Trucking Freight GlossaryCommon trucking terminology and transport terms.
A.C.E. (Automated Commercial Environment)
ACE is the commercial trade processing system that has been developed by the U.S. Customs & Border Protection to facilitate legitimate trade and strengthen border security requiring every carrier or truck that enters through any and all border crossings to submit an e-manifest (electronic manifest). More detailed information on A.C.E. Automated Commercial Environment
Backhaul
Refers to a load of freight which permits a trucker to return to his home with a loaded truck, rather than an empty one. Bill of Lading
An itemized list of goods contained in a shipment Billing
Preparation of the freight bill, the primary document for a common carrier shipment including a description of the freight, number of pieces and charges Bogie
An auxiliary axle assembly having a fifth wheel used for purpose of converting a semitrailer to a full trailer. Dollies can be used to haul multiple trailers behind a single power unit. (Also referred to as dolly) Break Bulk
To separate a composite load into individual shipments and route to different destinations; CWT
Hundred weight, or one hundred pounds Class I Truck
Truck with gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 6,000 lbs or lessClass II Truck
Truck with gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 6,001-10,000 lbsClass III Truck
Truck with gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 10,001-14,000 lbsClass IV Truck
Truck with gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 14,001-16,000 lbsClass V Truck
Truck with gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 16,001-19,500 lbsClass VI Truck
Truck with gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 19,501-26,000 lbsClass VII Truck
Truck with gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 26,001-33,000 lbsClass VIII Truck
Truck with gross vehicle weight (GVW) of 33,001-10,000 or more lbs COFC
Container on (rail) flat car. A form of intermodal movement of freight using a box suitable for use on rail cars, trailer frames, and container ships. Containers come in many sizes. International containers which are used on ships usually have height and width of eight feet. Length can vary, but 20 and 40 foot lengths are the most common. US domestic containers are generally taller than international containers. Combination Vehicle
An equipment configuration which includes separate power unit (tractor) and at least one trailer Connecting Carrier
A carrier which interchanges trailers with another for completion of shipments. Dispatching
The scheduling and control of truck pickup and delivery. Dolly
An auxiliary axle assembly having a fifth wheel used for purpose of converting a semitrailer to a full trailer. Dollies can be used to haul multiple trailers behind a singlepower unit.(also referred to as Bogie) Domestic Intercity Trucking
Trucking operations within the territory of the United States, including intra-Hawaiian and intra-Alaskan, which carry freight beyond the local areas and commercial zones Double
A combination of two trailers pulled by a power unit. Usually refers to a power unit pulling two 28' trailers. See also Rocky Mountain Double and Turnpike Double Enroute
On the way Fifth Wheel
A device used to connect a semi-trailer and tractor Find Freight
Looking for a commodity being shipped from one destination to another. Freight
Any commodity being transported Freight Bill
Document for a common carrier shipment. Gives description of the freight, its weight, amount of charges, taxes, and whether collect or prepaid. Charges paid in advance are called prepaid freight bills. charges collected at the destination are called destination or collect freight bills Find a Freight Broker
Looking for a freight broker to haul a shipment from point A to point B. Freight Broker
Any person who sells transportation without actually providing it. Usually refers to agent for TL shipments, matching small shippers with carriers. Freight brokers often do not accept any responsibility for their shipments. Freight Forwarder
An individual or company that accepts less-than-truckload (LTL) or less-than-carload (LCL) shipments from shippers and combines then into carload or truckload lots. Designated as a common carrier under the Interstate Commerce Act. Freight forwarders issue a bill of lading for shipments and accept responsibility for cargo. GCW
Gross Combination Weight see Gross Vehicle Weight Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)
The maximum allowable fully laden weight of a truck and its payload. the most common classification scheme used by manufacturers and by states. Heavy Duty Truck
Truck with a gross vehicle weight generally in excess of 19,500 pounds (class 6-8). Other minimum weights are used by various laws or government agencies ICC
Interstate Commerce Commission
The federal body charged with enforcing Acts of Congress affecting interstate commerce. Because of recent changes in regulation, this body may be obsolete. Intercity Trucking
Trucking operations which carry freight beyond the local areas and commercial zones Intermodal Transportation
Transportation movement involving more than one mode, e.g. rail-motor, motor-air, or rail-water Interline Freight
