Glossary Of Shipping, Freight & Heavy-Haul Transport Terms

Shipping freight, containers, oversize equipment, trucks, and other items doesn’t have to be a complicated process. FR8Star makes it easy to arrange domestic and international heavy-haul shipping by land, sea, and air. Likewise, the following glossary is a handy reference guide, designed to clarify some of the most commonly used terms in the shipping and transportation industries.

Bill Of Lading (BL or BoL).

A bill of lading is a transportation contract between the shipper and the carrier, forwarder, or freight broker. It serves as a shipment receipt and title of ownership of the cargo plus provides details such as what’s being shipped, pickup and delivery locations, special instructions, total weight, and more.

Blind Shipping.

Blind shipping occurs when the shipper, such as a seller, sends a shipment to a customer without unveiling the identity of the supplier. For example, a seller may do so to prevent a customer from learning the third party the product originated from.

Brokerage.

A brokerage connects shippers and carriers and facilitates and manages the logistics of shipping freight. Using a brokerage often saves shippers time and resources performing these tasks themselves. Some brokerages have their own trucks, trailers, and drivers, while others source out a qualified carrier with the right assets.

Bulk Freight.

Bulk freight refers to large quantities of solid or liquid items, such as grains, sand, salt, crude oil, and chemicals, shipped unpackaged and without containers. A large vessel, such as a liquid tanker or dry bulk trailer, is typically used instead.

Capacity.

Capacity is the amount of space available on a truck, trailer, shipping container, or other vessel for transport. The total amount is measured in cubic capacity, such as cubic feet or cubic meters. Cubic capacity can also refer to how much space the cargo will take up.

Customs Clearance.

Customs clearance refers to legally moving cargo through customs before exiting or exiting a country, whether by land, air, or sea. Customs clearance ensures the required payment of duties and taxes and can include documentation such as proof of insurance, invoices, and a certificate of origin.

Drayage (Dray).

Drayage refers to transporting freight a short distance, such as from a container ship in a port to a nearby distribution warehouse. Drayage is often one part of a multi-part shipment, such as the “last mile” or “first mile” of the shipment.

Drive Away Shipping.

Drive away shipping is when a customer hires an insured, licensed individual to drive a vehicle to a destination. Compared with transporting by trailer or truck, drive away shipping can save the shipper costs but will add mileage and wear and tear to the vehicle.

Flatbed Trailer.

Carriers commonly use flatbed trailers to haul freight up to 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) in height. Flatbeds are among the most popular trailer types, as their open-deck designs are well-suited for transporting irregularly shaped cargo such as large vehicles, agricultural machinery, and construction equipment.

Freight Forwarder (FF).

A freight forwarder acts on behalf of a shipper who needs to transport cargo to an overseas destination. A FF may work with importers and exporters and select transport companies as well as handle rate negotiations, certificates of origin, invoices, bills of lading, and other required documentation and details.

Full Container Load (FCL).

A full container load is a shipment in which one shipper owns all the freight in one container, even if it doesn’t fill the entire container. In contrast, a less than container load (LCL) is a shipment that groups freight from multiple shippers into one container.

Hot Shot Trucking.

Hot shot trucking typically involves a light- or medium-sized truck pulling a flatbed, lowboy, gooseneck, or other type of trailer to haul smaller loads. This method is often used for individual pieces of construction or agricultural equipment or raw materials. Hot shot loads are usually time-sensitive, and deliveries are often local or regional in nature.

Incoterms (International Commercial Terms).

Incoterms are rules and terms the International Chamber of Commerce publishes and periodically updates that define the responsibilities of buyers and sellers involved in domestic and international trade. Some rules pertain to any mode of transport, while others only pertain to sea and inland waterway transport.

Less Than Container Load (LCL).

A less than container load is a shipment that groups individual loads from multiple shippers into one container. The contrast is a full container load (FCL), a shipment where one shipper owns all the freight in one container, even if the freight doesn’t fill the entire container.

Less Than Truckload (LTL).

A less than truckload is a smaller shipment that takes up a limited amount of space on a truck trailer. LTLs often comprise pallets, not equipment or machinery as with a partial load (PCL). Numerous LTLs are usually consolidated in one shipment, resulting in multiple pickup and delivery stops.

Lowboy Trailer.

A lowboy is a low-bed trailer type with a deck positioned lower to the ground than a standard flatbed. The design makes a lowboy an excellent choice for transporting overweight and oversized cargo, such as ag equipment or construction machinery too tall to transport legally with a flatbed.

Oversize Load.

An oversized load is one that exceeds maximum road and highway width, height, length, and/or weight limits. Regulations vary among states, especially in length limits, but generally a load is oversized if it surpasses an 8.5-ft (2.6-m) width, a 13.5- to 14.5-ft (4.1- to 4.4-m) height, and/or an 80,000-pound (36,287-kilogram) gross vehicle weight.

Overweight Load.

An overweight load exceeds weight regulations for a specific truck type. Although there are state and federal regulations for overweight transport, an overweight load is generally considered to surpass an 80,000-lb (36,287-kg) gross vehicle weight, a 20,000-lb (9,072-kg) single-axle weight, or a 34,000-lb (15,422-kg) tandem-axle weight.

Partial Truckload (PTL).

A partial truckload involves smaller freight, such as a mid-size tractor, that takes up a limited amount of space on a truck trailer. Multiple PTLs may be grouped together for simultaneous transport, but the shipper only pays for the space his freight uses.

Removable Gooseneck (RGN) Trailer.

A removable gooseneck trailer, also known as a “double-drop trailer,” is a lowboy trailer type often used to transport oversized wheeled and tracked loads. That’s because an RGN has a removable front neck that allows for lowering the trailer to easily drive the load on or off.

Step Deck Trailer.

Carriers commonly use step deck trailers to transport taller cargo up to 10 ft (3 m) in height. Step decks have a short upper deck and a long bottom deck positioned low to the ground. Using a step deck often allows a hauler to forego obtaining the same permits needed as if hauling with a flatbed trailer.