[Link].

com

LSS Glossary

Barranquilla | Bogotá | Cartagena

 GENERAL
*53-footer Bulk cargo

53’ truck, which has become the standard Large quantities of undivided or
length for semi-trailers. Also called Eighteen- unpackaged cargo, such as grain or dry
wheeler. powder.

*Backhaul
The opposite of head haul. Traditionally
referred to as the return trip of a
transportation vehicle (usually a truck). Now,
it generally refers to the least revenue-
generating leg of a shipment haul. A
backhaul can be with a full or partially
loaded trailer.
*Block and Brace
This is a method of securing freight to avoid Source: [Link]
movement during transit. This can be *Bonded Goods
accomplished by using load locks, bars or
straps. Sometimes 2 x 4’s are nailed to the These are goods stored in a secure
floor of the trailer to secure the freight. warehouse. While they remain there, they are
not liable for any payment of import duty.
That is, until the duty is paid, or the goods are
exported or legally dealt with.
*Carrier
An individual, partnership or
corporation engaged in the business of
transporting goods
*Chassis
A chassis is a special trailer or undercarriage
used to transport ocean containers over the
road.
Source: [Link]
*Bobtailing
Driving a tractor without a trailer attached.

Barranquilla | Bogotá | Cartagena

 exclusive, and
oftentimes
forwarders offer
*Crane brokerage as well.

A large, tall machine used for moving heavy

objects by suspending them from a
projecting arm or beam.
*Customs Clearance
*Commodity
The act of obtaining permission to import
Goods shipped. Description of the product. merchandise from another country into the
*Cross dock importing nation.

Typically, the action of unloading materials Damage

from an inbound trailer or railcar and Goods that sustain injury before, during or
immediately loading these materials in after transit, which can result in the
outbound trailers or rail cars, thus shipper’s, consignee’s or carrier’s liability.
eliminating the need
for warehousing/storage. DAT
This is an online load board where shippers
and carriers can post available loads and
trucks.

Source: [Link]
*Department of Transportation (DOT)
The governing body for commerce that
Source: [Link]
crosses state lines. Principally, this segment
Customer of the government regulates the interstate
truck operations.
The person or company who requested a
movement and it’s paying for it. *Dispatch/Dispatcher

Customs The scheduling and control of intercity traffic

and intracity pickup and delivery; an
The agency or procedure for collecting individual tasked to assign available
duties imposed by a nation on imports transportation loads to available drivers.
or exports.
*Distribution Center
*Customs Broker
A location where goods and materials are
A company that clears freight through stored until they are ready to be moved to
customs for an importer. The broker submits their end destination
all pertinent customs documentation and
pays any duties/taxes incurred on the *Dock A space used for receiving
importer’s behalf. NOTE: A freight forwarder merchandise at a freight terminal.
and customs broker are not mutually

Barranquilla | Bogotá | Cartagena

 A lending
institution that
pays Carriers for their
receivables as soon as a
load is delivered. They pay
a portion of the total amount
due (typically 70%) once they
receive the paperwork for the load.
Dock Height
We then pay the Factoring Company
A van or trailer with the floor at the same for the load. Once the Factor has been
height as a loading/unloading dock, typically paid in full, they release the balance of the
48´´ to 54’’ from the ground. funds to the carrier minus their service
charge (typically 5-7%).
*Drayage
*FAK (Freight of All Kinds)
Transport of rail or ocean freight by truck to
an intermediate or final destination; typically A generalization for freight meaning that it is
a charge for pickup/delivery of goods “general freight” usually used when the
moving short distances (e.g., from marine shipment is many different products.
terminal to warehouse).
*F.C.F.S.
*Drop Trailer
First Come First Served.
A situation where the carrier spots—or drops
*Final Destination
off—a trailer at the customer’s location for
loading and/or unloading of freight without The place or country where the product will
the carrier’s driver being present. be used or sale.
*Drop and Hook Freight
This means to take an empty trailer into a The materials or goods being transported.
shipper’s facility and drop it. The trailer is Synonyms: cargo, product, order, load,
then picked up once it is fully loaded. It saves shipment.
a large amount of time and most drivers find
a company that has a high percentage of Freight Broker
drops and hook to be a big advantage A freight broker is an individual or company
because there is less dock time. that serves as a liaison between another
E.D.I (Electronic Data Interchange) individual or company that needs shipping
services and an authorized motor carrier.
The process by which information in the
form of data is electronically exchanged Freight Class
between a carrier system and its customers A number assigned to freight shipments to
TMS. Different data “sets” include invoicing, identify that item’s transportability. Freight
shipment status, Bill of Lading, claims, class is used to determine shipping cost and
remittance advice and more. pricing and is notated on the BOL by the
*En route NMFC number.

