The Freight Glossary

The world of freight can be a complex and confusing place, especially for those new to the industry or trying to navigate it as a business owner. With countless terms, acronyms, and abbreviations, it's easy to feel overwhelmed. That's where our Freight Glossary comes in! This comprehensive guide will help you understand the most common terms and phrases used in the freight industry, making it easier for you to communicate with customers, suppliers, and carriers.

In this Freight Glossary, we'll cover everything from the basics, like what "freight" actually means, to more advanced topics like the different types of shipping methods and container sizes. So whether you're a seasoned professional looking to brush up on your knowledge or a newcomer to the world of freight, this glossary is the perfect resource for you.

The Freight Glossary

A.

Air Freight: The transportation of goods by air, typically used for high-value or time-sensitive shipments

B.

Bill of Lading (BOL): A legal document between the shipper and carrier that details the type, quantity, and destination of the goods being shipped. It serves as a receipt for the goods and a contract for the transportation.

Billing Adjustment: A billing adjustment represents a portion of unpaid freight shipping costs as reported by the carrier.

Blanket Wrapped Freight: Blanket Wrapped Freight involves wrapping thick blankets around goods to cover and cushion them during shipment.

Blind Shipment: A blind shipment uses a bill of lading that does not provide the customer or consignee information.

C.
Cargo Carriers: A cargo carrier is a company that transports goods by air, rail, or ship.

Cargo Companies: Cargo companies provide freight services for commercial and residential shippers.

Cargo Containers: A truck trailer can be detached and loaded onto a ship, rail car, or stacked in warehouses.

Carrier Lanes: They are also known as freight lanes, shipping lanes, and trucking lanes. Lanes matter to carriers and shippers.

Cartage Services: Cartage refers to short hauls moving cargo containers.

Cheapest Freight: The cheapest freight services offered by FreightCenter exist due to the high volume of shipments processed each month.

Commercial Trucking: Any truck that is used for transporting goods over roads.

Common Carriers: A transportation company that provides the movement of goods on behalf of customers at published rates.

Consignor / Consignee: Two strange-sounding freight shipping terms are explained.

Consolidated Freight: Consolidated Freight service saves shippers money by combining multiple shipments in one conveyance.

Container Freight: Shipments that fill containers may be ventilated, insulated, refrigerated, open-top, liquid-fill body, or equipped with other devices or racks.

Crating Services: A container constructed of wood and affixed to a pallet is used to transport fragile, unboxed items.

Curbside Pickup: A bill of lading that does not include inside pickup or delivery.

D.

Density Calculator: A Density Calculator is used to determine a shipment’s density, an essential factor in a shipment’s freight class.

Discount Freight: Understanding the factors that influence shipping discounts will help you save money.

Domestic Freight: Shipments transported within the continental United States.

Drayage: A freight term commonly used to mean two very different things.

Drop Deck: Specialized truckload equipment has a lower deck system that rolls onto an upper deck.

Drop Shipping: When the goods are shipped from the manufacturer, wholesaler, or another retailer (like Amazon), which sends the goods to the end customer on behalf of the consignor.

Dry Van: An enclosed cargo trailer is used to transport goods that do not require refrigeration or other devices.

E.

eBay Freight Shipping: Freight shipping options for eBay sellers.

Engine Shipping: Shipping of engines, transmissions, and heavy auto parts can all be categorized as Auto Shipping.

Equipment Shipping: Transportation for heavy equipment and machinery, like pinball machines, arcades, CNC milling machines, MRI machines, etc.

Estate Shipping: Residential freight shipping for goods sold at auction or during an estate sale.

Expedited Freight: Time-sensitive freight that utilizes guaranteed and time-critical services to meet fast delivery windows.

Export: The process of shipping goods from one country to another for sale or trade.

F.

Fast Freight Services: Fast Freight Services recognizes that getting Freight delivered within time can be as important as finding the lowest overall rate.

Final Mile: This service includes inside delivery and debris removal. If more services are needed, let us know, and we will help you secure those requirements.

First Mile: FirstMile service includes an inside pickup from the origin and packaging. After the Freight is picked up and packaged, the carrier will take it to its destination.

Freeze Protection: Freeze protection is a service provided by many carriers to prevent Freight from being exposed to frigid temperatures.

Freight: Boxed, crated, or palletized shipments weighing more than 150 lbs or more or with a dimension greater than 4 feet in most cases.

Freight Agency: A brokerage that acts as a liaison between customers and freight carriers or forwarders.

Freight Agents: A broker is authorized to transact business on behalf of another person or company.

Freight Bill Audit: An inspection of an invoice to a customer and from a carrier to determine a remaining balance or difference in the cost of services rendered.

