Navigating the world of logistics and freight can often feel like learning a new language. The industry is filled with specific terms and acronyms that can be confusing for both newcomers and seasoned professionals. Understanding this terminology is crucial for efficient communication, accurate documentation, and ultimately, for achieving Sav Transportation – that is, streamlined, cost-effective, and secure shipping solutions.
This comprehensive glossary aims to demystify the jargon of the shipping industry. Whether you are a shipper, a carrier, or simply someone looking to understand the basics of freight movement, this guide will provide you with clear and concise definitions of essential shipping terms. Mastering these terms is your first step towards ensuring smooth and successful transportation operations, and achieving true sav transportation in all your logistical endeavors.
Shipping Terms: A to Z
Abatement: A reduction in charges, typically granted for damage to goods or billing errors. It represents a form of sav transportation by correcting cost discrepancies.
Aboard: Refers to goods that are physically loaded onto a transport vehicle, be it a truck, ship, train, or airplane. Indicates the commencement of the sav transportation process.
Absolute Minimum Charge: The lowest possible charge applicable to a shipment after all applicable discounts and pricing conditions have been factored in. Essential for budget-conscious sav transportation.
Act of God: An event caused by natural forces, beyond human control and prevention (e.g., earthquakes, floods, hurricanes). These events can impact sav transportation timelines and require contingency planning.
Advanced Warehouse: A temporary storage facility, often used in trade shows, where exhibitors can send their materials ahead of the event. This contributes to efficient setup and potentially sav transportation cost savings by avoiding last-minute rushes.
Agreed Weight: A predetermined weight for specific goods or packaging types, agreed upon by the shipper and carrier. Simplifies weight verification and billing in sav transportation.
Astray Goods: Freight that has become separated from its accompanying paperwork (waybill) but still carries markings indicating origin and destination. Efficient tracking and management of astray goods are crucial for maintaining sav transportation integrity. Also known as ‘Over Freight’.
Bar Code: A machine-readable representation of data, using lines of varying widths and spacing. Barcodes are essential for efficient tracking and inventory management in modern sav transportation.
Bar Code Scanner: An electronic device used to read bar codes and transmit the encoded data to a computer system. Speeds up data entry and improves accuracy in sav transportation logistics.
Bill of Lading (BOL): The foundational document in sav transportation. It’s a legal contract between the shipper and carrier, detailing the goods, destination, consignee, and terms of transport. A properly completed BOL is crucial for avoiding disputes and ensuring smooth sav transportation.
Billed Weight: The weight used to calculate freight charges, as shown on the freight bill. Understanding billed weight is essential for cost control in sav transportation.
Class I Motor Carriers: Large trucking companies with substantial annual revenue (over $5 million). These carriers play a significant role in the overall sav transportation network.
Class II Motor Carriers: Mid-sized trucking companies with annual revenue between $1 million and $5 million. Important contributors to regional and national sav transportation.
Class III Motor Carriers: Smaller trucking companies with annual revenue less than $1 million. Often focus on specialized or local sav transportation services.
Class Rate: A standard freight rate assigned to groups of commodities based on their classification. Understanding class rates is key to estimating sav transportation costs.
Class Tariff: A published schedule of class rates. Provides transparency and predictability in sav transportation pricing.
Classification: The process of categorizing products for shipping purposes, determining their class rating. Accurate classification is vital for correct sav transportation charges. See also ‘Classification Rating’.
Classification (products): A detailed list of commodities and their assigned classes, along with rules and regulations governing their shipment. Ensures standardized and fair sav transportation pricing.
Classification (rating): The specific class assigned to an item, determining the applicable transportation charges. Impacts the overall cost of sav transportation.
Collect Shipment: A shipment where the consignee (receiver) is responsible for paying the freight charges upon delivery. One payment option in sav transportation.
Commercial Invoice: A document detailing the transaction between a seller and buyer, including goods description, quantity, and value. Essential for international sav transportation and customs clearance.
Commercial Zone: A defined geographical area surrounding a city or town, considered to be under its commercial influence for transportation regulations. Impacts local sav transportation service areas and pricing.