French expression which means in transit Freight Shipping

(to), first brought into English in military.
Factoring Company

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The transportation of goods from one Freight
location to another, usually by a commercial moving
carrier. between states.
*Food Grade Trailer Intra-state Operation
A trailer (either van or reefer) of high enough Freight moving within a state.
quality to haul food products. Trailers must
be clean, free of odors, and cannot be used *Lane
to haul certain commodities (i.e. plants, tires, The movement of loads from shipper to
etc.). Shippers will inspect trailers for quality consignee.
and will reject those that do not meet the
necessary requirements. *Less than TruckLoad (LTL)

*Fuel Surcharges is a modality used for shipments that do not

require a full 48- or 53-foot trailer. The LTL
The additional charge added to a Linehaul carriers offer customers a more cost-
Rate to account for the cost of fuel. FSC effective method of shipping goods than
fluctuates based on the National Average the FTL operator since carriers move
cost of fuel for that week. See line-haul. goods from many different customers on
*Full Truckload (FTL, TL) one truck.

is the best way to transport freight if you *L.F.D (Last Free Day)
have a large shipment (usually around 14 It’s the last day a product or container can be
pallets or more) or if you have a delicate store without paying additional storage fees.
shipment that you are not comfortable
having the truck space shared with multiple *Linear footage
other shipments. In this modality, a customer
Space of the trailer (length) needed to move
pays for a dedicated service in which the a shipment.
truck will be only for his order.
*Line-haul
*Hazardous materials (hazmat)
The cost of a load before FSC (Fuel
Explosive, flammable, poisonous or
Surcharge) has been added. This can be
otherwise potentially dangerous cargo.
calculated as a flat rate (lump sum) or rate
Large amounts or especially hazardous
per mile (RPM).
cargo are required to be placarded under
hazmat regulations. *Live load/unload
*Headhaul It’s when the driver must wait on site until the
trailer/container is completely
The term used to define the highest revenue- loaded/unloaded. (see drop trailer)
generating shipping lane from shipper to
consignee. Opposite of backhaul. *Load Lock
*Intermodal A removable pole/bar that spans the width of
a trailer and is used to keep the freight from
A single trailer or container that encounters
shifting while in transit.
multiple forms of transportation along its
route, such as truck/ship/rail.
Inter-state Operation

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 Permit
Document issued
verifying some form of
tax (road, mileage, etc.)
has been paid on the
vehicle; Cab card and/or sticker
issued verifying some form of tax
(road, mileage, etc.) has been paid on
that truck.
Source: [Link]
*Pin Wheeling
Log book
The act of turning Pallets to allow for more
A book that each Driver must keep showing
skids on a trailer. Pin-Wheeling works with
the number of miles he has driven and the
standard sized pallets as it allows a change
number of hours he has worked over a
of depth from 48″ to 42″ allowing 2 extra
certain period. These are required by the DOT
Pallets to be loaded. Also referred to
and drivers can only work a certain number
as Turning
of hours per day and per week as dictated by
law. Controls H.O.S. (Hours of Service). Soon *Receiver / Consignee
to be replaced by electronic logging device
(ELD). The designated recipient (customer) of a
shipment as indicated on the Bill of Lading.
Manufacturing Country
The country in which a product or
commodity is manufactured or produced. *Relay Driving

*N.M.F.C (National Motor Freight A common practice in the LTL Industry, in

Classification) which one driver takes a truck for 8 to `10
hours then turns the trailer over to another
In the United States, each commodity or type driver, Pony Express style. Relaying has
of product is assigned a National Motor become much more common within the TL
Freight Classification (NMFC) and industry in recent years, as carriers are
corresponding class for less than truckload moving more towards regional fleets.
(LTL) freight shipments. The (NMFC)
system is a standardized method designed *Roll-up Doors
to give consumers an uniform pricing Rear door of a body or trailer built from
structure when transporting freight. There horizontal panels, which are hinged to each
are 18 classes that a shipped package may other and raised or lowered in channels at
fall under with class 50 being the least each side. Similar to a home garage door.
expensive, to class 500 as the most
expensive. The number assigned to an item
is important to freight carriers in determining
the tariffs, which in turn determine the price
charged to the customer.
*Payload
Weight of cargo or load to be transported by
a vehicle. Source: [Link]

Barranquilla | Bogotá | Cartagena

*Seal tractor and an
4-wheeled (two
A piece of plastic (resembling a zip tie) which axle) trailer. There are
is placed around the locked trailer when also two axle tractors,
loading is complete. Each seal has a unique single axle trailers, and
code/number which is documented on the occasionally combinations
BOL by the shipper once the load is sealed. with extra lift axles. In some
When the truck arrives at the consignee, they applications a semi can pull
will check the seal number against what’s additional full trailers (doubles and
written on the bills (BOL) to determine the triples) with the use of a single axle or
freight was not disturbed while in transit. If tandem axle converter dolly. [10] The use of
the seal is intact (still on, undamaged), it is the term "semi" in the name comes from the
safe to assume the freight was undisturbed. semi-trailer, a vehicle whose load is carried
This is again noted on the bills as “Seal partly by its own axles and partly by the
Intact” and helps to declare whether the pulling vehicle, which is commonly included
shipper or driver is responsible for any in tractor-trailer rigs.
shortage.

