Transportation Terminology (Part 2: M — Z)
A Reference Guide
Like many industries, transportation has its own vocabulary and, like trying to communicate in a foreign language, misuse or misunderstanding of terminology can cause great confusion; in fact, it can mean the difference between success and failure.
To help you become acquainted with the World of Transportation, the following is a list of widely used industry terms to help with deciphering bills, articles, comments and communications made by transportation professionals — and the mainstream media — in reference to all things ‘transportation.’
Welcome back.
The Essential Glossary: M — Z
• Motor Carrier Number (MC#): License # assigned to for-hire carriers by the FMCSA — commonly referred to as a USDOT number
• National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC): A standardized method designed to give consumers a uniform pricing structure for transporting freight
• Owner-Operator: Truck driver who owns and operators his truck(s)
- Over-Dimensional (Wide Load): Cargo that is larger than the legally defined limits for width, length, height, and/or weight and cannot be broken down into smaller units
• Pallet Jack: A tool used to lift and move pallets and other heavy packages and products
• Partial: Truck used to combine multiple shipments from several customers in order to utilize the entire truck
- Permits: Permission obtained from states allowing carriers to transport freight that exceeds the legal weight and size limits
• Placards: Hazmat warning signs placed on all four sides of a trailer
• Proof of Delivery (POD): Signed documents such as a Bill of Lading that show a shipment was received at the delivery location
• PRO number: A number assigned to a shipment by the carrier for reference and tracking
• Pup Trailer: Short single-axle semitrailer — usually 26–32 ft long
• Ramps: Carried by some open-deck truckers to help facilitate loading and offloading
• Rate Confirmation: A document that confirms the agreed price for the cost of service between shipper and carrier
• Reefer: A trailer with insulated walls and a self-powered refrigeration unit
• Removable Goose Neck (RGN): A specialized heavy-haul flatbed trailer that provides drive-on accessibility; the trailer deck is attached to a “gooseneck” that can be raised and lowered then removed from the trailer for transportation.
• Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC): Unique 2–4 letter code used to identify transportation companies
• Shipper: Consignor, exporter or seller named in the bill of lading, who may or may not be the same as the party responsible for initiating a shipment
• Sliding Tandem: Mechanism that allows a tandem axle suspension to be moved back and forth at the rear of a semitrailer, for the purpose of adjusting the distribution of weight between the axles and fifth wheel
• Spread Axle (Spread Tandem): Tandem axle assembly that is spaced further apart than the standard spacing of 54”
- Straps: Strong vinyl straps used to secure and tie down freight to a trailer
• Tanker: Cylinder designed to haul liquids like fuel or oil
• Tandem Axle: Pair of axles and associated suspension usually co-located
• Team (Driver Team): Team of two drivers who alternate driving and resting — typically used for expedited shipments
• Third Party Logistics/Freight Broker: Individual or company that serves as a liaison between another individual or company needing shipping services and an authorized motor carrier; provides the necessary transportation but does not function as a shipper or carrier
• Thru Trailer Service (TTS): When cargo remains on the same trailer during an international shipment — the opposite of a trans-load
• Trans-Load: The movement of a product from one trailer to another trailer in order to keep a shipment going — standard practice at US borders
• Truck-Mounted Crane: A self-propelled loading/unloading machine mounted on a truck body
• Truck Order Not Used (TORD): When a shipper orders a truck to pick up but cancels after it has been dispatched
• Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC): Needed to gain unescorted access to secure areas of Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)-regulated facilities and vessels
• Van: An enclosed boxlike motor vehicle having rear or side doors and side panels used for transporting goods
Alkane thanks Chuck Intrieri , writing for Cerasis.com, for this extensive list of industry term and explanations.
Alkane Truck Company is currently raising capital on the crowdfunding platform StartEngine. Find out more here: https://www.startengine.com/startup/alkane