Commodity: Any item or goods being shipped. The fundamental unit of sav transportation.
Commodity Exempt: Certain types of freight that are not subject to standard transportation regulations or rate controls, often including agricultural products. Offers flexibility in sav transportation for specific goods.
Concealed Loss or Damage: Damage or loss to the contents of a package that is not immediately visible upon external inspection. Requires careful inspection upon receipt to ensure successful sav transportation and claims processing.
Consign: To send or ship goods to a specified receiver. The act of initiating sav transportation.
Consignee: The receiver of a shipment; the party to whom goods are delivered. A key stakeholder in the sav transportation process.
Consignor: The shipper; the party who originates the shipment. Also a key stakeholder in sav transportation.
Consolidate: To combine multiple smaller shipments into a larger load for more efficient transportation, especially for Less-than-Truckload (LTL) shipping. A strategy for optimizing sav transportation costs and efficiency.
CWT: Abbreviation for “per hundredweight,” a common unit for quoting freight rates. Understanding CWT is essential for interpreting sav transportation pricing.
Delivery Order: Instructions from the shipment owner authorizing the release or shipment of goods to a designated party. Ensures proper control and authorization in sav transportation.
Demurrage: Charges incurred for delaying a shipping container or vehicle beyond the agreed-upon free time, usually at ports or rail yards. Minimizing demurrage is crucial for efficient sav transportation and cost control.
Density: The weight of goods in relation to their volume (e.g., pounds per cubic foot). Density is a significant factor in freight classification and pricing in sav transportation.
Department of Transportation (DOT): The U.S. federal agency responsible for regulating transportation, including safety standards and hazardous materials transportation. Ensures safety and compliance in sav transportation.
Deficit Weight: When a shipment weighs less than the minimum weight required for a specific rate. Can result in higher per-unit costs in sav transportation.
Detention: Charges levied for holding a truck or trailer at the shipper or consignee’s location for longer than the allotted free time for loading or unloading. Similar to demurrage, detention impacts sav transportation efficiency and cost.
Direct: Transportation via a single carrier, without transferring to another carrier. Often preferred for faster and simpler sav transportation.
Diversion: Changing the destination of a shipment while it is in transit. Offers flexibility in sav transportation to adapt to changing needs.
Divert: The act of changing a shipment’s route while it is in transit. A proactive measure in sav transportation management.
Drayage: The charge for short-haul transportation, typically within a local area, often involving trucks or drays. A common component of port and intermodal sav transportation.
Dunnage: Materials used to protect and secure cargo within a transport vehicle. Ensures cargo safety and minimizes damage during sav transportation.
FAK (Freight, All Kinds): A freight rate applied to a mixed shipment of different commodities, simplifying pricing. Streamlines sav transportation for diverse shipments.
FAS (Free Along Ship): A shipping term indicating that the seller’s responsibility ends when goods are delivered alongside the ship at the port of export. Defines responsibilities in international sav transportation.
FOB (Free on Board): A common shipping term specifying when ownership and liability for goods transfer from seller to buyer. Crucial for clarifying responsibilities and risk in sav transportation transactions.
Free Time: The allotted period for loading or unloading cargo or for container storage before demurrage or detention charges apply. Maximizing free time contributes to sav transportation cost savings.
Freight All Kind (FAK): The practice of grouping different types of goods together under a single freight classification for simplified rating and pricing. Enhances efficiency in sav transportation pricing.
Freight Forwarder: A company that consolidates smaller shipments into larger ones and arranges transportation with carriers. Offers expertise and efficiency in sav transportation for smaller shippers.
Freight-Astray: A shipment that has been misplaced or unloaded at the wrong location. Efficient recovery and redirection of freight-astray are crucial for maintaining reliable sav transportation services.
Gateway: A geographical point where freight is transferred between different transportation modes or carriers. Key points in the sav transportation network, facilitating intermodal transport.
Gross Weight: The total weight of a shipment, including the goods, packaging, and container. Used for weight-based sav transportation calculations and regulations.
Hazard Class: A numerical classification assigned to hazardous materials based on the primary type of danger they pose. Ensures safe handling and sav transportation of dangerous goods.
