Checklists
Cargo Securement Checklists
Cargo securement checklists for flatbed, dry van, pre-trip departure, equipment inspection, and cargo damage photo documentation. Field-ready prompts, not legal forms.
- Flatbed Securement Checklist
- Dry Van Load Shift Checklist
- Pre-Trip Cargo Securement Checklist
- Cargo Damage Photo Checklist
- Securement Equipment Inspection Checklist
About these checklists
These are field-oriented prompts, not legal forms or official inspection records. They're organized by task type — pre-trip departure, flatbed securement review, dry van load condition, equipment inspection, and cargo damage photo documentation — and formatted for practical use without requiring a backend system or app.
Each checklist supplements the applicable regulation, carrier policy, and shipper instructions. If your carrier has its own securement checklist or inspection form, that version takes precedence. These are a baseline for the items that are easy to skip when the clock is running.
Pre-trip and departure checklists
The pre-trip cargo securement checklist walks through departure-stage checks organized by when they need to happen: before starting the vehicle, during the walk-around, within the first 50 miles, and at subsequent re-inspection intervals.
The 50-mile check is a legal requirement under 49 CFR 392.9, not a suggestion. Straps loosen as freight settles into the deck. Loads that looked stable in the yard sometimes shift during the first stretch of road. The 50-mile stop exists to catch problems before they compound. The checklist builds that step into the departure sequence rather than leaving it as something to remember.
Flatbed securement checklists
Open-deck freight carries more visible risk than enclosed loads — and more opportunity to catch a problem before it becomes a road hazard. The flatbed securement checklist covers the full load walk-around: tiedown tension checks from both sides of the deck, edge protector contact points, dunnage gaps and condition, anchor point wear, and exterior load condition.
The flatbed pre-trip checklist is formatted for quick field use at pickup. It includes prompts for load condition notes that are useful if a damage claim comes up later — noting visible load condition at origin, seal status where applicable, and any limitations to what could be inspected.
Van and reefer checklists
For enclosed freight, the main reference is the dry van load shift checklist. It covers what a driver can observe and document at the rear doors: seal status and seal number, visible freight condition, pallet pattern and gap notes, load bar and strap placement, and any access limitations that should appear on the paperwork.
The key difference from flatbed checklists is documentation discipline. When interior access is limited by a sealed load, you may not be able to inspect the freight — but you can document exactly what you did observe and clearly note any inspection limitations. That documentation matters if a claim is filed later.
Equipment and damage checklists
The securement equipment inspection checklist covers device condition: strap webbing and sewn eyes, chain links and hooks, binder handles and locking mechanisms, winch drums and ratchet pawls, and anchor track and D-ring condition. It's organized for a yard or shop review, not a roadside stop.
The cargo damage photo checklist walks through the photo sequence most useful for a cargo claim: wide context shots of the trailer interior and exterior first, then detail shots of the damaged area, then seal condition, then freight position and pallet row notes. Photo evidence collected out of order — close-ups without context — is much harder to use in a claim than a systematic sequence.
Using checklists in the field
A checklist works best when it's a physical prompt you're following, not a form you're filling out from memory after the walk-around. Print it if that helps. Run through it while you're standing next to the load, not in the cab after you've already pulled away from the dock.
These checklists are calibrated to the federal rules and general freight practice — they won't account for every commodity-specific requirement, shipper instruction, or carrier policy variation. For the underlying regulatory context, start with Cargo Securement Rules and the 49 CFR Part 393 Subpart I overview.