Get to Know Your Trucking Terms: The Complete Glossary

Trucking terminology, A–Z (83 terms)

Accessorial Charge

Amount billed for additional, supplemental or special services, usually a flat fee. Examples include tarps, dunnage, layovers and detention.

All-in Line Haul

Fuel surcharge (FSC) plus line haul.

Backhaul

The return movement of a transportation vehicle from its delivery point back to its point of origin.

Bill of Lading (BOL / eBOL)

A document between a shipper and carrier acknowledging receipt of goods for transport, now also available electronically. It describes the nature of the cargo, weight, size or piece count, and the origin and destination.

Blockchain

A traceability ledger that builds immutable blocks of information and prevents tampering with data. In logistics it can be a private consortium or a publicly traded system.

Bobtailing

Driving a cargo-carrying semi-truck without a trailer attached. Often happens when a driver is first dispatched to a pickup site.

Box Truck

Also known as a box van, cube van, bob truck or cube truck — a chassis cab truck with an enclosed cuboid cargo area.

Broker (freight)

An individual or company that acts as a liaison between a shipper who needs shipping services and an authorized motor carrier.

Carrier

A company that utilizes trucks and trailers to move goods from point A to point B.

Coil Racks

Prefabricated cradles made of wood or steel used to hold rolled coils so they cannot roll on a trailer.

Compliance, Safety & Accountability (CSA)

An FMCSA program that focuses carrier and driver attention on safety performance, with the goal of reducing large-truck crashes, injuries and fatalities.

Commodity

Any article of commerce, including raw material, manufactured or grown products.

Common Carrier

A person or company that transports goods for any other person or company and is responsible for loss of the goods during transport.

Consignee

The person or location to whom a shipment is to be delivered, whether by land, sea or air.

Container

A standard-sized rectangular box used to move freight by ship, rail or highway. International containers are 20' or 40' and meet ISO standards; domestic containers run up to 53' and are built for rail and highway.

Dead-Heading

Operating a truck without cargo.

Declared Value

The value of a shipment as declared by the shipper or owner.

Dedicated Fleet

A group of trucks a shipper uses solely for moving its freight — typically higher cost with guaranteed capacity and locked-in rates.

Dedicated Truck

A driver pulling freight for one specific customer only, with no partial loads added.

DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid)

The urea-based fluid injected into modern diesel exhaust systems to reduce emissions.

Department of Transportation (DOT)

Oversees U.S. federal highway, air, railroad, maritime and other transportation administration functions.

Detention / Demurrage

Charges for excess retention of equipment, typically caused by late loading or unloading.

DOT Number

A unique identifier issued to companies engaged in interstate — and in some cases intrastate — commerce, used for safety monitoring, audits and investigations. Not the same as an MC number.

Double Drop

A flatbed with the lowest deck, normally used for oversized or over-height loads.

Drop and Hook

When a driver drops a loaded trailer at a facility and hooks to a pre-loaded trailer at the same facility.

Dunnage

Filler material placed in empty spaces to keep cargo from moving — typically lumber, foam padding or inflatable bags.

Duty Status

Drivers maintain a 24-hour Record of Duty Status documenting work and rest periods, kept current to the last change, with the previous 7 days retained and available to law enforcement.

Electronic Logging Device (ELD)

A device that records drive time, mileage, speed and engine data as required by the FMCSA ELD mandate (and the Canadian mandate).

Escorts

Vehicles assisting the movement of oversize shipments, alerting other drivers and helping control traffic with beacons or flags.

Flatbed

A trailer with a flat, open load-carrying area used for oversized and oddly shaped cargo.

FMCSA

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration — the agency within the DOT that regulates commercial motor vehicle safety.

Freight Class

In LTL shipping, the category of freight as defined by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, which determines shipping charges.

Freight Forwarder

Facilitates shipping for a third party. Similar to a broker but typically handles international goods, is defined as a carrier, and can be held responsible for claims and cargo loss.

Fuel Surcharge (FSC)

An adjustment added to the cost of moving freight, based on the weekly national average fuel price, expressed as cents per mile or a percentage of line haul.

Full Truckload (FTL)

A shipment occupying an entire trailer, moved by dry van, flatbed or reefer.

Ghost Load

Loads posted that rarely mature into real freight — commonly posted by brand-new brokers without funds for reliable services.

Hazmat

Hazardous materials as classified by the EPA; transport is strictly regulated by the DOT.

Hot Shot

Smaller trailers (typically 24–40 feet) pulled by larger pickup trucks, common for smaller loads and LTL shipments.

Hours of Service (HOS)

Regulations limiting when and how long drivers may drive.