Freight Broker: A company that transports goods on behalf of customers and is under contract with asset-based carriers and transportation companies.

Freight Carrier: A Freight Carrier may also be known as a common carrier, freight company, or trucking carrier.

Freight Center: An assigned area where shipping activity takes place.

Freight Class: A number between 50 and 500 classifies or codes the goods inside a shipment.

Freight Companies: Another name for a transportation company or common carrier.

Freight Consolidation: Freight Consolidation lowers costs by pairing several orders in one truck, ship, or aircraft.

Freight Cost: Freight Cost is determined by several variables, some of which shippers can control directly.

Freight Forwarder: A company that acts on behalf of a customer to transport goods overseas.

Freight Forwarding: When a third party that does not carry Freight itself organizes freight shipments for businesses, that activity is sometimes called Freight Forwarding.

Freight Hauler: FreightCenter uses only high-quality Freight Haulers.

Freight Hauling: In most cases, they transport goods weighing more than 150 lbs or more or with dimensions greater than 4 feet.

Freight Insurance: Freight insurance is additional coverage you can purchase through one of FreightCenter’s full-service coverage partners or on your own. Freight insurance coverage protects the total value of your shipment beyond what is covered by limited liability.

Freight Liability: Every booked freight shipment comes with included limited liability coverage. The carrier determines this amount and depends on the commodity type.

Freight Lines: Another name for a transportation company.

Freight Load: Another term for cargo or shipment.

Freight Matching: Automation that pairs the details of a shipment with the capabilities of a freight company.

Freight Quote: An estimated cost of shipping goods before pickup is made and the shipment is measured and weighed.

Freight Rate Calculator: How FreightCenter’s online quote system saves shippers money.

Freight Rates: The base tariff or contract rate charged by a carrier.

Freight Services: Brokers, forwarders offer the product, and carriers to transport goods by various modes like LTL, TL, rail/intermodal, cargo container, and air freight.

Freight Shipping: A service that transports goods weighing more than 150 lbs or more or with a dimension greater than 4 feet in most cases.

Freight Shipping Calculator: A calculator you can place on any eCommerce site so customers can calculate shipping charges.

Freight Shipping Cost: The actual cost of shipping cargo.

Freight Shipping Quotes: See Freight Quote. An estimated cost of shipping goods before pickup is made and the shipment is measured and weighed.

Freight Shipping Rates: The cost of shipping goods via freight service.

Freight Shipping Services: Services that transport goods and packages weighing over 150 lbs or more or with a dimension greater than 4 feet in most cases.

Freight Terminal: Where a carrier receives incoming Freight that is then prepared for reloading into a truck, rail car, vessel, or plane.

Freight Transportation: See Freight Shipping. A service that transports goods weighing more than 150 lbs or more or with a dimension greater than 4 feet in most cases.

Freightways: A transportation company or carrier took a lane or route.

G.

Government Shipping: Both military and non-military agencies require Government Shipping services.

Ground Freight: Service that involves transporting goods by truck over surface roads.

H.

Handling Unit: Every distinct piece of packaged Freight that will be moved with a forklift, pallet jack, or by hand is a handling unit.

Hazmat: Hazardous material that is considered to have the capability to cause an unreasonable risk to human health or safety or the environment when transported in commerce used incorrectly or if not properly stored or contained is considered a hazardous material. Hazardous materials include fuels, bio-chemicals, and pharmaceuticals.

Heavy Freight: Freight weighing over 8,000 lbs occupies an entire truck’s space and weight maximums

I.

Inside Delivery & Pickup: Standard freight pickup and delivery are loading dock to loading dock or curb to curb. Inside pickup and delivery go beyond the curb.

International Freight Shipping: Any movement of Freight that occurs outside the United States (excluding Canada) is considered international.

Interstate Freight: Interstate Freight is any freight shipment that moves from one state to another, whether a full truckload or less than a truckload.

Interstate Truckers: A truck driver that transports Freight along a domestic interstate highway.

L.

Lift Gate: A lift gate will be required if the pickup or delivery site does not have a loading dock and the cargo weighs too much for an individual to handle.

Limited Access: Trucks do not have clear and unfettered access to the exact pickup or delivery spot at a limited access location, such as a school or an airport.

Freight Logistics Companies: Logistics companies help businesses transport Freight while streamlining their supply chain.

LTL: Abbreviation for “Less than Truckload.”

LTL Transportation: The movement of loads belonging to multiple customers that are consolidated to occupy the space of a single dry van trailer.

LTL Trucking: Defined as transporting freight more oversized than a parcel and smaller than a truckload, LTL shipments usually weigh more than 150 lbs but less than 20,000 lbs.