*Shipper
The person/company that gives the
shipment to the carrier for delivery to the
Source: [Link] consignee; the person/company shipping
*Semi-trailer the freight.

A trailer that is supported by its own wheels *Swing Doors

at the rear, and by the fifth wheel of the A trailer with doors that swing to the sides
tractor at the front. Sometimes the entire rather than roll up. Allows more room for
tractor-trailer combination is referred to as a taller freight to load.
“semi” (pronounced sem-eye).

Source: [Link]
*Semi-truck Source: [Link]
An articulated (jointed) combination vehicle, *Tailgate
often composed of a 10-wheeled (three axle)

Barranquilla | Bogotá | Cartagena

When a driver needs to move the product on *Tractor
a trailer, usually with a pallet-jack, from the
front of the trailer to the back. This helps the is a characteristically
warehouse by not forcing them to drive the heavy-duty towing
forklift into the trailer every time, reducing engine that provides
unloading time. motive power for hauling
a towed or trailered load.
*T.S.A.
Transportation Management
A division of the U.S. Department of System (T.M.S)
Homeland Security created in 2001 that has
authority over the security of the traveling System used to optimally plan freight
public in the United States, including freight. movements, do freight rating and shopping
across all modes, select the appropriate
*T.W.I.C Card route and carrier, tender and provide visibility
to shipments.
Provided by the T.S.A, the Transportation
Worker Identification Credential, also known Container ship (Vessel)
as TWIC®, is required by the Maritime
Are cargo ships that carry all their load in
truck-size intermodal containers, in a
technique called containerization. They are a
common means of commercial intermodal
freight transport and now carry most
seagoing non-bulk cargo.

Source: [Link]
Transportation Security Act for workers who
need access to secure areas of the nation’s
maritime facilities and vessels. TSA
DRIVERS AND
conducts a security threat assessment
(background check) to determine a person’s
CARRIERS
eligibility and issues the credential. U.S.
citizens and immigrants in certain Carrier
immigration categories may apply for the
credential. Most mariners licensed by the A company that owns their own equipment
U.S. Coast Guard also require a credential. and transports freight across the country
using drivers, dispatchers, and terminals.

*Common carrier
A for-hire carrier that is obligated to serve the
public. IE: FedEx, UPS, Saia
Contract carrier
A commercial individual or organization
carrying persons or property of certain
customers only, rather than the goods of or
Source: [Link] the public in general. Unlike a common
carrier, a contract carrier has a right to

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choose or refuse to convey passengers or almost
freight for payment. constantly.
Primarily used for time-
Dedicated route sensitive freight.
A driver or carrier who transports cargo
between regular, prescribed routes. Regular
route drivers usually are at home on regular
EQUIPMENTS
intervals, given the scheduled nature of their
routes.
AND TOOLS
Long-haul See OTR. Air Ride

Over-the-road (OTR) Suspension system used on tractors and

trailers that replace metal springs with air
A driver or carrier who transports cargo to filled bags. Valves control the pressure in the
any place at any time, without prescribed air bags which result is a smoother, jar-free
schedules or routes. Long-Haul OTR involves ride, used to protect dedicated cargo.
being away for weeks, or months at a time,
often cross-country or international (Canada
and Mexico), given the unscheduled nature
of their routes.

*Owner-operator (O/O)
Self-employed independent drivers who
operate privately owned or leased trucks, as Bottom dump
opposed to a company driver.
A dump with a funnel-shaped floor for
*Private carrier unloading through the bottom.
A not-for-hire carrier contracted to or owned
by a shipper that does not offer services to
the public and operates primarily to transport
its own goods. Private carriers are not
required to obtain operating authority by the
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
(FMCSA)
*Solo driver A single driver in the truck. The
driver’s shifts are 14 hours a day, and he will Source:
only be able to drive for 11 hours a day and [Link]
remaining 3 hours are for On Duty activities
(Loading/Unloading, lunch, etc.). Cab

*Team driver The component of a complete vehicle unit

that contains the driver/passenger
A team of two drivers who ride together and compartment, engine compartment, frame,
drive the same truck in shifts, essentially suspension, wheels, and all mechanical
allowing the truck to remain in motion equipment.

Barranquilla | Bogotá | Cartagena

Car hauler
A specialized trailer or truck/trailer
combination used for transporting
passenger vehicles.

Source: [Link]

*Conestoga truck
A flatbed who’s able to cover the product by
using 2 sliding tarps system.

Source: [Link]
Container
A simple, enclosed box of standardized sizes
without wheels, used for intermodal
transport.

Source: [Link]
Curtainside
Can be either a dry box with tarp sides, or a Source: [Link]
flatbed with a movable frame of squared ribs
supporting a tarp.

