Road Freight Export

Guide information

Audience: Booking Officer, Operations Staff, Documentation Officer
Time: ~20–30 minutes per shipment
Outcome: Road cross-border export shipment with truck booking confirmed, driver and border gate assigned, Cargo Manifest printed, and charges set up for invoicing.

Required modules

Cross-border road freight is the mode most prone to last-minute errors: wrong truck plate, wrong border gate, and disputed cargo handover. Unlike sea or air — where the airline or shipping line controls the manifest — in road freight the forwarder’s internal documents (Cargo Manifest, Delivery Note) are the primary reference for the driver, the border customs officer, and the consignee.

Scenario used throughout this guide: Hai Long Logistics handles export shipment SHP/202506/00120 for Quang Ninh Mining Co., Ltd. — bulk minerals, route Ha Noi → Kunming, via border gate Huu Nghi (Lang Son), truck 51F-12345 operated by Dai Phat Logistics, driver Nguyen Van Tung, ETD 15/06/2025.

See also

Key differences from sea and air freight

Point

Operational meaning

Risk if handled incorrectly

Truck and driver

The road booking is tied to a specific truck plate and driver.

Truck arrives at the border gate without correct plate or the driver’s name mismatches the customs manifest — operations team must correct on-site, delaying crossing.

Border gate

This is the physical crossing point — not just a routing note.

Wrong border gate forces a re-route, adding distance, time and potentially a new customs declaration.

Operating hours

Border gates have set hours; some only operate weekdays.

Truck arrives outside opening hours and waits overnight — driver costs, detention charges.

Step 1: Create and confirm the road export shipment

Go to Freight Forwarding ‣ Operations ‣ Road ‣ Road Shipments and click New.

Fill in the header:

  • Shipment Type: Road Cross-Border Export

  • Customer: Quang Ninh Mining Co., Ltd.

  • Origin: Ha Noi, Vietnam

  • Destination: Kunming, Yunnan, China

  • Border Gate: Huu Nghi (Lang Son)

  • ETD: 15/06/2025

  • ETA: 16/06/2025 (estimated, subject to border crossing time)

In the Cargo & Packages tab:

  • Commodity: Bulk minerals (HS 2617.90)

  • Gross Weight (kg): 18,500

  • Number of packages: 1 (full truck load)

Click Confirm to lock the shipment.

Road export shipment form in Draft status with customer Quang Ninh Mining Co., Ltd., route Ha Noi to Kunming, ready to confirm.

After confirming:

  • Shipment status is Confirmed.

  • POL, POD, border gate and ETD are locked.

  • The Charges tab becomes available.

  • The Bookings smart button appears — ready for truck booking.

Tip

Step 1 complete when:

  • Shipment SHP/202506/00120 is Confirmed.

  • Border gate = Huu Nghi (Lang Son) — verify this matches the contract with the customer and the route the trucker will actually use.

  • Cargo commodity and weight match the packing list from Quang Ninh Mining.

Step 2: Create the truck booking and assign driver

The truck booking in road freight is equivalent to the carrier booking in sea freight — it links the specific vehicle, carrier (trucking company) and driver to the shipment. All three must be filled in before the Cargo Manifest can be generated with complete information.

From the confirmed shipment, click Booking on the header.

In the Create Booking dialog:

  • Booking Type: Road Trucking

  • Carrier: Dai Phat Logistics

  • Truck Plate: 51F-12345

  • Driver: Nguyen Van Tung

  • ETD: 15/06/2025 06:00

Click Create → click Mark as Requested → when the trucker confirms, fill in the confirmation details and click Mark as Confirmed.

Road export booking confirmed with carrier, truck plate, driver, and border gate ready for manifest printing.

After confirming the truck booking:

  • Booking status = Confirmed.

  • Truck plate, driver name and carrier are locked on the booking.

  • The information feeds through to the Cargo Manifest automatically.