M.

Military Freight: As a veteran-owned third-party logistics company (3PL), FreightCenter is proud to provide our military and government with the required shipping services.

Motor Freight: They transport goods by motor carrier over public highways.

Motorcycle Shipping: Motorcycle Shipping transports your bike where you need it next.

Moving Companies: A company that relocates household property over short or long distances.

Moving Freight: See Freight Shipping. A service that transports goods weighing more than 150 lbs or more or with a dimension greater than 4 feet in most cases.

N.
Not Otherwise Indicated (NOI): Abbreviation for “Not Otherwise Indicated.”” Use the linked calculator to determine the freight class for goods and commodities not classified by the NMFCA.

O.
Oversize Freight: It was transporting goods that were longer, wider, or taller than the footprint of a trailer.

Overweight or Heavy Freight: See Heavy Freight. Shipments weighing more than 8,000 lbs that occupy the space and weight maximums of an entire truck.

P.
Parcel Shipping: A parcel company like the United States Parcel Service transports a standard package.

Personal Effects: Another term used for household goods or personal property.

Pounds per Cubic Foot (PCF): Density (the number of pounds occupying a cubic foot of space) is an essential measurement for calculating freight class.

Proof of Delivery: Also known as the Delivery Receipt, the Proof of Delivery serves three essential functions.

Refrigerated Freight: They are transporting goods that require refrigeration or freezing. Trucks used to transport these goods are known as “Reefers.”

S.
Sea Cargo Container: See Container Freight. Shipments that fill containers may be ventilated, insulated, refrigerated, open-top, liquid-fill body, or equipped with other devices or racks.

Shippers: A shipper is a person who ships goods—also referred to as a customer or consignor.

Shipping: A service that transports Freight weighing more than 150 lbs or more or with a dimension greater than 4 feet in most cases.

Shipping Companies: Another name for a company that transports goods on behalf of a customer.

Shipping Cost: See Freight Shipping Cost. The actual cost of shipping cargo.

Shipping Furniture: Shipping Furniture can be intricate, especially if you’re a newbie. FreightCenter has the experience you need.

Shipping Labels: Shipping labels help make sure your cargo is delivered to the correct location.

Shipping Motorcycles: Shipping Motorcycles means transporting your bike where you need it next.

Shipping Rates: Prices are charged by freight carriers based on a variety of factors.

Shipping Service: See Freight Shipping Service. In most cases, the transportation of goods and packages weighing more than 150 lbs or more or with a dimension greater than 4 feet.

Small Business Shipping: A Small Business Shipping service that combines world-class technology with personally delivered freight shipping expertise allows small business operators to focus on what they do best.

Supply Chain Logistics: Times change. The right Supply Chain Logistics plan responds to those changes.

T.
Third-Party Logistics (3PL): Outsourced provider of freight brokerage and supply chain services.

Tradeshow Shipping: Reserving your booth space is just step #1. Tradeshow Shipping gets that booth to the show on time.

Transportation Brokers: See Freight Broker. A company that transports goods on behalf of customers and is under contract with asset-based carriers and transportation companies.

Transportation Companies: In the freight industry, a term refers to a common carrier or trucking company.

Trucking: Transporting goods over the road (OTR) via truck.

Trucking Broker: See Freight Broker. A company that transports goods on behalf of customers and is under contract with asset-based carriers and transportation companies.

Trucking Business: A general motor carrier that provides freight transportation by truck.

Trucking Companies: A transportation company that services ground Freight.

Trucking Cost per Mile: The cost incurred for each mile that goods are transported by trucks.

Trucking Rates: See Freight Rates. A national trucking index determines the base tariff or contract rate charged by a carrier or spot market rate.

Trucking Service: The most common way of shipping freight in the USA is via Trucking Service.

W.
White Glove Service: Service that involves inside delivery and light installation, and packaging removal.

Yellow Freight: They are now known as YRC. Yellow Freight is a subsidiary of YRC Worldwide and YRC Freight, Inc.

Mastering the standard freight glossary is key to effectively navigating the complex world of logistics. By understanding the definitions of common freight terms, such as freight, cargo, bill of lading, incoterms, freight forwarder, customs broker, containerization, FCL, and LCL, you'll be better equipped to communicate and make informed decisions within the freight industry. Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the field, this glossary is a valuable resource for expanding your knowledge and understanding of freight operations. It helps ensure smooth communication, accurate documentation, efficient logistics management, and effective collaboration with stakeholders. With a solid grasp of the freight glossary, you'll be able to navigate the intricacies of the freight industry with confidence, making informed decisions and successfully managing your shipments.

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