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Deep-drop van Double
decker
A specialized dry van that maximizes interior
space, with a lowered floor and higher roof. A specialized trailer with
Normally used to transport bulky, relatively 2 floors to allow for more
light cargo, such as furniture and electronics. cargo space.

Source: [Link]
Dolly
An auxiliary axle assembly equipped with a
fifth wheel (coupling device), for the purpose
of converting a semi-trailer into a full-trailer
(or for hauling multiple trailers behind a
single power unit). The dolly, or converter Source: [Link]
dolly, is towed by a semi-trailer and supports
the front of, and tows, another semi-trailer. Dropdeck
Also known as a bogie. A flatbed with a lowered deck, featuring a
raised step at the front, where the trailer
attaches to the fifth wheel.

It is also a small platform on wheels used for

holding heavy objects.

Barranquilla | Bogotá | Cartagena

 A semi-trailer
that has no walls,
looking

like
a flat
plank.
Freight must
Source: [Link] be secured by either tarps
or chains and this can be dock height.
*Dry van
A simple, enclosed non-climate controlled
rectangular trailer that carries general cargo,
including food and other products that do
not require refrigeration. Usually
loaded/unloaded through the rear doors,
requiring elevated access for forklifts to
enter the trailer. Source: [Link]
*Forklift
A motorized vehicle used to move freight
that can't be handled with a dock cart.

Source: [Link]
*Fifth wheel
Coupling device attached to a tractor or dolly
which supports the front of a semi-trailer and
locks it to the tractor or dolly. The Fifth
Wheel’s center is designed to accept a
Trailer’s kingpin, around which the trailer and
tractor or dolly pivot in turns.
Source: [Link]
*Kingpin
Source:
A large pin, underneath the front of a trailer,
which interlocks with the fifth wheel.

[Link]
*Flatbed

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 multiple
levels, and usually
a ramp in the rear for
loading/unloading.
Used for hauling cows,
pigs, sheep, etc.

Source: [Link]
Landing Gear
A set of retractable, crank-up legs that
support the front of a trailer when it is not
connected to a tractor.

Source: [Link]

*Lowboy
Open flatbed trailer with a deck height very
low to the ground used to haul construction
Source: [Link] equipment or bulky or heavy Loads.

Lift axle
An air-powered axle that may be raised or
lowered to the ground to provide greater
load-carrying capacity, or to comply with axle
weight requirements.

*Pallet jack
A piece of equipment used to move pallets
by hand. Acts as a manual forklift.
Source: [Link]

Livestock truck
A rectangular enclosure with sides featuring
numerous ventilation holes, an interior with

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 unit for
internal cooling
(regen or reefer unit).

Source: [Link]
*Pup
Short semi-trailer, usually between 26′ and
32′ long, with a single axle. Typically found in
LTL transportation.

Source: [Link]

Source: [Link]
*Ramp *RGN (removable goose neck)

Walkway, used in loading a truck, which A specialized lowered flatbed trailer

extends from the rear of the body floor to the featuring an arched coupling arm, normally
ground. When not in use, the ramp is stored used for oversize/overweight loads. This
under the truck body in a channel that allows neck is detachable, creating a low ramp and
it to slide in and out. allowing to load equipment on wheels.

Source: [Link]
*Reefer
Trailer or body with insulated slides, floor, Source:
and ceiling, and equipped with a refrigeration [Link]
Single Axle

Barranquilla | Bogotá | Cartagena

Tractor with one drive axle (the axle behind
the driver is called the drive axle)

Source: [Link]

Source: [Link]
Tandem Axle
Two rear axles – can refer to a tractor, trailer,
or straight truck.

Stake Truck
A flatbed truck (or trailer) with stakes and
railings along and I the rear to secure cargo.

Source: [Link]

Source: [Link]
*Straight truck
A truck with the body and engine mounted on
the same chassis.

*Tarps

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These are often required for use on flatbeds, *Bill of lading
step-decks, and other uncovered trailers to (BO, BL, B/L)
cover & protect the freight. They are secured
with chains or straps. A legal document
signed by the shipper and
carrier tendering the
responsibility of the freight to
the carrier. The BOL states
pertinent information for the
shipment such as the complete address
of the shipper and consignee, number of
pieces, description, weight and any
hazardous material information.
*Carrier invoice
Invoice the carrier must sent to the broker to
Source: [Link]
get paid. Paid terms are usually 30 days after
Truck crane the freight is delivered. Although there is no
standard format, the document must include
A special truck (carrier) with a permanently a few specific pieces of information such as
mounted crane (upper). This design allows the parties involved in the shipping
faster moves from site to site than transaction, the goods being transported, the
conventional cranes. country of manufacture, and the Harmonized
System codes for those goods. A
commercial invoice must often include a
statement certifying that the invoice is true,
and a signature.
*Carrier Packet
Documents requested by a company to
ensure a carrier is legal and authorized to
move freight. It includes Carrier Profile,
Signed & Initialed BROKER/CARRIER
Source: [Link]
contract, W9, MC Authority Document and
Certificate of Insurance.
Certificate of Origin
This is a specific document that expressly
certifies that the goods to which the
certificate relates, originate in a specific
country. This Certificate may also include a
PAPERWORK declaration by the manufacturer, producer,
supplier, exporter or other competent
Airway Bill (AWB) person.

