Businesses that move goods by road pay transporters every week or month for many loads at once. Each payment has to be matched to the waybills, the weights, the agreed rate and proof that the goods arrived. A freight charges payment voucher does that matching on one page. This landscape A4 template looks the part: its header is the corrugated side of a shipping container, and a route line with map pins and a small truck shows where the goods travelled.
Container Ribs and a Route
The top of the page is painted like the side of a steel shipping container, in rust orange with vertical ribs. A white label on the container holds the title, “Freight Charges Payment Voucher”, in Archivo Black, with “Transport & logistics · Coastline Paper Mills” underneath, and the logo sits on a white plate on the right. Below the container, a dashed route line runs from a rust map pin at Durban to a teal pin at Johannesburg, with a little teal-and-rust truck halfway along and “568 km · road freight” underneath.
Why a Landscape Page
Freight tables are wide. Waybill numbers, dates, pallet counts, weights, rates and amounts all need columns. Landscape A4 (297 x 210 mm) gives every column room, while the left side of the page holds the voucher details and delivery confirmation.
Voucher and Transporter Details
A table on the left records the voucher number (FRT-26-0377), date (30 October 2026), the transporter (Ubuntu Haulage) and the vehicle registration and driver.
The Waybill Table
Each load is a row, listed by waybill number:
| Waybill | Date | Pallets | Weight (kg) | Freight (R) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WB-88120 | 22 Oct | 40 | 9,600 | 8,160.00 |
| WB-88147 | 25 Oct | 36 | 8,640 | 7,344.00 |
| WB-88163 | 28 Oct | 44 | 10,560 | 8,976.00 |
All three loads are charged at R0.85 per kilogram, shown in its own column. Charging by weight is common for palletised freight; if your transporter charges per load, per pallet or per kilometre, rename the rate column and recalculate.
Freight Totals With VAT
A totals table adds freight (R24,480.00), loading and offloading (R1,500.00) and N3 toll fees (R1,240.50), then VAT at 15% (R4,083.08), for a total paid of R31,303.58 highlighted in teal. The amount in words is written beside the payment method tick boxes (EFT ticked, with cheque and cash as alternatives).
Delivery Confirmation
A box records that all 120 pallets were received in good order and that proof-of-delivery documents (PODs) were signed at the receiving hub and attached. Never pay freight without proof of delivery; the signed POD is the transporter’s evidence that they did the job.
Transporter Bank Details and Claims
A table records the transporter’s bank, account name, account number and branch code, so the EFT goes to the right account. Beside it, a box notes any shortages, damage or claims (none in the sample) and the rule that claims must be raised within seven days with photos and the signed POD.
Officer, Transporter, Approver and Payables Sign-Off
Signature lines for the logistics officer, the transporter, the approver and accounts payable run across the bottom, above a rust stripe that echoes the container header.
Checking a Freight Invoice
- Match every waybill on the invoice to your dispatch records.
- Check weights against your despatch notes or weighbridge tickets.
- Confirm the rate against the transport contract or quote.
- Check extras like tolls, waiting time and loading fees are agreed.
- Confirm PODs for every load before approving payment.
Protecting Against Bank Detail Fraud in Haulage
Fraudsters sometimes send fake emails asking businesses to pay transporters into a “new” bank account. Recording verified bank details on the voucher, and calling the transporter on a known number before changing them, protects you from paying the wrong account.
Other Currencies and Modes of Transport
The sample is in South African rand for a road haul, but every label is editable. Change the currency, the tax line and the route pins for rail, sea or air freight; for sea freight, swap pallets for containers and weight for TEUs.
Container Colours and Route Pins
The rust container and teal accents suit logistics brands. Recolour the container group and pins to match your company, or the transporter’s, if the voucher is shared with them.
Fuel Surcharges and Waiting Time
Transport contracts often include extras beyond the basic rate: a fuel surcharge that moves with diesel prices, charges for waiting time at loading bays and fees for after-hours deliveries. Add each as its own line in the totals table, with a note of the agreed rule. Separate lines make it easy to check the extras against the contract and to see which ones are growing over time.
Freight Costs and Product Pricing
Freight is part of the cost of getting goods to customers. Totalling freight vouchers by route or customer shows which deliveries are most expensive and helps set delivery charges or minimum order sizes. Many businesses discover that small, frequent loads cost far more per kilogram than full truckloads.
Transporter Insurance
Before using a transporter, check that they carry goods-in-transit insurance that covers the value of your loads. Keep a copy of their certificate on file and note its expiry date; the claims box on the voucher is only useful if the transporter can actually pay a claim.
Freight Voucher FAQ
Can I list more loads?
Yes. Add rows to the waybill table with Add Row.
Can I move the map pins?
Yes. Drag the pins and city labels to show any route.
What size is it?
A4 landscape, 297 x 210 mm.
Can I add a fuel surcharge line?
Yes. Add a row to the totals table and update the VAT and total by hand.
Can the transporter sign digitally?
Download the PDF and use your usual e-signature tool, or have them sign the printed copy on delivery.
Can I show several routes?
Yes. Duplicate the route line and pins for a second destination, or list the destination in each waybill row.
Is the container header an image?
No. It is a group of editable rectangles.
Can I add a column for invoice numbers?
Yes. Add a column to the waybill table for the transporter invoice each load appears on.
