Reference

Freight Transportation Glossary

Enterprise terminology reference for shipping routes, freight transportation, and logistics. This glossary covers key concepts across trucking, rail, air cargo, and intermodal shipping operations.

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LTL (Less Than Truckload)

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Sort Hub

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Linehaul

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Freight Touch

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Transit Time Variance

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Service Standard vs Reality

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70terms defined

6categories

GeneralTruckingRailAir CargoIntermodalParcel

Access PointParcel: Retail location or locker where packages can be picked up by recipients as an alternative to home delivery. Used by UPS, FedEx, and Amazon.
All-Cargo CarrierAir Cargo: An airline that operates exclusively freighter aircraft without passenger service. Examples include Atlas Air, Polar Air Cargo, and Kalitta Air.
ACMIAir Cargo: Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance. A wet lease arrangement where an airline provides aircraft with crew to another carrier or freight operator.

BackhaulGeneral: Return movement of freight in the direction opposite to the primary loaded movement, typically at discounted rates due to demand imbalances.
Belly CargoAir Cargo: Freight transported in the lower deck cargo hold of passenger aircraft, rather than in dedicated freighter aircraft.
Bill of Lading (BOL)General: Legal document issued by a carrier detailing the type, quantity, and destination of goods being shipped. Serves as shipment receipt and contract of carriage.
Block TrainRail: A complete train of railcars moving from origin to destination without intermediate switching or classification, providing faster transit times.

CarloadRail: Rail shipment quantity sufficient to fill a railcar, typically the minimum billing unit for non-intermodal rail freight.
CarrierGeneral: Transportation company that physically moves freight. May be asset-based (owning equipment) or non-asset (brokering capacity).
ChassisIntermodal: Wheeled frame used to transport intermodal containers by truck. Typically owned by carriers, leasing companies, or port authorities.
Class I RailroadRail: Major freight railroad with annual operating revenues exceeding $900 million. The seven U.S. Class I carriers handle 94% of freight rail revenue.
Classification YardRail: Rail facility where individual railcars are sorted and assembled into trains by destination. Often uses gravity (hump yard) or flat switching.
ConsolidationGeneral: Combining multiple smaller shipments into a single larger shipment for transportation efficiency, typically done by LTL carriers or freight forwarders.
Confirmed DeliveryParcel: Delivery status verified through signature, photo, or GPS confirmation. Standard for high-value or express parcel shipments.
ContainerIntermodal: Standardized metal box for transporting freight. ISO containers (20/40 ft) for international shipping; 53-ft containers for domestic U.S. intermodal.
CorridorGeneral: A defined freight transportation route or lane connecting major origin and destination points, often served by multiple carriers and modes.

DeadheadGeneral: Movement of empty transportation equipment (truck, container, railcar) to position it for the next loaded movement.
Dedicated CarriageTrucking: Transportation service where equipment and/or drivers are assigned exclusively to a single customer under contract.
Door-to-DoorGeneral: Complete transportation service from shipper origin to consignee destination, including pickup and delivery.
Double-StackIntermodal: Rail transportation method where containers are stacked two-high on specially designed railcars, doubling capacity per train.
DrayageIntermodal: Short-distance trucking to move containers between ports, rail terminals, and customer facilities. Critical link in intermodal transportation.
Delivery StationParcel: Local facility where packages are sorted for final-mile delivery. Amazon operates 1,000+ delivery stations; other carriers use similar facilities.
Dimensional Weight (DIM)Parcel: Pricing method that calculates shipping cost based on package dimensions rather than actual weight. Used when a package is large but light.
DSP (Delivery Service Partner)Parcel: Independent contractor company that operates a fleet of vehicles for Amazon deliveries. Amazon's primary last-mile delivery model.

ECM (Electronic Control Module)Trucking: Computer that controls vehicle systems including engine, transmission, and emissions. ECM failures in commercial trucks can often be addressed by board-level electronics repair specialists rather than full module replacement.

FTL (Full Truckload)Trucking: Shipment large enough to fill an entire truck trailer, moving directly from origin to destination without consolidation.
Freight BrokerGeneral: Intermediary that arranges transportation between shippers and carriers without owning trucks or cargo. Licensed by FMCSA.
Freight ForwarderGeneral: Company that arranges transportation and logistics services on behalf of shippers, often consolidating shipments and managing documentation.
FreighterAir Cargo: Aircraft designed or converted exclusively for cargo transport, with main deck cargo capacity and no passenger seating.

Ground ShippingParcel: Parcel transportation via truck network rather than air, offering lower cost with longer transit times (typically 1-5 business days).

HubGeneral: Central facility in a transportation network where freight is consolidated, sorted, and redistributed to spoke destinations.
Hub-and-SpokeGeneral: Network design where freight flows through central hub(s) rather than moving directly between all origin-destination pairs.