Freight which moves from point of origin to destination over the lines of two or more transportation companies Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC)
The federal body charged with enforcing Acts of Congress affecting interstate commerce ISTA
Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of 1991. Less Than Truckload (LTL)
A quantity of freight less than that required for the application of a truckload rate. The historical definition for LTL freight is shipments under 10,000 pounds. LTL carriers are carriers which specialize in shipments under 10,000 pounds. However, competition from other freight carriers restricts shipments for most LTL carriers to the range between 300 and 3000 pounds. Find an LTL Motor Carrier
Looking for a carrier that requires an LTL shipment to their desired destination or surrounding cities. LTL Motor Carrier
LTL carriers are carriers which specialize in shipments under 10,000 pounds. However, competition from other freight carriers restricts shipments for most LTL carriers to the range between 300 and 3000 pounds Line Haul
Movement of freight between cities, excluding pickup and delivery service Modal Share
The percentage of total freight moved by a particular type of transportation Operating expenses
The costs of handling traffic including both direct costs, e.g. driver wages and fuel; and indirect cots, e.g. computer expenses and advertising; but excludes interest expense. Operating Ratio
A measure of profitability based on operating expenses as a percentage of gross revenues Piggyback
The transportation of highway trailers or removable trailer bodies on rail cars specifically equipped for the service. It is essentially a joint carrier movement in which the motor carrier forms a pickup and delivery operations to a rail terminal, as well as a delivery operation at the terminating rail head Power Units
The control and pulling vehicle for trailers or semitrailers Rating
Determination of the correct legal rate for a shipment Rocky Mountain Double
A combination vehicle consisting of a tractor, a 45 to 48 foot semitrailer and a shorter 28 foot semitrailer Semitrailer
Truck trailer equipped with one or more axles and constructed so that the front end rests upon a truck tractor Shipper's Agent
Company which coordinates all aspects of an intermodal move, hiring drayage at both ends, and providing shippers with a single invoice. (See also Freight Forwarder and Broker) SIC Code
Standard Industrial Classification Code A classification of establishments by type of activity in which they are engaged; for the purpose of facilitating the collection, tabulation, presentation and analysis of data relating to establishments, e.g. SIC 42 Motor Freight Transportation and Warehousing SIC 421 Trucking,, Local and Long distance Specialized Carrier
A trucking company franchised to transport articles which, because of size, shape, weight, or other inherent characteristics, require special equipment for lading, unloading or transporting. State of Domicile
Companies - The state in which the carrier maintains its headquarters. Drivers - the state in which a driver resides. Straight Truck
A vehicle with the cargo body and tractor mounted on the same chassis Third Structure Tax
Any tax on road users other than registration fees or fuel taxes. See, for example, ton-mile tax and weight-distance tax. TL
Truckload
(a) Quantity of freight required to fill a truck. (b) When used in connection with freight rates, the quantity of freight necessary to qualify a shipment for a truckload rate (c) Historical definition is a shipment of 10,000 pounds or more. Ton-Mile
The movement of one ton of freight a distance of one mile. Ton-miles are computed by multiplying the weight in tons of each shipment transported by the distance hauled for each movement. Total ton-miles for a carrier are calculated by adding the figure for all movements. Ton-Mile Tax
A tax calculated by measuring the weight of each truck for each trip. The gross weight is assigned a tax rate which is multiplied by the miles of travel Tracer
A request that a carrier locate a shipment to speed its movement or to establish proof of delivery, or a request for an answer to a previously filed claim Truck Tonnage
The weight of freight in tons transported by truck Truckload (TL)
Quantity of freight required to fill a truck. When used in connection with freight rates, the quantity of freight necessary to qualify a shipment for a truckload rate. Historical definition is a shipment of 10,000 pounds or more. Turnpike Double
A combination vehicle consisting of a tractor and two trailers of 45 to 48 feet. Twin Trailer
A short semitrailer (under 29') designed to be operated as part of a combination vehicle with a tandem trailer of similar length Vehicle-Mile
A measurement of the total miles traveled by all vehicles in an area. Generally applies to intercity movements only Waybill
Description of goods with a common carrier freight shipment Weight-distance Tax
A tax basing the fee per mile on the registered gross weight of the vehicle. Total tax liability is calculated by multiplying this rate times miles traveled
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