Hazard Label: A diamond-shaped placard used to identify hazardous materials during transportation, indicating the hazard class. Essential for visual identification and safety in sav transportation.
Hazardous Material (HM): Substances or materials designated by the DOT as posing unreasonable risks to health, safety, and property during transportation. Subject to strict regulations for sav transportation.
Hundred Weight: A unit of weight equal to 100 pounds (in the US). Abbreviated as CWT and frequently used in freight pricing for sav transportation.
In-Bond: Shipments moving under customs bond, allowing for deferred payment of duties and taxes until they reach their final destination. Facilitates international sav transportation and customs procedures.
Interline: Transportation involving two or more different carriers. Common in long-haul sav transportation networks.
Interline Carrier: A carrier that participates in interline agreements, providing transportation services as part of a larger network. Essential for seamless sav transportation across distances.
Interline Freight: Goods moved from origin to destination using the services of multiple carriers. Enables efficient sav transportation over long distances and complex routes.
Intermediate Carrier: A carrier that handles a shipment between the origin and destination carriers in an interline movement. Plays a supporting role in complex sav transportation routes.
Intermodal: Transportation involving multiple modes of transport, such as truck, rail, and ship. Optimizes efficiency and cost-effectiveness in sav transportation by leveraging the strengths of different modes.
Interstate: Transportation between different states. Subject to federal regulations in the US, impacting sav transportation compliance.
Interstate Commerce Act: U.S. legislation regulating interstate transportation practices and rates. Historically significant in shaping sav transportation regulations.
Interstate Commerce or Traffic: Freight movement originating in one state and destined for another. A major segment of the US sav transportation industry.
Intrastate: Transportation within a single state. Subject to state-level regulations in the US, influencing local sav transportation practices.
Intrastate Commerce or Traffic: Freight movement that both originates and terminates within the same state. A distinct segment of the sav transportation market with specific regulations.
King Pin: The coupling mechanism on the underside of a semi-trailer that connects it to a tractor truck. A critical component in sav transportation trucking operations.
Kitting: Assembling individual items into a single packaged unit or kit. Streamlines handling and potentially improves sav transportation efficiency for multi-part products.
Knocked Down: Describing an item that is disassembled to reduce its volume for shipping. Reduces shipping costs by optimizing space utilization in sav transportation.
Knocked Down Flat: An item disassembled to an even greater extent than “knocked down,” further reducing its volume for shipping. Maximizes space efficiency in sav transportation for bulky items.
Lading: The cargo or freight loaded into a transport vehicle. The core element of sav transportation.
Less-than-Container Load (LCL): A shipment that does not fill an entire shipping container. Often consolidated with other LCL shipments for efficient sav transportation.
Less-than-Truckload (LTL): A shipment that does not require a full truckload. A common and cost-effective mode of sav transportation for smaller shipments.
Lift Tail-Gate: A hydraulic lift on the back of a truck, used to raise and lower heavy items to ground level. Facilitates easier loading and unloading in sav transportation, especially for businesses without loading docks.
Line Item: A specific entry in an inventory or shipping document, uniquely identifying a product. Ensures accurate tracking and management in sav transportation.
Linehaul: The long-distance movement of freight between cities, excluding local pickup and delivery. The main haul segment of sav transportation.
Linehaul Freight Charges: The cost of transporting freight from origin to destination, excluding additional charges like accessorial fees or terminal handling. Represents the core transportation cost in sav transportation.
National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC): A standard publication used in the trucking industry to classify commodities and establish freight rates. Provides a uniform system for sav transportation pricing and classification.
Nested: Describing items packed inside each other to save space. Improves space utilization and reduces shipping costs in sav transportation.
Net Charge: The final, discounted freight charge after all applicable reductions have been applied. Represents the actual cost of sav transportation.
Net Payload: The weight of the cargo excluding the tare weight (weight of the empty container or vehicle). Focuses on the weight of the goods being transported in sav transportation.
Net Square Footage: The usable exhibit space in a trade show venue, excluding aisles and common areas. Relevant to event logistics and sav transportation for exhibitors.
