Road veterans who have logged more hours than most airplanes are fluent in trucking terminology. But for those just starting a driving career, the technical terminology of the trucking industry can be challenging to understand. Thankfully, you can learn the long list of words and phrases below.
Trucking Terms from A-Z
A
ABS – Anti-lock brakes add pressure to prevent the wheels from locking up when braking.
Air Freight – Freight that is shipped mainly through air transportation.
Air Ride Suspension – Suspensions that use airbags to give a smooth ride, which may be needed for household goods and electronic freight.
Audit – A safety audit is a review of the motor carrier’s records performed by the DOT to ensure safety management is in place and compliant with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (FMCSA).
Authority – This is mandatory for trucking companies that are for-hire transporting passengers or regulated commodities.
Authorized Carrier – A carrier listed as a pre-approved transportation provider for a specific shipper.
Axle – A steel shaft connecting wheels to the truck's other side.
Axle Rating – The allowed weight on an axle or a group of axles. This is usually 12,000 pounds for a steer axle and 34,000 pounds for a tandem drive and trailer axle.
B
Backhaul – A return load allowing the driver to return home or close to the company.
Base Plate – A truck license plate issued from the state in which the vehicle is registered.
Bear – State Trooper or Highway Patrol
Bed Bugger – A household goods driver
Belly Dump – A dump trailer loads through the hopper at the bottom instead of raising the bed like a traditional dump truck.
Bill of Lading – A document listing the agreement between a shipper and a carrier. Information can include freight, weight, pick-up and delivery dates, and payment.
Binder/Insurance – An insurance binder confirms any pending coverage that the insurance company provides until the policy paperwork is available.
Black Ice – Invisible ice that occurs on wet roads during freezing temperatures.
Blind Siding – When a driver backs into an area where the trailer is angled away from the passenger’s side. This is more difficult than driver-side backing and should be avoided.
Bobtail – A tractor without a trailer.
Bogie – A frame that attaches a wheelset to a trailer or vehicle.
Bonded Warehouse – A public or private warehouse where goods are stored, assembled, or manufactured.
Brake Chamber – A closed container that holds the brake’s working parts.
Brake Drum – A rotating cylinder that, when pressed against the brake pad, causes friction and causes the vehicle to slow down.
Bridge Formula – DOT and state use this math equation to decide the maximum weight allowed for commercial vehicles. This equation considers the gross weight, number of axles, spacing, and overall length.
Broker – Transportation service providers that act as the middleman between shippers and carriers.
Bulk Carrier – Hauls unpackaged or loose freight such as gravel, sand, scrap steel, and gasoline.
Bulk Freight – Freight that is unpackaged in large quantities, such as crude oil, crushed stone, coal, and grain.
Bull Hauler – A driver hauling live cattle (this should not be confused with a hog hauler).
Bunk Cab – A sleeper berth often includes a bed with storage for a truck driver’s belongings.
C
Cab Card – A document issued by the state that indicates whether a commercial vehicle is allowed to operate. The card can include truck-specific information and should always be kept in the truck.
Cabover Truck – A flat-front, boxy truck with the engine under the cab instead of under the hood like conventional tractors.
Camshaft – A rotating shaft with extended prongs that opens and closes the intake and exhaust valves when an engine is running.
Cargo – Another word for freight or commodity.
Cargo Insurance – Insurance that insures the freight being hauled.
Cargo Manifest – A shipping document providing information for freight and/or cargo carried by ship, airplane, or commercial vehicles.
Cargo Weight – The transported freight’s weight. Typically, a 5-axle tractor-trailer can have a gross weight of 80,000 pounds and haul over 40,000 pounds.
Carrier – A trucking company that hires owner-operators and transports freight.
Carrier Liability – The maximum amount a carrier can be held responsible for loss, damage, or delivery delays. The amount and type of goods are often used for determining carrier liability.
CAT Scales – Scales found at truck stops so a driver can weigh their truck to ensure their gross weight is legal.