A document that accompanies goods Commercial Invoice

shipped by an international courier to provide
detailed information about the shipment and
allow it to be tracked.

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It is used as a customs declaration provided Form or duty
by the person or corporation that is exporting entry form, and
an item across international borders. submitted to the
customs. It states the
Detention slip customs classification
It’s a document provided by the number, country of origin,
shipper/receiver certifying that a driver was description, quantity, and the
detained. They may request this slip besides estimated amount of duty to be
the P.O.D in order to pay for detention. (see paid.
Detention charge) *Packing Slip
*Escort receipt Document included in the shipment of
Receipt proving that an escort service was goods and services -- usually without prices
paid. This is needed in order to reimburse -- to alert the customer to the items and
the money to the carrier and charge the quantity included in the shipment.
customer. (see Escort service) *P.O.D. (Proof Of Delivery)
Document supplied by the carrier containing
the name of the person who signed for the
shipment, the time and date of delivery, and
other shipment delivery-related information.
This document is vital for all accounting
processes: payable and receivable.
Pro-forma Invoice
An invoice provided by a supplier prior to the
shipment of merchandise, informing the
buyer of the kinds and quantities of goods to
be sent, their value and specifications
*Lumper receipt (weight, size, etc.).
Receipt proving that a lumper was performed *Rate Confirmation (TL) or Rate Agreement
and paid. This is needed to reimburse the
money to the carrier and charge the Is a legally binding document that both the
customer. (see Lumper service) broker (or shipper) and the carrier must sign.
The party that is tendering the load agrees to
pay the carrier the amount agreed upon.
Likewise, the carrier is agreeing to transport
the freight listed from the shipper to the
consignee.
*Scales tickets
Tickets obtained from a scale, proving the
weight of the truck. These could be light
ticket (weight of the truck empty) or heavy
*Customs Entry ticket (weight of the truck loaded).
Declaration of information on imported or
exported goods, prepared by a customs
broker on a prescribed form called entry

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Trip Record
Document, required by law, to record miles
run and fuel purchased in each state in which
the vehicle has traveled. Detention (TL)

W&I Certificate Additional fee paid to the

carrier when drivers are
Weight and Inspection certificate created by detained at shipper or consignee
the carrier when a shipment is reweighed or docks after the 2 free hours. Rate
reclassed. varies from carrier to carrier, who should
notify when we are running into detention as
we may avoid it by reaching the
shipper/receiver to speed up the
ADDITIONAL loading/unloading process. IN and OUT
times need to be notated on the BOL in order
SERVICES AND to validate it.

CHARGES
Accessorial
An additional service that can be requested
for an LTL shipment. Common accessorial Driver assist
include liftgates and residential
deliveries/pickups. Additional cost varies An accessorial which occurs when a driver
depending on service and carrier. must aid in loading or unloading the Truck.
Usually the Driver must operate a Pallet Jack
C.O.D. to move the freight to the back of the trailer.
Refers to the payment for the goods being Driver unload
shipped. If this section of the Bill of Lading is
filled in, the carrier cannot deliver the goods An accessorial which occurs when a driver
unless payment is collected at the time of must unload the entire content of the truck.
delivery. This money is collected on behalf of This Fee generally depends on the amount of
the shipper. work the Driver must do to accomplish the
unloading of the Trailer.
Dry Run
Demurrage
A fine that a customer has to pay after
several unsuccessful attempts of pickup The detention of containers by the shippers
from a carrier. or receivers of freight beyond the specified
free time.
Escort (TL/PARTIAL)
Applies if receiver requires TWIC cards
(Transportation Worker Identification
Credential) to allow drivers to access their
premises. If the driver does not have a TWIC
card, he will be escorted, incurring in
additional charges. Receipt will be needed to
invoice our customer.

