Across the cannabis supply chain, few problems create more frustration than unexpected transport delays. While operators often point to traffic, route restrictions, or slow checkpoints, the real culprit is usually far more basic: documentation errors. In tolling arrangements—where biomass, intermediates, and finished goods move back and forth between partners—paperwork mistakes can bring logistics to a standstill.
Small Errors, Big Delays
Cannabis transport operates inside a strict regulatory environment where every gram must be documented and traceable. Because tolling involves multiple parties and multiple handoffs, any small error in a manifest, METRC entry, or verification form can cause state systems to reject the shipment.
Common high-impact errors include:
- Wrong batch or lot numbers
- Incorrect weights or volumes
- Mislinked or missing METRC package tags
- Outdated product descriptions
- COAs that don’t match what’s listed on the manifest
Even a minor discrepancy—like entering 2.01 kg instead of 2.10 kg—can trigger an automatic stop. Regulators generally require corrections before the vehicle continues, and some states mandate the shipment return to the originating facility until updated paperwork is approved.
Manifest Problems: The #1 Reason Trucks Sit Still
The transport manifest is effectively the shipment’s legal passport. If the information on the manifest fails to match what is physically loaded on the vehicle or what is logged in the tracking system, the truck cannot move.
For tolling partners, this problem is magnified. Processors must maintain precise internal tracking for every gram they receive and return. If the incoming manifest doesn’t match tolling intake logs—or if finished products are listed incorrectly on the outbound manifest—the processor can’t legally release the load to the transporter.
This slows down not just delivery but downstream production schedules. A delayed biomass delivery might push a scheduled extraction run back, causing ripple effects across multiple batches.
COA Mismatches Create Silent Delays
Tolling shipments often include multiple SKUs, each with its own Certificate of Analysis. Missing COAs, outdated ones, or mismatched potency and terpene values are among the most common reasons regulators halt transport.
A typical delay scenario looks like this:
- The COA says 21.3% THC.
- The manifest lists 22%.
- State track-and-trace rejects the discrepancy.
- The truck is held until corrected paperwork is uploaded and approved.
While simple to fix, these issues consume hours and frustrate everyone involved.
Unexpected Storage and Security Holds
Once documentation errors surface, the trucking company usually has only two options:
- Keep the vehicle locked onsite at a licensed facility until corrections are accepted
- Return the shipment to the sender for reprocessing and manifest updates
Both options create operational strain. Toll processors may have to reschedule equipment, shift labor, or delay another partner’s run. Brands may incur extra storage fees or overtime charges from logistics providers.
Preventing Delays Starts Before the Truck Leaves
The most reliable cannabis logistics teams share a common trait: they treat documentation as part of the transportation process, not an afterthought. Best practices include:
- Pre-shipment checklists covering manifests, COAs, and METRC tags
- Automated templates that reduce manual data entry
- Shared digital folders for tolling partners
- Real-time reconciliation between METRC accounts
- Internal cross-training for operations, compliance, and logistics staff
When tolling partners commit to cleaner documentation workflows, transport becomes smoother, cheaper, and far more predictable. In a tightly regulated industry, accuracy isn’t just compliance—it’s the key to keeping every shipment moving on schedule.