Net Tare Weight: The weight of an empty trailer, including permanently attached fixtures. Used in weight calculations for sav transportation and compliance.
Net Ton: A unit of weight equal to 2,000 pounds (also known as a short ton). Used in some freight calculations and sav transportation contexts.
Net Weight: The weight of the goods alone, excluding packaging. Used for accurate inventory and sav transportation documentation.
NMF: Abbreviation for National Motor Freight Traffic Association Inc., Agent, the organization responsible for the NMFC. A key entity in sav transportation standards.
NMFC: Abbreviation for National Motor Freight Classification. A cornerstone of the US trucking industry and sav transportation practices.
Non-Certificated Carrier: An air carrier exempt from certain economic regulations. Offers flexibility in air sav transportation but may have different operating rules.
Non-Integrated Carriers: Air carriers that rely heavily on freight forwarders for customer interaction and ground services. A specific business model in air sav transportation.
Non-Negotiable BOL: A type of Bill of Lading that restricts delivery to the named consignee only. Provides greater control over delivery in sav transportation. Also known as a straight BOL.
Packing Case: A disposable shipping container, often made of wood or cardboard, used for single shipments. A common packaging solution in sav transportation.
Packing Group: A classification system indicating the degree of hazard for dangerous goods. Crucial for safe handling and sav transportation of hazardous materials. Group I (high danger), II (medium), III (minor).
Packing Improper: Packaging that does not meet the required standards and regulations for safe sav transportation. Can lead to damage and liability issues.
Packing List: A detailed inventory of the contents of a shipment. Essential for verifying contents and managing claims in sav transportation.
Pallet: A flat platform, typically made of wood, used to unitize goods for easier handling with forklifts and pallet jacks. Improves efficiency in warehousing and sav transportation.
Palletized: Goods stacked and secured on pallets. Facilitates efficient handling and sav transportation of bulk goods.
Palletized Shipment: A shipment tendered and transported on pallets. A standard practice in modern sav transportation for many types of goods.
Prepaid Freight: Freight charges paid by the shipper at the time of shipment. A common payment option in sav transportation.
Prepay: To pay in advance, typically referring to freight charges. Simplifies billing and ensures payment in sav transportation transactions.
Pup: A short semi-trailer, typically around 28 feet long, often used in combination with another trailer to form “doubles.” Increases capacity and flexibility in sav transportation trucking.
Reciprocity: Agreements between states granting mutual recognition of vehicle registrations and operating privileges. Facilitates interstate sav transportation by reducing administrative burdens.
Reefer: A refrigerated container, used for transporting temperature-sensitive goods. Essential for maintaining the integrity of perishable goods in sav transportation.
Regional Carrier: An air carrier operating within a specific geographical region. Provides specialized services within their service area in sav transportation.
Request for Proposal (RFP): A formal invitation to transportation providers to submit bids for a transportation contract. A common practice for procuring sav transportation services.
SCAC (Standard Carrier Abbreviation Code): A unique three-letter code identifying transportation companies. Used for electronic data interchange and shipment tracking in sav transportation.
Tare Weight: The weight of the packaging or container without the goods. Used in calculating net payload and ensuring compliance in sav transportation.
Terms of Sale: The agreed-upon point at which responsibility for goods transfers from seller to buyer. Crucial for defining liability and responsibilities in sav transportation transactions.
Third Party: A party other than the shipper or consignee who is responsible for paying freight charges. Adds flexibility in payment arrangements for sav transportation.
Third-Party Logistics (3PL): Companies that provide outsourced logistics services, managing transportation, warehousing, and other supply chain functions. Offers specialized expertise and efficiency in sav transportation and logistics.
Third-Structure Tax: Taxes on highway users beyond registration fees and fuel taxes. A factor in the overall cost of sav transportation.
Third-Party (in BOL context): A party listed on the Bill of Lading who is neither the shipper nor the consignee, typically responsible for payment. Clarifies billing responsibilities in sav transportation.
This glossary provides a solid foundation for understanding the language of shipping. By familiarizing yourself with these terms, you can navigate the complexities of logistics more effectively and work towards achieving sav transportation solutions that are efficient, cost-effective, and tailored to your needs.
