Industry Terminology

Overview: Below is a list of trucking industry terms. The terms are broken up into 6 different sections: General Terms, Driver/Carrier Terms, Vehicle Terms, Vehicle Parts Terms, Trailer Terms, and Trailer Configuration Terms.

General Terms Definitions

Bill of Lading A paper document between a shipper and a carrier acknowledging (BOL, BL, B/L): the receipt of goods for transport. Usually describes the nature of the cargo; hazardous materials classification (if any); amount of cargo by weight, size, and/or number of pallets, boxes, barrels, etc; and the origin and destination of the cargo.

Bobtailing: Operating a tractor unit with no trailer attached. (See Deadheading).

Broker: A person or company that arranges for the truck transportation of cargo belonging to others, using for-hire carriers to provide the actual truck transportation.

Bulk Cargo or Large quantities of undivided or unpackaged cargo, such as a tank Bulk Freight: trailer filled with gasoline.

Cabotage: The rights of a country to control the movement of vessels and vehicles transporting goods or passengers within its borders. May refer to the transportation of cargo between two points within a country by a vehicle registered in another country.

Cargo: See Freight/Commodity.

Consignee: The person or entity transferring legal responsibility or ownership of the cargo (or consignment) from the carrier. (Receiver).

Consignment: An agreement between a consignee and a consignor in which the goods are taken responsibility for and transported by a third party, the carrier. May also simply refer to the consigned goods (i.e., the cargo). (Shipper).

Consignor: The person or entity transferring legal responsibility or ownership of the cargo (or consignment) to the carrier.

Deadheading: Operating a truck with an empty trailer.

Demurrage: A charge by the carrier (trains/containers/ships) for excess retention of shipping vessel, container, trailer, etc.; caused by

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 1 untimely unloading.

Detention: A charge by the carrier (any mode) for excess retention of shipping vessel, container, trailer, etc.; caused by untimely unloading.

Electronic A device hooked into the truck which transmits useful management Onboard information such as truck location, speed, and idle time. (Truckers Recorder (EOBR): hate them).

Float Shifting: Shifting gears without using the clutch pedal. Also called "slip shifting" or "dead sticking".

Freight: The materials or goods being transported.

Hazardous Dangerous goods ~ Explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise Materials potentially dangerous cargo. Large amounts or especially (Haz-mat): hazardous cargo are required to be placarded under haz-mat regulations. (Truckers must be Haz-Mat Certified to haul).

Intermodal: A single trailer or container that encounters multiple forms of transportation along its route, such as truck/ship/rail.

Just-in-time: A method of inventory control in which warehousing is either nonexistent or kept to a minimum. The freight arrives "just in time", and only when it is needed.

Log Book: A form which describes the working duties of truck drivers for each 24-hour period.

Manifest: A document that describes the contents of a shipment in greater detail than a bill of lading. Commonly used as a checklist during loading/unloading.

Operating Motor carriers for-hire must apply for the authority to engage in Authority: interstate commerce with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. (Common/Contract/Broker).

Oversize Load: 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 smaller units.

Pallet: A wooden (or sometimes plastic) platform on which boxes or cargo are stacked and sometimes shrink-wrapped. Usually refers to the entire palletized stack of boxes, although it can refer to the platform itself.

Progressive A method of shifting gears that optimizes the power range of the Shifting: engine, which in turn optimizes fuel efficiency.

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 2 Receiver: Consignee, importer, or buyer (who may or may not be the same) named in the bill of lading as the party responsible for receiving a shipment.

Shipper: A consignor, exporter, or seller (who may or may not be the same) named in the bill of lading as the party responsible for initiating a shipment.

Shore Power: A land-based electric power supply for trucks. Eliminates the need for engine idling while parked, and in the case of IdleAire, also supplies land-based climate control within the truck cab, as well as Internet and TV access.

Terminal: A dock or hub where freight originates, terminates, or is handled in the transportation process; or a location where motor carriers maintain operating facilities.

