Steplane › Kits › Carrier onboarding kit
Carrier onboarding checklist and carrier packet templates
Check every carrier before the first load.
Updated 19 October 2026 · Steplane is built by Paul, a logistics process specialist with over 13 years in logistics, including at some of the biggest freight forwarders in the world.
The carrier onboarding kit gives a forwarder or broker a seven-step process to approve new carriers: licence or authority, insurance confirmed with the insurer, tax and bank details, agreement and rates, a first-load check and an annual review. It includes the forms, an agreement template and a register with expiry warnings. €49 (about $55).
Key facts
- 6 files: process and rollout plan, onboarding checklist, carrier information form, carrier register (Excel), carrier agreement and rate sheet, first-load and annual review.
- The register warns 30 days before insurance or documents expire.
- US version checks that the carrier holds motor carrier authority, not broker-only.
- Supports ISO 9001 clause 8.4 and AEO or CTPAT business partner checks.
EU and US versions. Download right away after payment. Or get any 3 kits for €99 (about $110) or all 6 for €199 (about $225).
What's inside
| # | File | What it does | EU version | US version |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Process and rollout plan | Seven steps with owners and records, fraud red flags and the five checks. | Same | Same |
| 2 | Onboarding checklist | One checklist per new carrier, ending in approve, approve with conditions or reject. | Community licence, CMR insurance, VIES VAT check | FMCSA authority, insurance confirmed with insurer, W-9 |
| 3 | Carrier information form | The form you send the carrier, with your company details only. | Same | Same |
| 4 | Carrier register (Excel) | All carriers with review and expiry dates, status colours and a summary. | Same | Same |
| 5 | Carrier agreement and rate sheet | A framework agreement and rate sheet to adjust with your lawyer. | CMR liability | Broker-carrier agreement, released value in writing |
| 6 | First-load and annual review | What to check on the first load and once a year. | Same | Same |
Files in the EU download: 1 Process-and-rollout-plan.docx, 2 Onboarding-checklist.docx, 3 Carrier-information-form.docx, 4 Carrier-register.xlsx, 5 Carrier-agreement-and-rate-sheet.docx, 6 First-load-and-annual-review.docx. US download: 1 Process-and-rollout-plan.docx, 2 Onboarding-checklist.docx, 3 Carrier-information-form.docx, 4 Carrier-register.xlsx, 5 Carrier-agreement-and-rate-sheet.docx, 6 First-load-and-annual-review.docx. Word (.docx) and Excel (.xlsx), fully editable.
What the files look like
Previews of the European version. Every file is fully editable; replace everything in [brackets] with your own details.
The process it covers
Each step has one owner, a clear start and a record that proves it happened. This is the EU version; the US version uses US terms.
| # | Step | Owner | Starts when | Record kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Collect the carrier's company details and documents | Operations | A new carrier is proposed | Carrier file opened with the completed information form |
| 2 | Check the transport licence | Operations | Documents received | Dated copy of the licence and the company register extract |
| 3 | Check insurance with the insurer or broker | Operations | Licence check passed | Insurance certificate plus written or noted confirmation that it is valid |
| 4 | Check tax and bank details | Finance | Insurance confirmed | VAT number checked in VIES, bank details confirmed by phone on a known number |
| 5 | Agree rates and terms | Management | Checks passed | Signed carrier agreement and rate sheet, carrier added to the register |
| 6 | Run a first-load check | Operations | First load booked | First-load check notes in the carrier file |
| 7 | Review every year, or when documents expire | Operations | Expiry date or annual date reached | Updated carrier file with new dates and a keep or stop decision |
Who it is for
Freight forwarders, freight brokers and transport companies that give loads to subcontracted carriers.
Small and medium freight forwarding, transport, courier and warehouse companies in Europe and the US. It works whether your processes are written down today or not.
Free templates and related guides
Free templates and related guides
Questions
What is in a carrier packet?
Authority or licence, insurance certificate, tax details (W-9 in the US, VAT number in the EU), bank details and the signed carrier agreement. The kit includes the form and the agreement template.
Does the kit help against double brokering?
It includes the red flags to check and the rule to confirm bank detail changes by phone on a known number. No checklist removes the risk completely.
Is the carrier agreement legally ready?
It is a template marked for adjustment. Have a lawyer review it for your country and your terms.
Who in my company can use the files?
Everyone in your own company: all staff and all branches, as often as you like. You can share the filled-in documents with customers, carriers and auditors. You cannot resell or give away the templates themselves.
Which programs do I need?
Microsoft Word and Excel. The files are standard .docx and .xlsx, so they also open in other common office programs.
When do I get the kit?
Straight after payment: a download link on screen and by email. The link works for 30 days; if it expires, write to hello@getsteplane.com with your order number and we send a new one.
Can I get an invoice with my company and VAT number?
Yes. Write to hello@getsteplane.com with your order number, company details and VAT number and we send the invoice.
What if the kit is not useful to us?
Email hello@getsteplane.com within 14 days of purchase and we refund the full price. You do not have to give a reason. See the terms.
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