Air Ride – A suspension system that uses air filled bags instead of springs. Pressure to the bags is controlled by valves and provides a more steady ride.
10-4 – Radio terminology for “Affirmative.”
10-20 – Radio terminology for “Location.”
10-33 – Radio terminology for “Emergency situation.”
10-200 – Radio terminology for “Police are needed.”
Anchor It – Apply full breaking power for immediate stoppage.
Anti-lock Breaking System (ABS) – Computerized control of brakes that keeps the wheels from locking up and sliding. The wheels continue to rotate just enough to keep from freezing and allows for faster stopping.
Backhaul – Return to point of origin.
Bill of Lading – Contract between the shipper (consignor) and the receiver (consignee).
Blind Spot – Places not visible to the driver via the windshield, windows, nor mirrors.
Bobtail – A tractor without a trailer.
Break Bulk – Splitting a shipment into smaller shipments.
Break – Radio communication request to use the channel; for instance, “Breaker 19”, means a request to use channel 19.
CabOver – The cab of the vehicle that sits over the engine.
Cargo Weight – Equals weight of freight plus gear plus supplies on truck.
Carrier – The transportation service provider.
Cartage Company – This is a company that transports good within the local area only.
Channel 19 – A channel on the citizens band and perhaps the most popular channel.
Check Point Charlie – Radio communication for police check point.
Citizens Band Radio (CB) – 40 radio channels within the 27 MHz band used for short distance communications for the general public.
Combination Vehicle – A vehicle made up of two or more units. For example, a tractor and a trailer make up a combination vehicle.
Come Again – Radio communication asking that the message be repeated.
Come Back – Radio communication asking for a response.
Commercial Driver License (CDL) – Required to drive vehicles for commercial purposes. Divided into different classifications.
Commercial Vehicle – Any vehicle that is doing business and carrying cargo.
Consignee – One who receives freight.
Consignor – One who sends freight.
Container – Rectangular box used to send freight by ship, train, or truck. It is a separate unit from the truck and the trailer themselves.
Converter Dolly – A separate axle system with a fifth wheel used to connect two semitrailers for towing.
Convoy – Radio communication referring to 2 or more trucks heading in the same direction.
Copy – Radio communication for acknowledgement of message received.
County Mountie – Radio communication for Sheriff’s Department.
Cross Dock – A dock where freight is transferred to other trucks, without storing first.
Diesel Exhaust Fluid – Urea-based chemical used to reduce diesel emissions.
Distribution Center – Warehouse where goods are shipped out.
Dock Height – Standard height of most trailers and docks measured from the ground, usually 48” to 54”.
Domicile – Refers to home terminal.
DOT – Department of Transportation, federal agency responsible for regulating a federally funded highway.
Doubles – A truck towing two semitrailers that are connected by a converter dolly.
Double Nickel – Radio communication for 55 miles per hour.
Drive Axle – The two axles right behind the cab that receive power from the transmission.
Drop – A trailer that is delivered for loading or unloading.
Dry Van – The standard non-refrigerated trailer.
Dual Wheels – A pair of wheels on the same side of the axle.
Electric On-Board Recorder (EOBR) – An on-board device that record information such as speed, idle time, etc.
Exempt Carrier – A carrier that is not regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
Fifth Wheel – This is a sliding plate on the rear of the truck that has a slot for the trailer kingpin and locks the truck and the trailer together.
Flatbed – A trailer that is simply a flat platform on which to load items that cannot fit into a traditional enclosed trailer. Used for freight such as large machinery.
Fleet – A group of trucks.
FMCSA – Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Division of DOT tasked with safety regulations for commercial drivers.
For Hire Carrier – Third-party company that moves freight for senders.
Freight – Goods that are transported, also known as cargo or payload.
Freight All Kinds (FAK) – Mixed cargo.
Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) – Combined weight of truck plus freight.
Hazardous Material (HAZMAT) – A material that the Environmental Protection Agency has classified as dangerous and regulated by the Department of Transportation.
HOV – A lane on interstates reserved primarily for cars and buses that carry two or more people. Trucks normally are not allowed.