Tractor: A semi-truck (powered unit) used to pull a load or semi-trailer (unpowered unit) by means of a fifth wheel mounted over the rear axle(s) in a semi-truck/semi-trailer combination.

Driver/Carrier Definitions Terms

Common A for-hire carrier that is obligated to serve the general public. Carrier: (Must have either common or contract authority).

Company Driver: Employee of a carrier who is assigned to drive company-owned trucks.

Contract A for-hire carrier contracted to one particular shipper. A contract Carrier: carrier enters into a contract whose terms are negotiated between a specific carrier and specific customer. (Authority Type).

Dedicated A driver or carrier who transports cargo between regular, prescribed Route: routes. Regular route drivers usually are at home on regular intervals, given the scheduled nature of their routes.

For-hire Carrier: A licensed carrier that holds itself out to hire under either a public tariff for the general public (for-hire common carrier) or under a contract filed with a specific shipper (contract carrier). For-hire carriers must apply for operating authority with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.

Irregular Route: See Over-the-Road.

Less-than-Truck A driver or carrier who specializes in, or a load composed of many load (LTL): different types of cargo, each typically weighing less than 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg), with many different destinations. Generally

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 3 involves the use of terminal facilities to break and consolidate shipments. A LTL driver normally has a dedicated or regional route.

Long-haul: See Over-the-Road.

Motor Carrier: A person or company providing transportation of property or passengers using commercial motor vehicles.

Over-the-Road A driver or carrier who transports cargo to any place at any time, (OTR): without prescribed schedules or routes. Long-Haul OTR involves 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 Self-employed independent drivers who operate privately owned or (O/O): leased trucks, as opposed to a company driver.

Private Carrier: A not-for-hire carrier contracted to or owned by a shipper that does not offer services to the general public, and operates primarily to transport its own goods.

Regional Route: A driver or carrier who transports cargo in a limited geographical area, usually within a certain radius of one's own home or company terminal, and may or may not maintain a schedule.

Regular Route: See Dedicated Route.

Team Drivers: A team of two or more drivers who ride together and drive the same truck in shifts, essentially allowing the truck to remain in motion almost constantly. Primarily used for time-sensitive freight.

Truckload (TL): A driver or carrier who specializes in, or a load composed of one type of cargo, typically weighing more than 10,000 pounds (4,500 kg), with normally one destination. A truckload driver is normally an over-the-road driver with an irregular route.

Vehicles Terms Definitions

Big Rig: See Semi-Truck.

Big Truck: See Semi-Truck.

Bobtail: Either a tractor without a trailer, or a box truck. In verb form, this also refers to operating a truck without a trailer.

Bob Truck: See Box Truck.

Box Truck: A smaller, single-unit, non-articulated truck, usually having between 6 and 10 wheels.

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 4 Cab Over: A short, box-shaped tractor with no hood, and a steep vertical front. The "cab" rides "over" the engine and front steering axle. Used when a shorter wheelbase is needed.

Combination A vehicle composed of two or more separate units, a tractor Vehicle: (powered unit, semi-truck) and a trailer (unpowered unit, semi-trailer).

Conventional A tractor featuring a forward engine and a cab situated in front of Vehicle: the rear axle, with a conventional hood configuration.

Day Cab: A truck cab without a sleeper berth.

Dump Truck: Usually refers to a straight truck with a bucket-like cargo area, although it can refer to a semi-truck with a dump trailer.

Eighteen-Wheele This term is derived from the number of wheels that the typical OTR r: tractor-trailer configuration has. See also semi-truck.

Semi-Truck: An articulated (jointed) combination vehicle, commonly composed of a 10-wheeled tractor and an 8-wheeled trailer.

Straight Truck: See Box Truck.

Tractor-Trailer: See Semi-Truck.

Truck Crane: A special truck (carrier) with a permanently mounted crane (upper). This design allows faster moves from site to site than conventional cranes.