Warning

A wrong truck plate at Huu Nghi border gate requires an on-site amendment.

Customs officers at Huu Nghi check the truck plate on the manifest against the physical vehicle. A mismatch means the driver must stop while the forwarder’s operations team coordinates a customs amendment — this typically takes 1–3 hours and may require the truck to return to the border control area. Departure is delayed; if the border closes at 17:00, the truck may wait overnight.

Verify the truck plate with Dai Phat Logistics immediately upon booking — do not rely on a verbal confirmation. Get the plate in writing.

Tip

Step 2 complete when:

  • Truck booking is Confirmed with Truck Plate = 51F-12345 and Driver = Nguyen Van Tung.

  • Dai Phat Logistics has confirmed the booking in writing (email or chat).

  • ETD 15/06/2025 06:00 is realistic given the distance to Huu Nghi and border opening hours.

Step 3: Print the Cargo Manifest

The Cargo Manifest is the primary document for the driver at the border gate. It lists: shipper, consignee, truck plate, driver, border gate, commodity, weight and packing. For cross-border cargo, this document also supports the customs declaration.

From the shipment, go to: Action (gear icon) ‣ Print Cargo Manifest

Verify before printing:

  • Shipper: Quang Ninh Mining Co., Ltd.

  • Consignee: (the Chinese entity receiving in Kunming)

  • Truck: 51F-12345 / Driver: Nguyen Van Tung

  • Border Gate: Huu Nghi (Lang Son)

  • Commodity: Bulk minerals, HS 2617.90

  • Gross Weight: 18,500 kg

Print 2 copies: one for the driver to present at the border, one for the forwarder’s file.

Cargo Manifest report for the road export booking showing truck, driver, route, and cargo details. Delivery Note report for the road export booking, used as proof of cargo handover between the driver and the receiving party.

Step 4: Record charges and verify profitability

Road freight charges typically include:

  • Road Freight (trucking fee): the rate paid to Dai Phat Logistics for the truck.

  • Border Gate Fee: the customs handling fee at Huu Nghi (paid to the border agent).

  • Road Freight Sell: the rate charged to Quang Ninh Mining.

On the Charges tab, add:

  • Road Freight (Sell): e.g., VND 12,000,000 (the customer rate for Ha Noi → Kunming via Huu Nghi).

  • Road Freight (Cost): e.g., VND 9,500,000 (the rate paid to Dai Phat Logistics).

  • Border Gate Fee (Cost): e.g., VND 500,000 (the border handling fee).

Gross Profit = 12,000,000 − 10,000,000 = VND 2,000,000 (~17% margin).

For the full charge recording workflow, see Charges and Profitability.

Road export shipment in Done status with the Charges tab showing revenue and cost lines for gross profit reconciliation.

Tip

Step 4 complete when:

  • All charge lines are filled with sell and cost prices.

  • Gross Profit is at or above the margin agreed with the customer.

  • No charge line has a blank cost price.

Troubleshooting

Truck arrives at the border gate with the wrong plate

Symptom: Dai Phat Logistics sent a different truck (plate 51G-98765 instead of 51F-12345).

Resolution:

  1. Call the driver and the Dai Phat Logistics dispatcher to confirm the actual truck plate.

  2. Update the truck booking in Viindoo with the correct plate.

  3. Reprint the Cargo Manifest with the updated plate.

  4. Send the updated manifest to the driver electronically (PDF) before the truck reaches customs.

Border gate is closed on the planned ETD

Symptom: Huu Nghi border gate is closed on 15/06/2025 (public holiday).

Resolution:

  1. Check Huu Nghi’s official operating calendar (available from the Border Management Authority).

  2. Update the ETD to the next working day.

  3. Notify Quang Ninh Mining of the revised ETA.

  4. Confirm with Dai Phat Logistics that the truck is rescheduled.

  5. Update the booking and shipment ETD/ETA in Viindoo.

See also