Hours of Service (HOS) – A Department of Transportation regulation regarding the number of hours that commercial drivers work during interstate operations.
Hub Meter – An odometer attached to the axle of a trailer with the purpose of recording the mileage of the trailer.
Intermodal – Movement of freight by two or more means, for example, truck and ship, or rail and air.
Just In Time (JIT) – An accounting system that insures that materials are delivered shortly before they are sent out with the purpose of reducing inventory holding time and space.
Kingpin – A large steel pin that is welded to the front of a trailer and is locked into the truck’s fifth wheel.
Landing Gear – Two legs that roll down at the front of the trailer when the trailer is parked without the truck.
Less Than Truckload (LTL) – Freight typically weighing less than 10,000 pounds. Usually small shipments that are consolidated and moved via a network of terminals and relay points.
Less Than Truckload Carrier – A company that groups different LTL cargoes in one truck and delivers them to the various recipients.
Liftgate – Motor driven platform at the end of a vehicl that lifts items between the ground and the bed.
Line Haul Driver – Typically a driver with a set daily route from city to city, also known as a regional driver.
Live Load – A condition where the truck and the trailer are at the dock being loaded or unloaded.
Local Driver – Runs a set route within a city, also known as a city driver or a pickup and delivery driver.
Logbook – A daily record of the drivers time for activities such as driving, off duty, on duty but not driving, etc.
Logistics – The management of trucking details; for instance, pickup point, delivery point, job assignment, routes, fueling point, weigh stations, etc.
Long Combination Vehicle (LCV) – Vehicles longer than standard doubles; for instance, two 48 foot trailers and three 28 foot trailers.
Lumpers – Third parties that aid in the unloading of freight.
Moving Violation – A traffic violation that relates to a vehicle in motion, like speeding.
Non-Moving Violation – A traffic violation that relates to a vehicle not in motion, like parking.
On-Board Computer (OBC) – A computer on a truck that communicates information about the truck itself, the driver, and the freight: all done wirelessly.
Over The Road (OTR) – stands for over the road.
Overages, Shortages and Damages (OS&D) – a report that indicates freight as damaged, missing, or overstocked.
Over-The-Road Driver – A driver that drives cross country and sleeps out on the road; either in a hotel or in the sleeping quarters of his cab. He averages about 100,000 miles per year.
Owner/Operator – A business where the owner of the truck is also the driver.
P & D – Pickup and delivery.
Payload – Weight of freight.
Peddle Run – Route with frequent deliveries.
Placard – A freight HAZMAT label.
Private Carrier – A company that owns its trucks for the purpose of transporting its products. Trucking is not the company’s core business.
Professional Truck Driver – This term can mean a host of different types of drivers: over the road, local, etc.
PU – Pickup.
Rocking Chair – Radio communication referring to the position of a truck within a convoy that is neither at the front nor at the back and is normally used as a term referring to hiding a truck from police detection.
Receiver – The one who receives the freight.
Reefer – A closed, insulated, and refrigerated trailer.
Semi-trailer – Trailer that has its own back wheels but is supported at the front by a fifth wheel.
Shipper – The one who sends the freight.
Shipping Manifest – a list of the items in a shipment.
Sleeper – A sleeping compartment that is either behind the cab or integral with the cab.
Sliding Fifth Wheel – A fifth wheel that can slide back and forth in order to distribute the weight of the freight on the various axles.
Smokey – Radio communication for policeman.
Steer Axle – Front axle of the truck.
Straight Truck – All axles are connected to the same chassis.
Super Single – Large, wide tires used to substitute for the pair of tires typically used.
Tandem Axle – Two rear trailer axles.
Tank (or Tanker) – A cylindrical trailer used to haul liquids.
TL Carrier – This is a trucking company that assigns one trailer per customer rather than take consolidated freight from multiple customers. It is not a LTL carrier.
Tractor – The truck that pulls the trailer.
Tri-Axle – Truck or trailer with three grouped axles at the rear.
Trip Leasing – One transportation provider leasing a vehicle to another for one trip.
Truckload (TL) – A full trailer.
Ton – 2,000 pounds.
Wrapper – Radio communication for color of a vehicle.