CB Radio – Citizens Radio (CB) allows drivers to communicate over short distances. CB Radios have been used with drivers since the early 1970’s.
Certificate of Insurance – An official document provided by an insurance company to verify that there is a policy for a specific organization, such as a trucking company or owner-operator.
Chassis – The supporting framework to where the cab, fuel tanks, axles, and cargo compartments connect.
Chimney Blocking – A technique that rotates between loading pallets straight and 90 degrees into a trailer. When the number of pallets for carrying goods is between 26 and 28, chimney blocking is often used.
Chocks – Triangle wedges used in front and behind wheels to prevent the vehicle from rolling when parked.
Claim – This is made by a shipper looking for compensation from a carrier when freight is damaged or lost in transit.
Class One Motor Carriers – Carriers with a yearly combined intrastate and interstate revenue of more than 10 million dollars.
Class Two Motor Carriers - Carriers with a yearly combined intrastate and interstate revenue between 3 and 10 million dollars.
Class Three Motor Carriers - Carriers with a yearly combined intrastate and interstate revenue of less than 3 million dollars.
COE – Cab-over-Engine (COE) is a flat-front, boxy truck with the engine under the cab instead of under the hood like a traditional tractor.
Combination – A truck that has at least one tractor and one trailer.
Combined Gross Vehicle Weight – The total weight of the truck, including the trailers, fuel, equipment, freight, and power unit.
Commercial Carrier – A for-hire company that uses commercial vehicles to transport freight and/or people.
Compliance Review – The Federal Motor Carrier Administration uses a compliance review to ensure commercial carriers follow all necessary procedures and laws. A state or federal safety inspector can evaluate the facility, equipment, and any documents on-site as part of this review.
Consignee – Someone responsible for receiving the shipment and often referred to as a receiver.
Consolidation – When multiple less-than-truckload (LTL) shipments are combined into one big shipment to make a full truckload.
Container Shipping – Freight is stored in shipping containers to move by rail or water before being secured onto a truck or trailer chassis to be transported by land.
Contract Carrier – A carrier that provides transportation services for a shipper; the terms are laid out in a contract.
Converter Dolly – Used to connect a trailer to a tractor that may have one or two axles and a fifth wheel.
Coop – A weigh station or scale house.
Coupling – Attaching a tractor to a trailer or multiple trailers when hauling doubles.
Covered Wagon – A flatbed trailer that has sidewalls and an arched top – this resembles the pioneer-era covered wagon.
Cubic Capacity - The space inside a truck, trailer, or shipping container.
Customs – An agency or authority responsible for controlling or monitoring freight flow in and out of the country.
D
DAC – A report that includes the driver’s information for trucking companies. This report can consist of experience in equipment and freight hauling, drug and alcohol test results, rehire eligibility, and trucking school records.
Dead Heading – Picking up a load while hauling an empty trailer.
Dedicated Run – A run that often makes the same stops simultaneously.
Demurrage – When a truck is stopped longer than the time allowed for loading and unloading.
DOT – Department of Transportation.
Disc Wheels – These are more aerodynamic, with fewer parts, lower maintenance, and are on most commercial vehicles. These differ from the traditional spoke wheels.
Dispatcher – A carrier employee who acts as the middleman between drivers and shippers.
Dock – Where a truck parks to get loaded and unloaded.
Dock Plate – A steel plate that covers gaps between the truck or trailer when in a loading dock. This allows forklifts and dollies to load oversized freight in the back of the truck.
Dolly – A device with an axle, fifth wheel, and pintle hook that lets trailers be hooked together.
Double Bottom – Used to refer to double trailers.
Double Clutching – A shifting technique where the driver presses the clutch once to put the transmission in neutral before pressing it again to go to a higher gear.
Doubles (Twin Trailers) – When a truck has two trailers.
Drives – Used to refer to drive tires or drive axles. Many tractor-trailers have two drive axles, but LTL tractors only have one.
