Whether you’re new to the industry or one of the original folks, it’s important to know some terms and lingos in order to survive and thrive in the industry. Here’s a refresher in some freight lingos you hear on a daily basis. We got you covered. 

Below are some of the most common freight shipping terms and abbreviations along with descriptions of how each fits into the larger context of the freight shipping industry.

Adjustments
Costs incurred after a shipment has delivered. Reasons for adjustments can be discrepancy between the freight characteristics quoted and the delivered shipment, or may be accrued for additional services.

Inbound Freight  
An integral part of supply chain management, inbound freight are shipments coming from vendors.

Blind shipment 
When the shipper and receiver are not aware of one another, the freight shipment is called a blind shipment. The BOL lists the party that paid for the shipment as the shipper or receiver of the freight shipment.

Brokerage 
A brokerage license is a legally required document that a broker obtains in order to have the ability to make land, sea and air freight shipping arrangements.

Truckload (TL)
Truckload shipping can be defined as the transportation of goods that will fill up a 48’ or 53’ trailer by volume or weight.  Full truckload shipping typically is contracted to one customer gaining full and exclusive use of the carrier’s trailer

Less than truckload (LTL)
Allows multiple shippers to share space on the same truck. It is the more cost efficient option of the two, with multiple companies paying for their portion of trailer space.

BOL (Bill of Lading)
The bill of lading (BOL) is the legally-binding contract between the shipper and the carrier, broker or agent that defines all aspects of the freight shipping arrangement including what is being shipped and to whom.

Axle Load
The axle load refers to the weight each axle puts on the nation’s highways.

Embargo
An embargo is any event that prevents the freight from being accepted or handled. Most often, an embargo is due to international conflict or sanctions imposed on a particular country or group of people.

Tarrif
A tariff establishes the cost and contract of a freight shipment for the shipper and the carrier.

Flatbed Hauling 
This is  commonly associated with shipping heavy or unique shaped freight that is too large for conventional trucks. It also applies to freight that requires open sides for accessibility when loading and unloading the freight.

PRO Number 
PRO number is assigned by carriers once a shipment has been picked up to help shippers track the progress of their freight. This is known as the standard tracking number in the freight shipping industry.

There are lots of terms to remember but it doesn’t have to be complicated if you have a good logistics partner on board. Get in touch with us today!