Who is responsible for care and control of a Bill of Lading?

• A. Driver
• B. Captain or Master
• C. Pilot
• D. Dispatcher

Answer: (A)

The key idea is who physically holds and is responsible for the Bill of Lading during transport. For road hazmat shipments, the driver is the one in possession of the document and therefore the person responsible for its care and control from pickup to delivery. This document accompanies the shipment, helps verify the correct cargo, and may be needed by inspectors or at the destination to confirm the contents and carrier terms. The captain or master handles the Bill of Lading when the shipment is aboard a vessel, but on land, that responsibility rests with the driver. The pilot is involved with navigation and not the custody of the bill, and the dispatcher organizes the shipment but doesn’t carry the document during transit.