Driver’s Daily Log – A record that shows the driver’s workday broken down into drive time, on-duty not driving, off-duty, and sleeper berth.
Driveline – Components that give power from the engine to the drive wheels.
Drop + Hook – Dropping an empty trailer off at a shipper’s yard, then picking up an already loaded trailer. This saves time.
Dry Box – An enclosed trailer hauling general freight that does not need climate control. This is also referred to as Dry Van.
Dump Body – A freight compartment for hauling bulk goods such as crushed stone, topsoil, and sand.
E
Electronic Onboard Recorder – An electronic device that records total drive time and speed during a certain time.
Endorsements – An add-on to a commercial driver’s license (CDL) to allow the driver to operate combination vehicles such as doubles, triples, or tankers or to haul freight such as hazardous materials (hazmat).
ETA – Estimated Time of Arrival.
Excise Tax – Taxes applied on certain items such as beer, gasoline, tobacco products, and diesel fuel.
Expediting – A branch in the transportation industry where team drivers often use dedicated trucks to transport small, time-sensitive freight.
Extra-Provincial Operation – When a truck registers in one country but has the authority to operate in a neighboring country.
F
Federal Excise Tax (FET) – Taxes the federal government applies to gain revenue for ongoing maintenance and highway expansion costs.
FHWA – The Federal Highway Administration is responsible for maintaining, constructing, and managing the highways, tunnels, and bridges.
Fingerprint a Load – If a driver “fingerprints” a load, they must unload it.
H
HVUT – Heavy Vehicle Use Tax is a yearly paid tax to the IRS by commercial vehicle owners with a gross vehicle weight of 55,000 pounds or more.
F
FMCSA – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an agency with the U.S. Department of Transportation that controls the trucking industry. They help improve highway safety and reduce accidents involving commercial trucks.
FMCSR – The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations is a list of motor carrier regulations drivers should always have on them.
Fifth Wheel – A large, flat, u-shaped device mounted on the tractor’s frame behind the cab. It faces away from the cab, and when the tractor is backed under a trailer, it slides into the fifth wheel and is locked into place with steel jaws.
Fiscal Year – a 12-month period during which a trucking company or owner-operator must report their earnings.
Fixed Tandem – A set of two axles that are set in place on a trailer.
Flatbed – An open trailer used to haul freight that does not require a reefer trailer or dry van. Flatbed trucks can haul masonry products, lumber, equipment, cars, and steel coils.
For-Hire Carrier – A private transportation company that moves general freight, passengers, and regulated and household goods. For-hire carriers must have USDOT and MC numbers.
Forklift – A machine that uses prongs or forks to help load and unload pallets and other freight onto commercial vehicles.
Freight – A word to describe anything transported by vessel, commercial vehicle, or airplane. Freight can be food, clothes, lumber, electronics, coal, and fuel.
Freight Bill – A freight bill or invoice is the final bill sent by the carrier to a shipper for services. These should not be confused with bills of lading since they often include other additional services.
Freight Forwarder – A business or person that coordinates shipments between shippers, carriers, and consignees.
Freight Shaker – a Freightliner truck.
G
GAWR – The maximum allowed weight that can be supported on one axle of a commercial truck is known as the gross axle weight rating. The acronym can be followed by an FR or RR signifying the front and rear axles in a tandem or spread axle layout.
GCW – Gross Combination Weight – the maximum allowable weight for a combination truck.
Gear Ratio – The number of turns an output shaft makes when it rotates once.
Glad Hands – Couplers that link the service and emergency air lines on tractors to trailers. When they are linked together, they look like shaking hands.
Glider Kit – When a new truck is sold without a transmission, engine, driveline, and rear differential.
Gooseneck – A light to medium weight flatbed trailer with a protruding neck (gooseneck) that connects to a fifth wheel on a hot shot truck.
GPS – A Global Positioning System, a satellite-based device that helps calculate location. Truck drivers use a GPS for trip planning.
