Bill of lading is an official document that accompanies every shipment. It serves as the contract between the party that owns the freight and the carrier. A driver for an outside carrier signs the Bill of Lading, he/she accepts responsibility for the shipment. Upon arrival at the destination, the consignee or customer signs the Bill of Lading to indicate that the shipment was received, and all goods are present as itemized. This customer-signed Bill of Lading then serves as a Proof of Delivery (POD) document.