Interchange Agreement

A contract between two companies to switch or take control of a trailer to pick up and deliver shipments — common in border towns.

Intermodal

A single trailer or container that moves by more than one form of transportation, such as truck and rail or truck and ship.

Interstate / Intrastate

Interstate shipments originate in one state and are destined for another, crossing state lines. Intrastate means goods move from one location to another within the same state.

Jackknife

When the trailer of a tractor-trailer pushes the towing vehicle to one side or all the way around so it faces backward, resembling a folding pocket knife.

Just in Time (JIT)

A manufacturing system depending on frequent, small deliveries to keep on-site inventory to a minimum.

Lane

A move from point A to point B. A regularly-run lane is often called a dedicated lane.

Last Mile

The final movement of an item to its destination, whether a parcel or a full truckload making its last stop.

Layover

When a driver is detained overnight or for a 24-hour period waiting to pick up or deliver, usually with fees involved.

Line Haul

The rate per mile, in dollars and cents, for transporting items.

Less-Than-Truckload (LTL)

Freight quantity less than what is required for a full truckload rate; carriers often consolidate several LTL shipments on one truck.

Lumper

A third-party worker who loads or unloads a trailer, with the fee often charged to the carrier and frequently reimbursable by the shipper or broker.

Managed Transportation

A 3PL takes over a company's shipping and logistics needs from tendering through final delivery.

MC Number

A Motor Carrier number — the interstate operating authority and unique identifier assigned by the FMCSA to carriers operating in interstate commerce.

National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC)

A standard comparison of commodities moving in interstate, intrastate and foreign commerce, with 18 classes based on density, stowability, handling and liability.

Owner-Operator

A truck driver who owns and operates their own truck.

Over-Dimensional

Cargo larger than legal width, length, height or weight limits that cannot be broken down into smaller units.

Parcel

Small package freight, typically weighing less than 150 pounds — the dominant form of e-commerce fulfillment.

Partial

A truck compiling multiple shipments from several customers; transit times can be longer due to multiple stops.

Permits

Permission obtained from states allowing carriers to transport freight exceeding legal weight and size limits.

Placard

Warning signs placed on all four sides of a trailer indicating hazardous materials are being carried.

Proof of Delivery (POD / ePOD)

Signed documents — usually a bill of lading — showing a shipment was received at the delivery location, also available electronically.

PRO Number

A number assigned by the carrier to reference the shipment, also used for tracking.

Pup Trailer

A short semitrailer, usually 26–32 feet long, with a single axle.

Rate Confirmation

A document confirming the agreed amount for the service between the shipper or broker and the carrier.

Reefer

A trailer with insulated walls and a self-powered refrigeration unit, most commonly used for food.

Removable Gooseneck (RGN)

A heavy-haul flatbed trailer providing drive-on, drive-off accessibility by raising, lowering and removing the gooseneck.

Sealed Trailer

A trailer with a seal ensuring the load has not been tampered with.

Shipper

The consignor, exporter or seller named on the bill of lading, who may or may not be the party initiating the shipment.

Sliding Tandem

A mechanism allowing tandem axle suspension to move back and forth on a semi-trailer to adjust weight distribution between axles and the fifth wheel.

Spread Axle

A tandem axle assembly spaced further apart than the standard 54 inches.

Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC)

A unique 2–4 letter code used to identify transportation companies, required for intermodal and government freight.

Tandem Axle

A pair of axles and associated suspension usually located close together.

Team Drivers

Two drivers who alternate driving and resting, typically used for expedited shipments at a greater cost.

Third-Party Logistics (3PL)

A company that provides transportation or logistics services without functioning as the shipper or the carrier.

Thru Trailer Service (TTS)

Cargo remains on the same trailer during an international shipment — the opposite of a trans-load, and generally considered safer.

TONU

Truck Ordered, Not Used — a cancellation charge for ordering a truck and then cancelling the order.

Tractor

A power unit designed to draw or pull a semi-trailer.

Trans-Load

Moving a product from one trailer to another to keep a shipment moving; standard practice at international borders.

Transportation Management System (TMS)

A system of record for tracking shipments, tendering loads and communicating with other parties in the network.

TWIC

Transportation Worker Identification Credential — needed for unescorted access to secure areas of MTSA-regulated facilities and vessels.

ULSD

Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel.

Warehousing

Locations used to store and stage goods before fulfillment, including temporary pop-up warehouses for demand peaks.

Warehouse Management System (WMS)

A system of record for managing warehouse activities, often integrated with the TMS for better transparency.

White Glove Logistics

Specialized fulfillment including installation, debris removal and extra care during delivery.