Grade – The ratio between the elevation and distance when determining a hill or mountain incline.
Grandfather Clause – When an old rule or regulation can still apply in some situations, even if a new one has been implemented.
GCWR – Gross Combined Weight Rating (or gross combination weight rating) is a combination vehicle's maximum allowed total weight.
GVW – Gross Vehicle Weight, which is the manufacturer's maximum operating weight of a vehicle. This will include the cab, chassis, fuel, engine, driver, accessories, and freight.
H
Hanging Iron – A phrase that describes securing loads onto a flatbed or lowboy trailer using binders and chains.
Hazmat – Materials that can only be transported by a commercial driver with a hazmat endorsement on their CDL.
Headache Rack – A steel rack attached to the back of a truck or cab to stop items on a flatbed from breaking free into the sleeper or cab.
Header Board – This is like a headache rack; instead, it is attached to the front of the flatbed trailer.
Heavy Hauler – A truck made to haul heavier loads that often require specific permits and escorts.
High Cube – A dry van trailer with more inside space than a traditional trailer. High cubes are often 14 feet tall, unlike a 13 ½ -foot trailer.
Highway Use Tax – Commercial vehicle owners with a gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more pay an annual highway use tax to the IRS.
Hopper Body – An open-top, walled truck used to haul heavy bulk freight such as dry concrete mix, grain, and food products.
Horses – Horsepower.
Hot Load – A load that needs to be loaded and delivered as soon as possible.
Hot Shot Trucking – A part of the trucking industry where 3 – 5 trucks haul light loads using a medium flatbed trailer and large pickup trucks with fifth wheels.
Hours of Service – This regulation set by the FMCSR determines the hours a driver can drive and work.
Household Goods Carrier – Carriers such as van lines haul household goods for consumers moving to a new home.
I
Icing Charge – An added fee when ice is needed for perishable freight before or during transportation.
IFTA – International Fuel Tax Agreement – is an agreement between the United States and Canadian jurisdictions to streamline how interstate and cross-border carriers determine fuel taxes.
In Bond – Shipment made for import or export that customs have not cleared.
Intermodal Transportation – Shipment that uses truck, rail, ship, and/or air and one or more other types of transportation.
Interstate – Freight that is loaded in one state and delivered in another.
Intrastate – Freight that is loaded and delivered in the same state.
IRP – International Registration Plan – This agreement between the states, Canadian provinces, and the District of Columbia where commercial vehicle registrations are recognized no matter where they were issued.
ITS – Intelligent Transportation Systems – this provides shipping options that often include traffic control services to coordinate multiple transportation options to ensure safe, seamless, and less time-consuming shipping.
J
Jack Knife – When the power unit and trailer are to a point, they form an acute angle, like folding a pocket knife. A jackknife skid often happens during frozen or wet road conditions.
Jake Brake – A diesel engine component that uses compression to slow down the truck without applying service brakes. Jake brakes are also called engine brakes, often used together with service brakes on downhill slopes.
Just-in-Time Freight – Raw materials or parts are shipped to where they will be received in time for production.
Jurisdiction – Authority granted to an agency to enforce laws in a certain area.
K
King Pin – A large steel pin sticking out from a trailer’s front underside that locks into the fifth wheel when two trailers are being hauled.
K-Whopper – A Kenworth truck.
L
Laden Wheel – The combination of vehicle weight, equipment, fuel, freight, and the driver.
Landing Gear – Two large legs that support the trailer when not attached to a tractor.
Lease – An agreement where the lessee pays the lessor for the use of equipment or assets.
Lease Purchase Agreement – An agreement like a standard lease, but different because the lessee can buy the equipment at the end of the contract.
LTL – Less-than-Truckload – consists of small shipments to multiple customers in one truck.
Lessee – A person or entity leasing equipment such as a tractor or trailer in the trucking industry.
Lessor – Someone who is leasing equipment to a lessee.