Vehicle Parts Definitions Terms

Baffle: A partition or separator within a liquid tank, used to inhibit the flow of fluids within the tank. During acceleration, turning, and braking, a large liquid-filled tank may produce unexpected forces on the vehicle due to the inertia of liquids.

Bulkhead: A strong wall-like structure placed at the front of a flatbed trailer (or on the rear of the tractor) used to protect the driver against shifting cargo during a front-end collision. May also refer to any separator within a dry or liquid trailer (also called a baffle for liquid trailers) used to partition the load.

Bunk: See Sleeper Berth.

Cab: See Cabin.

Cabin: The interior of a truck where the driver sits to operate the vehicle.

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 5 Cheater Axle: See Lift Axle.

Dual Wheels: A pair of tire and wheel assemblies mounted side-by-side on a single axle hub. In some applications it is replaced by a super single. On pickup trucks it is sometimes called a dually). The assembly has a greater load carrying ability as compared to a single wheel. It also provides redundancy so if one of the two tires fail the second will maintain support preventing loss of vehicle control and allowing the vehicle to travel to a repair facility.

Engine Brake: A braking system that utilizes the back pressure from the engine's pistons to slow down the vehicle. Commonly used to prevent heavy trucks from accelerating out of control while driving on steep downhill grades.

Fifth Wheel: A pivoting platform on the rear of a truck tractor, used to support the front end of the trailer being towed that contains locking jaws that engage the trailer kingpin.

Glad Hands: Interlocking connectors attached to air hoses that supply air from the tractor to the trailer for air brakes.

Headache Rack: See Bulkhead.e

Jake Brake: A popular brand of engine brake. See Engine Brake.

Kingpin: A large pin, underneath the front of a trailer, which interlocks with the fifth wheel.

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

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 (see also Federal Gross Weight Bridge Formula).

Retarder: (Mechanical engineering) A device used to assist braking that does not use friction. such as engine braking or axle-mounted electromagnetic retarders. See also engine brake.

Sleeper Berth: The portion of the truck's interior designated for sleeping, legally must contain a bed.

Super Single: A single, larger wheel, substituted for a tandem assembly. The main benefit of a super single is a reduction in weight; combined with lower rolling resistance the super single promises better fuel economy. The disadvantage is the lack of tire redundancy from which tandem wheels benefit, as tire failure can disable the vehicle

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 6 and increased highway wear, through the high point loading and scrubbing of road surfaces when making tight turns.

Tandem: See Tandem axle The word tandem itself means "having parts arranged one behind another".

Tandem Axle: A set of axles spaced close together. Most often refers to two axles, but can refer to a set of three or more closely spaced axles.

Trailer Terms Definitions

Auto Transport: A specialized trailer or truck/trailer combination used for transporting passenger vehicles.

Belly Dump: See Bottom Dump.

Bottom Dump: A dump with a funnel-shaped floor for unloading through the bottom.

Bull Wagon: See Livestock.

Car Hauler: See Auto Transport.

Chip Van: Specially designed bulk dry van with open top for wood byproducts.

Container: A simple, enclosed box of standardized sizes, used for intermodal transport.

Container A skeletal trailer composed of a simple chassis for the mounting of Skeletal Carrier: an intermodal container.

Covered Wagon: A flatbed with specially fitted side plates and curved ribs supporting a tarp covering, commonly referred to as a "side kit". Named for the resemblance to horse-drawn covered wagons.

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

Deep-Drop Van: A specialized dry van that maximizes interior space, with a lowered floor and higher roof. Normally used to transport bulky, relatively light cargo, such as furniture and electronics.

Double Decker: A specialized trailer with 2 floors to allow for more cargo space.

Double A flatbed with the lowest deck. Featuring a raised step at the front, Dropdeck: where the trailer attaches to the fifth wheel, and at the back, where the wheel wells are located. Normally used for oversize/overheight loads.

