no discount tiers to track. With Warp, there is nothing to audit because the price you are quoted is the price you pay.
How often do freight invoices contain errors?
Industry data shows that 5-10% of freight invoices contain at least one billing error. For shippers moving 500+ shipments per month, that means 25 to 50 invoices per month with overcharges. The average overcharge ranges from $50 to $400 per invoice depending on the error type. Duplicate billing and reclassification errors tend to be the highest dollar amounts. Over a year, unaudited freight invoices can cost a mid-size shipper $15,000 to $100,000 in overpayments.
What are the most common freight billing mistakes?
The most common freight billing mistakes are weight adjustments (carrier reweighs the shipment and bills a higher weight than the BOL), freight class reclassification (carrier changes the NMFC class to a higher rate tier), unauthorized accessorial charges (liftgate, inside delivery, or residential fees added without prior agreement), incorrect fuel surcharge percentages (surcharge does not match the DOE index for the shipment date), and duplicate invoices (same PRO number billed twice, often weeks apart). Each of these can be caught by comparing the invoice line items against the original BOL and carrier contract.
How do I dispute a freight invoice?
To dispute a freight invoice, first document the discrepancy by comparing the invoice against the original bill of lading, carrier contract, and rate confirmation. Write a formal dispute letter that includes the PRO number, invoice number, the specific charge being disputed, and supporting documentation (BOL, weight tickets, photos). Submit the dispute to the carrier within their filing window, typically 180 days from the invoice date. Most carriers have a dedicated overcharge claims department. Track every dispute with a reference number and follow up if you do not receive a response within 30 days.
What is a freight reclassification charge?
A freight reclassification charge occurs when a carrier inspects your shipment and determines that the freight class listed on the bill of lading is incorrect. The carrier then re-rates the shipment at the higher class, which increases the cost. Reclassification happens most often when the commodity description is vague, when density does not match the declared class, or when the packaging does not match the NMFC classification rules. To avoid reclassification, use precise commodity descriptions, weigh and measure every pallet, and confirm the correct NMFC code before shipping. With Warp, reclassification does not exist because pricing is per pallet and all-inclusive.
How much can a freight audit save?
A freight audit typically recovers 2-5% of total freight spend for shippers who have never audited before. For a company spending $1M per year on freight, that translates to $20,000 to $50,000 in recovered overcharges. The savings come from catching duplicate invoices, correcting weight and class errors, recovering late delivery credits, and identifying accessorial charges that were not part of the original agreement. Ongoing audits tend to reduce error rates over time because carriers become more accurate when they know invoices are being reviewed.
Stop auditing freight invoices
Warp invoices match the quote. All-inclusive pricing means nothing to audit, nothing to dispute, nothing to recover.