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 of dispatch or
load assignment.
Ex: When driver must
stay overnight at a
facility.
Excessive length
A unit of cargo that is larger than the legally
defined limits for width, length, height,
and/or weight; it cannot be broken down into Lift-gate PU/DEL (LTL)
smaller units. This limit may vary from one
carrier to another. A power operated tail gate capable of lifting
pallets from street level to the level of the
Fuel advance (TL) floor of the trailer. Used in locations where
Fuel advances help the carriers cover fuel there is no dock for loading/unloading, and
costs without sacrificing large loads by often found on LTL truck fleets.
providing a percentage of the line haul upon Limited access PU/DEL (LTL)
pickup.
Extra charge to pick up or delivery to non-
Haz-mat commercial facilities: hotels, churches,
Additional fee paid for moving hazardous schools, universities, prisons, amusement
materials. parks, military bases, museums, hospitals,
etc.
Inbond or bonded
Lumper (TL/PARTIAL)
A.) Freight that will not be released by
Customs until duty or taxes are paid by the A lumper charge is a fee paid for the services
customer. of a lumper, which is a person or crew who
B.) The movement of freight within the U.S. helps a trucking company load and unload
without formal entry into that country’s freight. Lumpers are often used by food
commerce. For example, a shipment going warehousing companies and grocery
from Mexico to Canada must first pass distributors.
through the U.S. to get to its destination. So, Notify consignee / delivery appointment
while the freight is on U.S. soil, the carrier is (LTL)
bonded for that freight and takes full
responsibility for it until the shipment Require calling before delivery and/or to set
reaches the Canada border. appointment for freight to be delivered.
Inside PU/DEL (LTL) Pallet Exchange
Pick up or delivery of the freight not The Shipper and/or Receiver requires the
immediately adjacent to the vehicle (beyond truck to bring in as many pallets as they are
first room of customer site). shipping/receiving of the same quality that
they use to exchange with them to keep their
Layover (TL) pallet inventory stable
Like detention time, layover pay is a type of Residential PU/DEL (LTL)
add pay that some trucking companies issue
to drivers when they spend a predefined Additional service to perform pickups or
amount of time not moving because of a lack deliveries in residential areas.
*Re-delivery

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Occurs when the carrier attempts to deliver A collection
the freight but is not able to successfully of things or
deliver. quantity of material tied
or wrapped up together.
Reclass
Carton (CTN)
Invoice discrepancy when a carrier invoices
a shipment at a higher or lower class than A small, light box or container in
noted on the BOL. which drinks or foodstuffs are
packaged.

Reweigh Crate (CRT)

Invoice discrepancy when a carrier invoices A slatted wooden case used for transporting
a shipment at a higher or lower weight than goods.
noted on the BOL.
Single shipment (LTL) Drums
Additional fee for picking up 1 shipment a cylindrical container or receptacle.
which weighs 500 LBS or less and no other
shipments from that customer on this pick- Pails
up.
a bucket.
Sort and segregate Pallet (PLT)
Upon delivery, the receiver will break down
A wooden (or sometimes plastic) platform
the contents of the pallet to sort and count
on which boxes or cargo are stacked and
the product.
sometimes shrink-wrapped. Usually refers
Tradeshow PU/DEL
Gaylord:
Pick up or deliver product to a congress or A bulk box, also known as a bulk bin, skid
convention. Delivering to a trade shows box, pallet box, bin box, or octabin is a pallet-
requires to drop the product at a specific
size box used for storage and shipping of
date called “move-in date” which cannot be
bulk quantities.
missed. Picking up from a trade show
requires to retrieve the product on his “move-
out date” to avoid additional storage BROKERAGE AND
charges.
T.O.N.U (Truck Order Not Used)
CARRIER RELATIONS
It’s a cancellation fee. It usually occurs when Posting
canceling a truck that was committed to the
To post available orders or your current truck
order already, that means he was empty and
needs on D.A.T or any other truckload
heading to the shipping location.
freight marketplace.

TYPES OF PACKAGES Deadheading

Operating a truck empty.
Bundle (BNDL)
All-in:

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Line-haul and fuel surcharges included. cannot handle
as much weight as
Capacity a regular tractor trailer.
Amount of trucks available to run a lane. Common for moving
smaller loads or LTL
F/P shipments.
Full Truck or Partial. Motor Carrier Number (MC#)
Single lane License administered to for-hire
Multi-lane carriers by the Federal Motor Carrier
Administration (FMCSA). Commonly
1 pick-2drops referred to as USDOT numbers.
The truck will pick all the product from one Carrier Safety Rating
shipper and deliver it to two different
The rating is a direct measure of the carrier’s
locations.
adherence with the Federal Motor Carrier
Short run Safety Regulations, aka FMCSR.
Long run The compliance status is derived from the
findings of the Compliance Review and will
Dedicated Truck be rated on the following scale:
Refers to a driver pulling freight for one Satisfactory – Records indicate no evidence
specific customer only, where only that load of substantial non-compliance with safety
is on the truck. No partial loads can be requirements.
added. Conditional – Records indicate that the carrier
Door-to-Door was out of compliance with one or more
safety requirements.
Synonymous with Thru Trailer Service (TTS) Unsatisfactory – Records indicate evidence of
but can also mean simply handling the substantial noncompliance with safety
shipment from the shipper to the consignee. requirements.
Declared Value
Permits
The value of a shipment imported for resale, Permission obtained from states allowing
as declared by the shipper or owner. carriers to transport freight that exceeds the
legal weight and size limits.
Excess Value
Amount of declared value of a shipment that Trans-Load
is above the carrier’s limit of liability. The movement of a product from one trailer
to another trailer in order to keep a shipment
Expedited going. This is standard practice at
international U.S. borders where carriers can
The process of shipping at a faster rate than
only operate in one country and must pass
normal. Usually includes team drivers,
off the load to a carrier authorized to
overnight and/or air services.
transport loads in the country of the load’s
Hot Shot destination.