Liability Insurance – An insurance policy to protect an individual or business from repercussions such as negligence or injury.
Lift Axle – Axles on a tractor or trailer that has adjustable heights. When a truck is fully loaded, the axles (or axles) can be lowered to distribute the weight evenly, or when it is empty, it can be raised to prevent the tires from contacting the pavement.
Linehaul – Long-distance transportation between cities in different states.
Live Floor – Rather than raising the bed like on a dump trailer, the floor panels in bulk commodity trailers allow the freight to be unloaded.
M
M.E.L.T – Mandatory Entry Level Training – these are basic requirements for in-class and mentored driving that all drivers must meet before getting a CDL.
Motor Carrier – A for-hire or private commercial transportation business that transports passengers and/or freight.
MVR – Motor Vehicle Record –a report that insurance companies and trucking businesses can access when screening drivers for a job. An MRV can include things such as traffic violations, unpaid tickets, and convictions related to driving.
O
Odometer – A device that measures how far a truck has traveled; it can also be called a trip meter.
Onboard Computer – A computer installed in a truck, train, or airplane that collects and stores data, including average speed, location, erratic driving, and fuel usage.
Operating Authority – The FMCSA has given access to trucking companies and owner-operators to transport goods inside the states and across some international borders, such as the border between the United States and Canada. Motor Carrier (MC) and DOT numbers are required for carriers with operating authorization.
Operational Records – Documents containing specifics of a business a driver is working for. The owner-operator's operational records could include truck and insurance payments, invoices, scales, repair receipts, and fuel costs.
Overage – When freight is delivered, it contains more product than what was ordered.
Overdrive – The top gear in a truck allows the truck to run at a lower RPM and reduce fuel usage and wear on the truck.
Owner-Operator – A driver who owns their own truck. Owner-operators typically operate under their own authority or the authority of a carrier they are leased with.
P
Payload – Freight or cargo a truck is transporting.
Peddle Run – Route that requires several pick-ups and deliveries, such as LTL and package delivery drivers.
Perishable Freight – Freight includes produce, fresh meat, and flowers. This freight usually needs a temperature-controlled trailer and has a short shelf-life.
Pete – A Peterbilt truck.
Piggyback – A flatbed trailer carrying a forklift for loading and unloading.
Pintle Hook – Large steel hooks or loops connecting a power unit to a trailer or a dolly.
Placard – Diamond-shaped signs found in multiple locations on a truck that is hauling hazardous materials.
Point of Origin – Where a load is picked up or where a trip is begun.
Port of Entry – A facility at an international or state border where drivers must often show their paperwork.
Private Carrier – A company that transports its own goods/products.
Proof of Delivery (POD) – Documentation that shows the delivery of a load.
Pull the Pin – Pulling the handle on the side of a fifth wheel releases the steel jaw on the trailer’s kingpin.
Pup Trailer – Small flatbed or dry van trailer about 26 – 28 feet long.
Put on the Air – When you turn the air conditioner on.
R
Rate – The amount that is paid for a load. This can also be referred to as the rate per mile or percentage of the load value.
Reefer Trailer – A closed insulated trailer that regulates the temperature and humidity of products such as fresh produce, frozen food, and artwork.
Rider Policy – A trucking company’s policy regarding whether someone can ride with a driver who does not work for that company.
Rig – A term used for big trucks and tractor-trailer units.
Rocky Mountain Doubles – A combination of vehicles, including a tractor, a 45 or 48-foot trailer, and a 28-foot pup trailer.
S
Scales – Weigh stations that weigh trucks and often perform mechanical and log inspections.
Self-Insured – When an individual or business risks liability instead of buying a traditional insurance policy.
Semi – Another term for tractor-trailer, big rig, 18-wheeler.
Setback Axle – A steer axle that is not entirely forward against the front of the bumper on a standard truck and tractor.
Shipping Order – Documentation given by a carrier to a shipper that confirms a load has been booked and scheduled.
