Shipping Employee Handbook Template

Shipping companies move freight from dock to door — LTL, parcel, courier, and last-mile routes where a missed scan, a bad BOL, or a porch package left in the rain becomes a customer claim. A shipping employee handbook documents hazmat rules, proof-of-delivery standards, and delivery conduct so drivers, dispatchers, and dock crews work from the same playbook.

This guide covers everything you need in a shipping-specific handbook, plus a free template to get you started.

Why shipping companies need a specialized handbook

Generic employee handbooks skip the paperwork, vehicle, and customer-stop rules that define freight and parcel work:

• Hazmat liability — PHMSA function-specific training and shipping papers are mandatory before anyone offers, accepts, or transports hazardous materials
• Cargo claims — Carmack Amendment timelines, OS&D reporting, and salvage rules only work if crews document damage at pickup and delivery
• Scan compliance — Carriers measure scan rates; a missed exception code can void a claim defense
• Last-mile customer property — Drivers enter apartment buildings, leave packages on porches, and verify IDs for adult-signature freight
• Mixed driver pool — CDL linehaul, non-CDL van drivers, and owner-operators need different HOS, inspection, and drug-testing rules
• Peak-season pressure — Holiday volume, weather holds, and temp labor create the exact conditions where unwritten shortcuts cause claims and injuries

A specialized handbook protects freight, customers, and your operating authority — and gives dispatch a written answer when a driver asks what to do at a closed stop.

Download the template

Get started with our free employee handbook template. It includes all the standard sections, which you can customize with shipping-specific policies.

This is our general template. Add the shipping-specific sections outlined below to make it complete for your operation. Need help customizing? See our step-by-step handbook guide.

Key sections for shipping handbooks

Beyond standard handbook content, shipping and last-mile operations need these specialized sections:

Linehaul drivers who also run CDLs still need the hours-of-service, ELD, and drug-testing rules covered in our trucking company handbook template. Dock crews who load those trailers need the forklift and trailer-restraint procedures in our warehouse employee handbook template — keep those policies aligned so a claim at delivery can be traced back to how the freight was staged at origin.

Bills of lading, OS&D, and cargo claims

Freight claims are won or lost on paperwork created at pickup and delivery. Your handbook should tell every driver and clerk what to write down — and what never to sign:

Bills of lading and shipping documents

• Count pieces, note visible damage, and record seal numbers before signing a BOL
• Never sign "clean" when freight is short, wet, crushed, or unsealed
• Match consignee name, delivery address, and appointment window to the dispatch order
• Who may alter a BOL, issue a correction, or accept a shipper-load-and-count notation

Over, short, and damaged (OS&D)

• Photograph damage in place before moving freight off the trailer
• Exception codes and scan requirements for refused, short, or weather-damaged freight
• Notify dispatch immediately — do not wait until the end of the route
• Hold salvage per company instructions; do not discard or donate without authorization

Claim timelines and customer communication

• Carmack Amendment filing windows and what supporting documents claims needs
• Who speaks to customers about shortages — drivers vs. claims vs. account managers
• High-value freight: extra scans, two-person release, and ID verification
• Consequences for falsified scans, forged signatures, or undeclared OS&D

Last-mile delivery and customer-stop conduct

Parcel and courier drivers represent the company on porches, in lobbies, and inside customer facilities. Set rules that protect both the freight and the people at the stop:

Proof of delivery

• Required scan sequence (arrival, delivery, exception) and when a photo POD is mandatory
• Adult-signature and ID-check freight — what to do if no authorized person is present
• Safe-drop locations vs. "do not leave" instructions from the shipper
• GPS and timestamp expectations; no batch-scanning at the end of the route

Customer property and conduct

• Enter only designated delivery areas; no wandering through warehouses or residences
• Shoe covers, no smoking, and no photos of customer interiors or documents
• Apartment and gated-community procedures (buzzers, lockboxes, building contacts)
• Animals, aggressive occupants, and when to leave and call dispatch

Missed stops, weather, and reattempts

• Closed-business and no-one-home exception codes — never invent a delivery scan
• Weather holds, flooded streets, and when a stop is unsafe to complete
• Reattempt windows and how customers are notified
• End-of-day returns: secure undelivered freight; do not store packages at home

Hazmat shipping and PHMSA training

Offering, accepting, or transporting hazardous materials is a regulated function — not a dock shortcut. Spell out who may handle hazmat and what they must do:

Who is authorized

• Function-specific training before offering, accepting, loading, or driving hazmat
• Recurrent training intervals and records available for PHMSA or DOT inspection
• Prohibition on untrained temps or helpers signing shipping papers
• CDL hazmat endorsement and TSA security threat assessment where required

Shipping papers, marks, and placards

• Proper shipping name, UN number, hazard class, packing group, and emergency contact
• Package labels vs. vehicle placards — who applies them and who verifies before departure
• Segregation of incompatible materials (acids/bases, oxidizers, food-grade freight)
• Limited quantity and excepted-quantity rules so crews do not over- or under-placard

Refusal, incidents, and spills

• Refuse leaking, undeclared, or improperly packaged hazmat — notify dispatch, do not "make it work"
• Emergency response guidebook (ERG) access and spill kit locations
• Who calls CHEMTREC or the shipper's emergency number
• Incident reporting to company safety and, when required, to PHMSA or the NRC

Template vs. digital handbook

Drivers and dock crews are rarely at a desk. They need policies from the cab or the sort aisle, and you need proof they read hazmat and POD rules before peak season:

Frequently asked questions

What should be in a shipping company employee handbook?

A shipping handbook should include hazmat shipping procedures, bill of lading and cargo-claim rules, scan and proof-of-delivery standards, last-mile customer conduct, vehicle and hours-of-service policies, package-handling safety, and cargo-theft / chain-of-custody requirements. Plus standard employment policies like anti-discrimination, leave, and attendance.

Do shipping companies need employee handbooks?

Yes. Shipping operations mix DOT-regulated driving, hazmat paperwork, high-value cargo, and customer-facing last-mile stops. Written policies document PHMSA training, Carmack claim timelines, and delivery standards that a generic office handbook never covers. Most local couriers and freight shops are small businesses — documented policies still matter with a handful of drivers.

What hazmat policies belong in a shipping handbook?

Hazmat policies should cover function-specific training, shipping papers, placards and labels, segregation of incompatible materials, refusal of improperly declared freight, incident reporting, and who is authorized to sign a hazardous-materials certification. Keep training records with the same discipline you use for driver qualification files.

How should a shipping handbook handle cargo claims?

Spell out BOL inspection at pickup, OS&D photos and exception codes, salvage hold rules, and who may discuss a shortage with a customer. Drivers should know that a clean receipt they should not have signed is a claims problem, not a customer-service shortcut.

How do I get drivers to acknowledge delivery and hazmat policies?

Have each employee sign an acknowledgement form before their first route — especially seasonal last-mile hires. Or use digital signatures to collect hazmat and POD acknowledgements at scale before peak season.