Inland PortIntermodal: Intermodal facility located away from seaports that provides port-like services including customs clearance and container handling.
Integrated CarrierAir Cargo: Company providing door-to-door express service by controlling all transportation modes (aircraft, trucks) and handling facilities. Examples: FedEx, UPS, DHL.
InterlineGeneral: Movement of freight across multiple carrier networks, with transfer between carriers at interchange points.
IntermodalIntermodal: Transportation using two or more modes (rail, truck, ship, air) with cargo in containers that transfer between modes without handling contents.
Intermodal Marketing Company (IMC)Intermodal: Third-party company that purchases rail intermodal capacity and resells it to shippers, arranging drayage and providing door-to-door service.
Integrated CarrierParcel: Parcel company that owns and operates its own aircraft, vehicles, and facilities for door-to-door service. Examples: UPS, FedEx, DHL.

LaneGeneral: Specific origin-destination pair in freight transportation. High-volume lanes may have dedicated service and competitive rates.
Last MileGeneral: Final leg of delivery from distribution center or hub to end customer. Often the most complex and costly portion of transportation.
Locker DeliveryParcel: Automated pickup point where packages are stored in secure compartments for recipient retrieval. Amazon Lockers, UPS Access Points, etc.
LTL (Less-Than-Truckload)Trucking: Trucking service for shipments too large for parcel but insufficient to fill a truck. Multiple shipments consolidated on shared trailers.

ManifestGeneral: Document listing all cargo aboard a vehicle, vessel, or aircraft. Used for customs, safety, and operational purposes.
Modal ShiftGeneral: Movement of freight from one transportation mode to another, often from truck to rail for cost or environmental reasons.

NDC (Network Distribution Center)Parcel: USPS large-scale processing facility that sorts mail and packages for regional distribution. 21 NDCs serve the continental U.S.

Owner-OperatorTrucking: Independent truck driver who owns their equipment and contracts with carriers or brokers rather than being employed by a carrier.
OTR (Over-the-Road)Trucking: Long-haul trucking operations typically exceeding 250 miles, requiring overnight trips and compliance with hours-of-service regulations.

ParcelParcel: Small package shipment, typically under 150 pounds, handled by carriers like UPS, FedEx, USPS, and DHL rather than freight carriers.
PLC (Programmable Logic Controller)General: Industrial computer used to control automated equipment in terminals, warehouses, and manufacturing. PLCs from manufacturers like Allen-Bradley, Siemens, and Mitsubishi are common in freight infrastructure.
Peak SeasonParcel: High-volume shipping period, primarily November-December holiday season, when parcel carriers handle up to 3x normal daily volume.
Point-to-PointGeneral: Direct transportation between origin and destination without routing through intermediate hubs. Common in truckload shipping.

RampIntermodal: Intermodal rail terminal where containers are loaded/unloaded from trains. Also called lift or terminal.
ReeferGeneral: Refrigerated container or trailer used to transport temperature-sensitive cargo such as food, pharmaceuticals, or chemicals.
RoadRailerIntermodal: Specialized trailer that can be pulled by a truck or coupled directly into a train without a railcar, combining highway and rail capability.

Short-Line RailroadRail: Small railroad typically operating less than 350 miles, often providing local service and connecting to Class I carriers.
SmartPost/SurePostParcel: Hybrid parcel services where FedEx (SmartPost) or UPS (SurePost) handles linehaul and USPS performs final delivery to residential addresses.
Sortation CenterParcel: Facility where packages are automatically sorted by destination. Express carriers sort millions of packages nightly at hub sortation centers.
Spot MarketGeneral: Transportation capacity purchased on-demand at current market rates, as opposed to contract rates for committed volume.

TerminalGeneral: Facility where freight is handled, sorted, stored, or transferred between vehicles or modes. Includes truck terminals, rail yards, and intermodal ramps.
TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit)Intermodal: Standard unit for measuring container capacity based on a 20-foot container. A 40-foot container equals 2 TEUs.
TOFC (Trailer on Flatcar)Intermodal: Intermodal method where highway trailers are loaded onto rail flatcars. Less efficient than container double-stacking but provides flexibility.
Ton-MileGeneral: Measure of freight transportation work: one ton moved one mile. Used to compare productivity across modes.
TransloadGeneral: Transfer of freight from one type of equipment to another (e.g., rail to truck) at a facility, often with temporary storage.
Transit TimeGeneral: Total time from origin pickup to destination delivery, including handling time at terminals and facilities.
Truckload (TL)Trucking: Shipment quantity sufficient to utilize the full capacity of a truck trailer, moving as a single shipment from origin to destination.

Unit TrainRail: A train consisting of a single commodity moving from one origin to one destination without intermediate switching. Common for coal, grain, and petroleum.

VFD (Variable Frequency Drive)General: Motor controller used in conveyor systems, pumps, and material handling equipment throughout freight facilities. VFDs regulate motor speed for energy efficiency and process control.

WaybillGeneral: Document accompanying freight that contains routing instructions, shipper/consignee information, and description of goods.
WorldportParcel: UPS global air hub located in Louisville, KY. Processes 2+ million packages nightly and is the largest automated package handling facility.

ZoneParcel: Geographic pricing tier used by parcel carriers. Rates increase with zone number (distance from origin). USPS, UPS, and FedEx use zone-based pricing.