Single-Axle – Refers to a tractor’s drive axle.
Single State Registration System (SSRS) – The system was implemented in 2007. It allows motor carriers to register their authority and proof of insurance in just one state rather than in each state they frequently travel through.
Skid – Known as a pallet and is stacked before freight is loaded into a truck or trailer.
Sleeper Berth – The extended part of a cab behind the driver and passenger seat with a bed and storage for the driver’s personal belongings.
Sliding the Fifth Wheel – A fifth wheel that can be pushed forward or backward on the tractor’s frame, allowing the driver to distribute the weight evenly between the axles.
Sliding Tandem – Refers to trailer axles that can be shifted forward and backward to allow for proper weight distribution on the truck’s axles.
Slip Seating – A term used in the trucking industry where a company driver removes all personal belongings from their truck or trailer at the end of a shift so another driver can use it.
Speedometer – A device on a truck that shows the truck’s speed.
Split Shifting – Drivers can ‘split’ gears without moving the lever in large transmissions such as 13 and 18 speeds. Split shifting is done when towing heavy loads or on steep inclines.
Spotter – Also known as yard jockey, a driver who transports trailers in and out of loading docks.
Spread Axle – A trailer with more than one axle and not next to one another like standard trailers.
Stacks – Exhaust pipes from behind the cab on many tractor-trailers.
Straight Truck – A box truck or a one-piece truck.
Super Trucker – A derogatory name for a young, loud individual who spends their time bragging about how much money they make, how much experience they have, and how attractive they are.
Surety Bond – An agreement in which a party agrees to take responsibility for an obligation or debt if a borrower fails to meet their obligations.
T
Tax Axle – These are found on trailers, tractors, dump trucks, and straight trucks. To distribute weight evenly over the axles when the truck is loaded, the tires are lowered until they contact the road. They are then lifted when empty to reduce tire wear and increase fuel efficiency.
Tandem Axle – Two axles in pairs, much like on a trailer or the drive axles on a tandem axle tractor.
Tanker – A closed trailer used to haul wet or dry bulk goods such as dry concrete mix, flour, cooking oil, and gasoline.
Tanker Company – A company that hauls dry or wet bulk goods in tank trucks or semis with tanker trailers.
Team – This is when two drivers operate the same truck. One driver is often sleeping or off-duty while the other is driving.
Truckload – A load that fills a 53-foot trailer.
Toll – A fee paid on certain highways or a part of a highway. Tolls are often higher for commercial vehicles than for standard cars.
Tri-Axle – Three axles on a tractor or trailer.
Trip Lease – When a driver leases their equipment to a carrier for only one load.
Triple Bottom – Bulk commodity trailers that unload through three funnels or hatches at the bottom of the trailer. This is often for grain or corn.
Triples – When a truck consists of three trailers.
Trip Permit – This allows a driver to drive from one location to another without permanent registration.
Trolley Brake – A lever in the cab of a truck that puts pressure on the trailer brakes when more braking is needed.
Tractor Trailer – A combination of a tractor and trailer or trailers.
Twin Screw – A tractor with two drive axles.
U
Unified Carrier Registration (UCR) – A system created in 2005 to simplify the registration process for commercial carriers in interstate exchange.
Unladen Weight – Often referred to as tare weight – is the vehicle’s empty weight.
US DOT – U.S. Department of Transportation
V
Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) – A specific number given to vehicles and trailers that differentiates them from others.
W
Waybill – A document created by a carrier that specifies details and instructions regarding a shipment.
Weigh Station – Also known as ‘Scales’- a facility that checks commercial vehicle weight and performs mechanical and log inspections.
Wheel Base – On twin-screw or tandem drive tractors (two drive axles), the wheelbase is computed by measuring the distance between the center of the steer axle’s hub and between two axle hubs. With a tractor with a single axle, the distance is determined by measuring between the hub centers of the drive and steer axles.
Y
Yard Jockey – A driver transporting trailers in and out of the loading docks.
