A. ABF shall present or mail its freight bill for all transportation within 7 days, excluding Saturdays, Sundays, or legal holidays, from the date it received the shipment. When information sufficient to enable ABF to compute the charges is not immediately available at its billing point, ABF shall present or mail its freight bill for payment within 7 days from when the information becomes available.

B. When ABF presents freight bills by mail, the time of mailing shall be deemed to be the time of presentation. The term "freight bills" includes paper documents, invoices, and statements and billing by use of electronic media such as computer tapes or disks, when the mails are used to transmit them. In case of dispute as to the date of mailing, the postmark shall be accepted as such date.

A. Except as otherwise provided, freight charges must be paid within the 15-day credit period of billing, including Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. The 15-day period will begin on the day following presentation or mailing of the freight bill.

B. When parties who undertake the payment of freight bills mail acceptable checks, drafts, or money orders in payment of freight charges, the act of mailing them within the 15-day period shall be deemed to be payment within the 15-day period. In case of dispute as to the date of mailing, the postmark shall be accepted as such date.

C. Freight charges that are not paid within the credit period and for which ABF acquires the use of an outside collection agency and/or attorney to effect collections will be subject to a late payment penalty of thirty percent (30%) of the unpaid amount.

3. Offsetting Charges.

Customer shall not offset from or delay the payment of lawfully established transportation charges due ABF as result of any overcharge claim, charge back, duplicate payment or loss and/or damage cargo claim. A formal claim shall be filed and processed separately.