Smaller trailers that are pulled by larger Cartage

pickup trucks. Typically, 24-40’ in length and

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A trucking term that refers to shipping freight Available
within the same city or area. Inventory

Cubic Capacity The amount of

The total freight load capacity of any truck, train shippable product in the
or ship is measured in cubic feet. The cubic warehouse; does not include
capacity is the total load in cubic feet which product designated as
cannot be legally exceeded. Violations of cubic damaged, on hold, or pending
capacity occur when the shipment’s size violates shipment.
a carrier’s cubic capacity rules.
Average storage
Operating Statuses Storage type that calculates and bills the
average volume that was on the floor for the
- OUT-OF-SERVICE (OOS) – Carrier is under any previous month. This is billed as of the 1st
type of out-of-service order and is not of every month based on the average of the
authorized to operate. previous month.

- INACTIVE USDOT Number – Inactive per 49

Bar Code
CFR 390.19(b)(4) … Biennial update of MCS-
150 data not completed. Printed series of parallel bars of varying
width used for storing data, typically for
- AUTHORIZED FOR {} – This will list the identifying the object or information on
specific operating authorities the carrier is which the code appears such as the product
allowed to operate. or pallet. Information stored in a barcode
can be read by an optical (laser)
- NOT AUTHORIZED Carrier does not have any scanner. This code is used in many different
operating authority and is not authorized to areas of manufacturing and marketing,
operate. including inventory control and tracking
systems.
- ACTIVE – Carrier is authorized to operate.
Bay
A space typically the width of a standard
FREIGHT pallet that is marked on the warehouse floor.

FORWARDING Booking
Reservation for set number of containers of
a specific size and type on a carrier
Anniversary Storage
(steamship line) vessel for transport from
Storage type that runs on a specified cycle Port of Origin to Port of Discharge.
based on the day the product arrives and
becomes billable. For example, 30 Day Booking Number
Anniversary means that the cargo will be
billed every 30 days that it is on the floor. If it Export reference number for a Booking.
arrives on Jan. 5th, and has no free time, Check Digit
then if the cargo is still in inventory 30 days
later (Feb. 4th) it will be billed again for A check digit is the 7th number of a container
another 30 days. that calculates off of the prefix and 6
previous digits of the container number

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allowing for verification of the accuracy of Drayage
the container number.
The act of
Clear Height transporting a container
from one point to
The maximum height that product can be another.
stored in a particular building without
encountering obstructions such as fire Flat track Container
sprinkler heads, lights or structure.
A container without sides or tops that
Container has ends that fold up. Large equipment
and pipe that cannot fit inside a container is
Also referred to as an intermodal container, often loaded on this type of equipment.
freight container or shipping container it is a
reusable transport and storage unit for Floor Load/Hand Stack
moving products and raw materials between
locations or countries via vessel, rail, or Refers to product stacked directly onto the
truck. The most common container sizes are floor of a transportation vehicle. Product
20ft, 40ft, and 45ft. may be placed by hand or using a lift truck,
but is then palletized or otherwise removed
Container Number from the vehicle manually
Reference number placed on a container. A Freight Forwarder (Forwarder)
container number is made up of 4 letters and
7 digits, the 7th digit is referred to as the Hired by the shipper to set up bookings and
check digit. process documentation for the export of
containers or cargo overseas.
Delivery Order
Haz Mat
Also referred to as DO’s are documents given
to a trucking company with all the Short for hazardous material; refers to
information required to move a container. product that may pose a risk to personal
health and safety, environment or property, if
improperly transported, handled, stored or
damaged. The handling and transportation
of such products are strictly regulated by
Demurrage several governmental agencies.

The fee for leaving a container at the terminal High cube Container
beyond the free days given. A 9’6″ high container.
Dispatcher House Bill of Lading (HBL)
Provides transport information and Generated by the freight forwarder who
instructions to drivers to facilitate the negotiates the service agreement with the
transportation of equipment from one carrier; may have numerous House Bill of
location to another. Ladings under one Master Bill of Lading.
Dock Plate In Bond/A container
A metal plate that is placed between the A container/product that is moving outside
warehouse dock door and a trailer/railcar to the Port of Entry and has not been released
bridge the gap between the two allowing by U.S. Customs for entry into the commerce
forklift access. of the United States.