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 7 Doubles Trailer: A trailer between 26 feet (7.9 m) and 29 feet (8.8 m) long that can be used singularly as a delivery trailer in congested areas or in combination with another trailer for over the road.

Dropdeck: A flatbed with a lowered deck, featuring a raised step at the front, where the trailer attaches to the fifth wheel.

Dry Box: See Dry Van.

Dry Bulk: A variation of the liquid tank trailer, with a funnel-shaped bottom, used for hauling bulk quantities of dry powder (sometimes called bulk pneumatic). Usually loaded through holes in the top, unloaded through the bottom or through pneumatic force.

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.

Dump: A bucket-like trailer with an open top for loading, commonly used for hauling bulk quantities of dirt, rock, gravel, etc.

Flatbed: A flat trailer with no enclosure or doors. Can be loaded/unloaded from the sides or above, and does not require elevated access for forklifts.

Gooseneck Lowboy (trailer) - A specialized lowered flatbed trailer featuring an Lowboy: arched coupling arm, normally used foroversize/overweight loads. (Removable Gooseneck).

Grain: A rectangular enclosure with an open top for bulk loading, covered with a tarp, and a funnel shaped bottom for unloading grain, fertilizer, etc.

Hopper: See Grain.

Livestock: A rectangular enclosure with sides featuring numerous ventilation holes, an interior with multiple levels, and usually a ramp in the rear for loading/unloading. Used for hauling cows, pigs, sheep, etc.

Live-Bottom: A dry van with solid or openable roof with a moveable mechanized floor for unloading.

Logger: See Timber.

Lowboy: See Double Dropdeck, or Gooseneck Lowboy.

Platform: See Flatbed.

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 8 Portable Parking See Auto Transport. Lot:

Pup: A trailer between 26 feet (7.9 m) and 29 feet (8.8 m) long that can be used singularly as a delivery trailer in congested areas or in combination with another trailer for over the road.

Rear Dump: A dump with a rear pivot point allowing the front of the cargo area to be raised vertically for unloading through the rear.

Reefer: See Refrigerated Van.

Refrigerated A refrigerated and insulated box trailer. Van:

Side Dump: A dump with front and rear pivot points allowing the cargo area to tilt sideways for unloading.

Side Kit: See Covered Wagon.

Sideloader: (AKA Sidelifter) A specialized container trailer with cranes on the front and rear to allow for on-the-spot loading and unloading.

Skateboard: See Flatbed.

Stepdeck: See Dropdeck.

Tank: An enclosed cylinder-shaped tank used for hauling bulk quantities of liquid.

Tanker: See Tank.

Timber: A specialized trailer, used for transporting logs, consisting of a basic chassis with vertical stakes along the sides to hold the logs in place. There are several types of timber trailers: Long wood trailers; Usually with four stakes, but can have more, evenly spaced for tree length logs to carried longwise on the trailer; Short wood trailers, with two separated sets of four of stakes, commonly referred to as a double bunk and piggyback trailers. These trailers can be self loaded onto the back of a truck.

Trailer Config. Definitions Terms

‘B’ Train Double: A special set-of-doubles: the second (usually shorter) trailer is hooked directly to the first via a fifth wheel on the rear of the first one (two semis).

Rocky Mountain A combination of a standard trailer and a shorter pup trailer. Legal

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 9 Double (‘A’ in more than 20 states, use is usually restricted to toll roads, Train): freeways, or by permit.

Standard: A single trailer. Common dimensions range from 45 feet (14 m) to 53 feet (16 m) long, and up to 13.5 feet (4.1 m) tall.

Triple: A combination of three pup trailers. Legal in 17 states, usually restricted to major highways, toll roads, or freeways.

Turnpike Double: A combination of two standard trailers. Legal in 18 states, these unusually long combinations are usually restricted to toll roads or freeways.

To learn more visit hoh.fastport.com. 10