Freight Glossary

86 terms

The language of logistics — from accessorials to yard jockey.

Air-Ride Suspension: Trailers built to reduce shock from roads traveled in order to secure product safety. Used for fragile items. Supported by air-filled rubber bags rather than steel springs.
Axle: Structural component to which wheels, brakes and suspension are attached.

Bill Of Lading (BOL): A contract of carriage containing terms between carrier and shipper. Required for all LTL shipments; must be given to the driver at pick up.
Blind Shipment: When the shipper and/or consignee don't know about each other. Requested by a third party.
Blocks and Brace: Wood or other supports used to secure shipments in trailers/containers; service not usually provided for LTL.
Bobtailing: Operating a tractor unit with no trailer.
Broker/Freight: An outside company that brings together shippers and carriers looking for backhauls.
Bulk Freight: Freight not packaged or containerized; usually hauled via tanker truck.

Capacity: Ratio of number of loads to trucks in an area.
Carbon Offsets: Funding projects to neutralize greenhouse gas emissions.
Claim: Charge against a carrier for loss, damage, or overcharge.
CO2e Saved/Avoided: Summary metric representing emissions Flock pools prevent.
Commercial Invoice: Official document listing buyer/seller, products, and value for customs, insurance, or other needs.
Common Carrier/Authority: General carrier transporting commodities available to the public by regulated rate and liability.
Conestoga: Flatbed with soft covering, similar to a wagon.
Consignee (CNEE): Party to whom goods are shipped/delivered.
Consignor (CNOR): Party who originated a shipment (the shipper).
Container: Standard rectangular box for intermodal transport.
Cross Dock: Warehouse operation to move goods between trucks without intermediate storage.
Cubic Capacity: Carrying capacity of equipment, measured in cubic feet (length × width × height).
Customs Broker: Represents shippers with customs for international trade, filing documents and arranging transport.

Deckable: Freight placed on movable shelves for efficiency.
Declared Value (DV): Monetary value of a shipment, sets carrier liability.
Department of Transportation (D.O.T.): U.S. regulatory agency for transportation industry.
Dispatching: Scheduling/control of pickup/delivery, driver communication.
Distribution Center: Warehouse for inventory from manufacturing pending store distribution.
Diversion: Changing shipment destination while in transit. Extra charge applies.
Door to Door: From shipper's front door/dock to receiver's door by drayage.
Double Blind Shipment: Pickup and delivery locations masked to both shipper and consignee.
Double Drop Deck: Flatbed with the lowest deck, raised step at front/back—used for oversize items.
Doubles: Tractor and two semi trailers connected by converter dolly.
Draymen/Drayage: Person hired to move container/trailer at an intermodal terminal. Movement of container/trailer from RR intermodal terminal to/from customer.
Drive Axle: Axle driven by the engine; legal axle weight is 34k lbs.
Driver Assist: Driver required to help with loading/unloading container or trailer.
Drop Trailer: Trailer or boxcar left at a facility for loading/unloading.
Dropdeck: Flatbed with a lowered deck, raised step at the front.
Dry Van: Enclosed, non-climate controlled trailer for general cargo.
Dunnage: Lumber used to protect products during transport.

Flat Bed: Flat trailer with no enclosures/doors—side/above loading.
Flatcar: Freight car without housing above, used for containers/trailers/oversize freight.
Forklifts: Gas powered lift up to 4,000lbs.
Freight Bill/Payables: Carrier's invoice for transport services rendered.
Fronthaul: Primary leg of transportation from origin to destination, typically the main revenue-generating trip. **Freight Class** Standardized by NMFTA—measurement for pricing across LTL carriers.
Full Truckload (FTL): Shipment using the entire trailer space.

Lane: Route from pickup to destination.
Layover: Delay requiring overnight or extended driver stay.
Lead Time: Time from load tender to pickup.
Less Than Truckload (LTL): Shipment not requiring full truck—<7,500 lbs, <12ft space.
Letter of Authority: License to operate in interstate/foreign commerce.
Liftgate (LG): Power-operated tailgate for street to trailer floor transfer.
Linehaul: Inter-city trip between origin/destination.
Load to Ride: Direct loading at shipping location for delivery without additional stops.
Loading time: Time to load a truck.
Loose Capacity: More trucks than loads.
Lumper Service: Unloading pallets at receiver's instructions.

Net Weight: Gross weight minus trailer/tractor.
NMFTA/NMFC: National organizations/classifications standardizing freight pricing/codes.
NOI: Product not specifically classified—depends on density.

Pallet: (48x48), accessible all sides; 2,500 lbs limit.
Partial Truckload (PTL): Bigger than LTL, less than FTL.
Pickup Flexibility: Options for pickup scheduling.
PO (Purchase Order): Authorization for purchasing transaction.
Private Carrier: Provides transportation for own firm, may haul for subsidiaries.
PRO#: Carrier assigned shipment identifier.
Proof of Delivery (POD): Name, time, and date for delivery; confirms shipment received.
Pup Trucks: Trailer 26-29ft, used alone or in tandem.

Tailgate: Cargo brought to trailer back for receiver lacking dock or forklift.
Team Driver: Two/more drivers alternate shifts in same truck.
Terminal: Dock for sorting/redistribution.
Third Party Logistics: Outsourced provider for logistics needs.
Trans-loading: Transfer from one transportation mode to another.
Transit Time: Elapse time from pickup to delivery.