Shippers that don't pay
Delivered clean, invoiced on time, and still waiting. We turn slow-pay and no-pay shippers into paid invoices.
Why shippers stop paying
Sometimes it's cash-flow trouble. Sometimes it's a disputed accessorial they use as an excuse to withhold the whole invoice. Sometimes they paid a broker who never paid you and think that ends their obligation. And sometimes they simply calculate that a small carrier won't sue. We change that calculation.
Your legal leverage
- The bill of lading is a contract. The shipper who tenders the freight is presumptively liable for the charges unless it properly executed the non-recourse provision.
- Consignee liability. A consignee who accepts delivery can also be liable for freight charges in many circumstances.
- "We paid the broker" is often not a defense. Depending on the documents and jurisdiction, a shipper that paid a broker may still owe the carrier. Courts look closely at who bore the risk of the broker's default.
- Interest, fees, and costs. Rate confirmations and tariffs frequently provide for late charges and attorney's fees. We enforce them.
- Federal jurisdiction. Interstate freight charge claims can often be brought in federal court, which shippers take more seriously than a collection agency's phone call.
What we do
Attorney demand
A demand letter from a transportation law firm, citing the specific documents and statutes, resolves the majority of shipper claims within 30 days. We include a clear deadline and a clear consequence.
Accessorial and detention disputes
Detention, layover, TONU, lumper fees, and fuel surcharges are where shippers nitpick. We document each charge against the rate confirmation and industry practice, and we don't let a $300 dispute hold a $3,000 invoice hostage.
Litigation and judgment enforcement
When a shipper won't pay, we file suit in the correct venue, obtain judgment, and enforce it: bank garnishments, liens, and collection from the shipper's own receivables.
Portfolio collections for fleets
Send us your aging report. We triage every open invoice, group them by debtor, and pursue them together, which increases recovery and lowers cost per claim.