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Ingate A fee that the
steamship lines
When a driver enters a terminal or container charge per day when a
yard with a container. container stays out of
Intermodal their possession beyond
the free days allowed.
A transportation activity that involves more
than one type (mode) of transportation in a Rack
move from origin to destination. Metal structure that holds product
Inventory allowing non stackable cargo to be stored
in one location vertically without being
A transportation activity that involves more physically stacked on top of one another.
than one type (mode) of transportation in a
move from origin to destination. Rail Sliding

Inventory Activity Stretch of railroad track that runs parallel to

a warehouse with doors used for loading and
The arriving in and shipping out of cargo in a unload directly with railcars.
warehouse.
Reefer Container
Master Bill Of Lading (MBL)
A container that can be mounted with a
Generated by the actual carrier (Steamship genset (a refrigeration power unit) to keep
Line) who will move the freight from a pre- the container cooled to a specific
determined location of the exporter to the temperature.
predetermined location of the importer
which consolidates various House Bill of Re-Spotting
Ladings. When a driver hooks up to a dropped
MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheets) container and moves it from one location to
another at that same facility. This is often
Formal document containing important done so that a driver can reach a specific
information about the characteristics and container that is behind other containers or if
actual or potential hazards of a substance. a container is blocking a door that the driver
needs to get into.
Open top Container
A container that does not have a hard top,
instead, it has a tarp that can be removed.
This is for cargo that will fit in a container but
cannot be loaded/unloaded through the Rework
doors of the container. The rearranging of product in or on a piece of
Out of Gauge (OOG) equipment such as a container or van. This
is often done to redistribute weight due to an
Cargo that is over legal dimensions on width, overweight axle.
length, height, or weight.
SCAC
Outgate
Standard Carrier Alpha Code is a four-letter
When a driver leaves a terminal or container code assigned to all carriers Scale Process
yard with a container. of weighing a truck and piece of equipment
Per Diem

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such as a container, van or flatbed to verify Unloading
legal gross and axle weight. and reshipping
cargo from one form of
Shrink Wrap transport to another
Heavy clear plastic film that is tightly formed such as from a container
around a tray of product through a heating to a van.
and shrinking process. Triaxle Chassis
Slider Chassis A chassis used in hauling 20′
20′ chassis that where the center slides out containers with three axles and a center
allowing for better weight distribution across that slides out. This allows for better weight
the axles. distribution and allows the hauling of heavier
containers.
Split Month Storage
Twist lock
The receiving month is billed based on the
date that the cargo arrives. If the cargo Lock that inserts into a container from the
arrives on the 1st – 15th, then the cargo is chassis to lock or hold the container in place
billed at the full rate upon arrival. If the cargo
arrives on the 16th or after, then the cargo is
billed at half the rate. The cargo is then billed
every 1st of the month that it is sitting in
FAQs
inventory for the full amount.
Will I always need a bill of lading (BOL) when
Staging shipping?
Yes. Both LTL and TL shipping require the
The process of positioning product in the
use of a BOL given to the driver by the
warehouse either after receiving or prior to
shipper.
shipping. On inbound, staging is used to
reduce vehicle unloading time and to permit
Is there insurance coverage for all my
checking and inspection of product prior to
shipments?
putting away in the warehouse. All outbound
All LTL carriers and most Truckload carriers
staging is used for checking and inspection
provide insurance; however, the amount of
prior to loading and to smooth out work in
coverage varies between carrier and
the warehouse and to speed up loading once
commodity. Most freight brokers also offer
the vehicle arrives.
third party insurance.
Standard Container
What’s the difference between a freight
An 8’6″ container Stretch Wrap carrier and a freight broker?
A freight carrier is a company that owns
trucks and employs drives to transport
Supply Chain freight. A freight broker is a third party that
acts as a liaison between carrier and
Process by which an organization creates customer, providing customer service and
and distributes its products from raw cheaper freight rates.
material through manufacturing and
distribution to retail and the consumer. Must I have a freight broker to transport
Transload freight?
A freight broker is not required to ship LTL or
TL freight. A freight broker can often save

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time and money for business owners who
are new to the freight shipping industry.

What is freight class?

Freight class is a number given to all LTL
freight by The National Motor Classification
System. This classification helps determine
shipment pricing.

What is a “standard” LTL shipment?

A standard LTL shipment is one that takes up
less than twelve linear feet in the back of a
carrier truck (Six standard non-stack pallets).
The shipment also weighs less than
7,000lbs.

What is a “standard” pallet size?

A standard pallet size is 48 inches length x
48 inches width. Another size considered by
most to be standard is 40 inches length by
48 inches width. (height can vary per
shipment)

What is a TMS?
A TMS is a Transportation Management
System used by freight brokers and carriers
to coordinate pickup, delivery, and tracking
of an LTL shipment.

What is a POD?
Also known as a Proof of Delivery or Delivery
Receipt, this is a document signed by the
consignee at time of delivery notating the
status of the shipment as delivered. Any
damage or loss should be notated on the
POD to have insurance claims paid out.

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