Industry Expertise - Transportation

Glossary of Terms

The following document includes key terms as they relate to the Transportation Industry.  The words/phrases listed are separated into sections. The first section are the terms that are felt to be the most critical to understand when working within this market.  The second section of terms is supplemental but still important to at least be familiar with. 

Acronyms and/or abbreviations were also included for those words or phrases for which this industry commonly uses them. 

Critical Terms

Assessorial (or Accessorial) Charge

Services in addition to the transportation of goods, such as stopping in transit to complete loading or to partially unload or storage.

Bill-To Dispute

Shipment is being challenged by whoever is noted on the Bill of Lading as being the one who is to pay the freight charges.

Bill of Lading (BOL)

A commercial shipping document which serves as an itemized list of goods contained in the shipment, a receipt from the carrier, and the contract for carriage and document of title. Carrier A person engaged in the transportation of passengers or property by land or water, as a common, contract, or private carrier, or civil aircraft.

Collect

An indication on a Bill Of Lading to instruct the carrier to bill the consignee for shipping charges. Charges collected at designation are called destination or collect freight bills.

Consignee

The person or organization to whom freight is shipped.

Freight Bill (FB)

Document of common carrier shipment. Gives description of the freight, amount of charges, taxes and whether prepaid or collect. Also known as a 'waybill'.

Freight Broker

A non-asset based company which sells and manages freight transportation services on behalf of their clients.

Freight Forwarder

An independent business which handles shipments on a fee basis paid by the exporter. The freight forwarder makes the actual arrangements, expedites the shipment, takes care of all documentation, cargo insurance, makes the necessary communications, and advises the shipper on all requirements of marking and labeling.

Hundred Weight (CWT)

A statement of weight meaning 100 pounds.

Less-than-Truckload LTL

A quantity of freight less than that required to fill a truck. When used in conjunction with freight, less than the quantity necessary for the application of truckload rate.

Line Haul Charges

The primary charges assessed by a Carrier for the movement of freight. Generally does not include accessorial charges.

Loss or Damage Claim (L&D)

A claim submitted for either loss or damage.

Nat'l. Motor Freight Classification (NMFC)

A publication for motor carriers containing rules, descriptions, and ratings on all commodities moving in commerce.

Per Hundred Weight (CWT)

Per each unit of weight measurement equal to exactly 100 pounds.

PRO (Progressive Rotating Order)

A number issued to each shipment of freight by the carrier and used for computer tracking of the shipment to its destination.

Proof of Delivery (POD)

The copy of the freight bill signed by receiver at time of delivery.

Shipper

Company or individual who initiates the transport of goods.

Tariff

A published volume of rate schedules and general terms and conditions under which product or service will be supplied.

Truckload (TL)

Quantity of freight required to fill a truck. When used in conjunction with freight, necessary to qualify shipment for a truckload rate.

Weight and Research Certificate (W&R)

A document issued by the carrier to certify the weight of a shipment to reflect the actual weight, versus the weight indicated on the Bill of Lading.

Supplemental Terms

Absolute Minimum Charge (AMC)

The lowest possible billing rate.

Aggregate Shipment

Numerous shipments from different shippers

to one consignee that are consolidated and treated as a single consignment.

Any Quantity (AQ)

A rate applicable to an article in any quantity.

Back Haul

The rerouting of a freight shipment back over a route that it has completed or the use of a firm's empty delivery equipment to haul back purchases of merchandise from suppliers who are located near customer destinations.

Cargo

The lading of a vehicle.

Cartage

Freight hauling between locations in the same city, town, suburb, or local area.

Classification (or Class or Rating)

The class to which an article is assigned for the purpose of applying transportation charges.

Commodity

Any article of freight. Goods shipped.

Deadhead

Empty truck (dead heading, running empty).

Demurrage

The fees charged by the carrier on containers while they're in the shipyard. Detention The fees charged by the carrier on containers once they leave the shipyard.

Dunnage

The material used to protect or support freight in or on trucks.

Freight All Kinds (FAK)

The abbreviation applied to pooling of different commodities for simplification of rating or price.

Government Bill of Lading G.B.L.

A Bill Of Lading used for the procurement of commercial (outside of government authorized) transportation services by government agencies.

Gross Weight

The weight of an article, together with the weight of its container and the material used in packing. As applied to a truck, the weight of the truck, together with the weight of its entire contents.

Hazardous Materials (HM)

A substance or material which has been determined by the Dept. of Transportation to be capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety and property when transported in commerce.

Household Good Carrier Bureau (HGB)

A group within the American Moving and Storage Association specifically designated \ to work with firms offering to transport household goods.

Immediate Transport (IT)

Rush job.

Knocked Down (KD)

An article taken apart, folded and telescoped so as to reduce its normal cubage, when set-

up or assembled, by 33.33%

Knocked Down Flat (KDF)

An article taken apart, folded and telescoped so as to reduce its normal cubage, when set-

up or assembled, by 66.66%

Marks

Letters, numbers or characters placed on a package for the purpose of identification.

Memorandum Bill of Lading

The third part of a multiple set of bill of lading.

Minimum Charge (M/C)

The least charge for what for which a shipment will be handled.

Motor Carrier (MC)

1) A for-hire motor carrier or a private motor carrier of property, including a motor carrier's agents, officers and representatives as well as employees responsible for hiring, supervising, training, assigning, or dispatching of drivers and employees concerned with the installation, inspection, and maintenance of motor vehicle equipment and/or accessories. 2) An employer firm that is primarily engaged in providing commercial motor freight or long distance trucking or transfer services.

Motor Freight (MF)

Freight carried by motor transportation.

Namely, that is viz. Equivalent to 'i.e.' as used in normal text.

No Match in NFMC (nc) No match for this classification is found in the NFMC listings.

Not Otherwise Identified in NMFC (NOI)

There is no better classification found in the NFMC listings.

Pay Agent

A person or business authorized on the behalf of the shipper as someone to whom payment can be made.

Pick-up and Delivery (P&D)

Pick-up and delivery of shipments.

Prepaid

An indication on a Bill Of Lading to instruct

the Carrier to bill the Shipper for the

shipping charges.

Rate

The charge for transporting freight.

Set-up (SU)

A term denoting complete assembly of an article or an assembled article.

Single Shipment (S/S)

Refers to a shipment tendered at one time and place.

Tare Weight

The weight of a container and the material used for packing.

Tender

To offer goods for transportation, or to offer to place trucks for loading or unloading.

Third Party Payor

A payor of the freight charges shown on the bill of lading that is neither the shipper or consignee.

Temporarily In-Bond (TIB)

Freight moving under U.S. Custom Bond for only a portion of its entire journey.

Transport and Export (T&E)

To move traffic from one place to another and then export it.