Glossary of Logistic and Transportation Terms

A

Accessorial charges (also called assessorial charges)

Charges made for performing services beyond normal pickup and delivery such as inside delivery or storage charges etc

Air Waybill

An air waybill is a shipping document airlines use. Similar to a bill of lading, the air waybill is a contract between the shipper and airline that states the terms and conditions of transportation. The air waybill also contains shipping instructions, product descriptions, and transportation charges. See also waybill

Auto Rating

Where origin & destination postal codes are identified and associated with an existing customer rate package, charges are automatically entered & calculated. Currently, these bills still need to be audited for accessorial charges and manually finalized.

B

Bill of lading (BOL or B/L)

A bill of lading is a binding contract that serves three main purposes:

  • a receipt for the goods delivered to the transportation provider for shipment;
  • a definition or description of the goods; and
  • Evidence of title to the relative goods, if "negotiable".

Bill of lading exceptions

The terms and conditions of most bills of lading release transportation providers from liability for loss or damage arising from:

  • an act of God
  • a public enemy
  • the authority of the law or
  • the act or default of the shipper

In addition, except in the case of negligence, a transportation provider will not be liable for loss, damage, or delay caused by:

  • the property being stopped and held in transit at the request of the shipper, owner or party entitled to make such request;
  • lack of capacity of a highway, bridge or ferry;
  • a defect or vice in the property; or riots or strikes

C

Cartage Agent

A carrier who performs pickup or delivery in areas that Rogue does not serve.

Cartage agents use their own paperwork while transporting the shipment. Rogue does not track the shipment while it is in the cartage agent's possession. When Rogue gives a shipment to a cartage agent for delivery, the shipment is considered to be "delivered" in Rogue’s tracking tool.

Cheaper as (Logic)

The cost to ship freight shall never be greater than the cost to ship a heavier shipment

If the charges for a specific weight are greater than the cost of a shipment of the next higher weight break, the shipment shall be rated using a chargeable weight equal to the next higher weight break Example: 500 lbs. rate is $7.50 and 1,000 lbs. rate is $6.25. A shipment weighing 835 lbs. would normally be subject to the 500 lbs. rate if based on actual weight since it would not qualify for the 1,000 lbs rate. Charging for the 835 lbs at 500 lbs rate would be $62.63 but using the “cheaper as” logic this shipment would be rated as 1,000 lbs. and the resulting charges would $62.50

Claims
  • Cargo: A Cargo Claim is a demand made on a transportation company for payment for goods allegedly lost or damaged while the shipment was in the transportation provider's possession. Pursuant to the National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC) Uniform Bill of Lading, all cargo claims must be filed within nine months.
  • Overcharge/Undercharge: Overcharge or undercharge claims are demands on a transportation company for a refund of an overcharge from the erroneous application of rates, weights and/or assessment of freight charges
Commodity

Any article of commerce. Goods shipped

Common carrier

Company that provides transportation services to the public in return for compensation

Concealed loss

Shortage or damage not evident at delivery

Consignee

The person or place where a shipment will be transferred for the last time (destination); the individual or organization to whom the goods are addressed

D

Direct ship

Pickup and delivery done with in a specific time requirement

Deck trailers

Trailers with rows of tracking on each sidewall and deck load bars. The load bars fit into the tracks to form temporary "decks" on which goods can be loaded. Decks allow more goods to be loaded in the trailer, reduce damage and speed loading and unloading.

Delivery receipt

Document a consignee or its agent dates and signs at delivery, stating the condition of the goods at delivery. The driver takes the signed delivery receipt to the terminal for retention. The customer retains the remaining copy

Dispatch

The act of sending a driver on his/her assigned route with instructions and required shipping papers. Rogue maintains contact with drivers throughout the day by phone, text messaging, email, GPS satellite tracking communication.

Direct Pickup or Appointment Pickup/Delivery

A delivery or Pickup done with in a specific time requirement

Dock

A platform, generally the same height as the trailer floor, where trucks are loaded and unloaded

E

Electronic data interchange (EDI)

The electronic transmission of routine business documents, such as purchase orders, invoices and bills of lading, between computers in a standard format. The data formats, or transaction sets, are usually sent between computers. All data is communicated between the carrier, shipper, and the consignee in electronic EDI documents known as ANSI X12 "Transaction Sets". The most commonly used EDI Transaction Sets in the Transportation Industry are:

  • 204 - Motor Carrier Load Tender: The shipper via a Transportation Management System "TMS" sends this transaction set to carrier to request a shipment pickup.
  • 990 - Response to the Load Tender: Used by motor carriers to indicate whether it will pick up a particular shipment previously offered by the shipper. This transaction is generated in response to a 204 transaction. This is used by the shipper or third party to make – or “tender” – the offer of the shipment. The 990 is used to respond to that offer. It may also be used to accept or reject a Spot Bid Request from a shipper.
  • 211 - Bill of Lading: The shipper via a TMS sends this transaction set to the carrier to provide us detailed Bill of Lading information pertinent to a shipment.
  • 212 - Delivery Trailer Manifest: The Carrier sends this transaction set to the consignee or other interested parties, listing the contents of a trailer that contains multiple shipments that have been tendered for delivery.
  • 214 - Shipment Status Message: The carrier sends this transaction set to the shipper and/or consignee to provide up-to-date information on your shipments. Data includes dates, times, locations, route and reference numbers.
  • 210 - Freight Details and Invoice: The carrier sends this transaction set to the customer or third party as an invoice to request payment for services rendered. It provides detailed information of charges.
  • 820 - Payment Order/Remittance Advice: The payer (shipper) sends this transaction set to the carrier to provide the carrier remittance/payment information.
  • 997 - Functional Acknowledgment: This transaction set is sent in response to each transaction set received to indicate acceptance by shipper, carrier or payee. It is an acknowledgment by any party to another party of data received.
Exceptions

An exception is any delivery in which the recipient or driver notes a problem on the delivery receipt before signing it. Typically, exceptions concern shortage and/or damage

Exclusive use

A shipper pays a premium rate for the sole use of a trailer. The trailer will be sealed at loading, and the seal number is recorded on the manifest. The seal number is verified before the trailer is unloaded at destination. When a shipper requests an exclusive-use trailer, no other freight may be added to the unit even if space permits

Exempt product

Products that are exempt from federal regulation, such as agricultural and forestry products

Expedited

Next day regular LTL or TL delivery

F

Freight

Any product being transported

Freight bill

Shipping document Rogue prepares to confirm shipment delivery and indicate payment terms. The document describes the shipment, its weight, the amount of charges and taxes and whether the bill payment terms. If the bill is prepaid, the shipper pays the shipping charges. If the bill is collect, the consignee pays the shipping charges

G

Gross vehicle weight (GVW)

The combined weight of the vehicle (tractor and trailers) and its goods

H

Hazardous material

Hazardous materials are defined by the Department of Transportation in accordance with the Federal Hazardous Material Law. A substance or material may be designated as hazardous if the transportation of the material in a particular amount and form poses an unreasonable risk to health and safety or property. Hazardous material may include: an explosive, radioactive material; etiologic agent; flammable or combustible liquid or solid; poison; oxidizing or corrosive material; and compressed gas. Learn more

High-value same-day

Pickup and delivery with special requirement required for pickup, delivery or both

  • Example 2man delivery, de-crating of freight, packaging, disposal etc.
Home-patient overnight

Regular overnight delivery service to patient’s home

  • Pickup at patient’s home to be delivered back to customer next day
Home-patient same-day

Same-day pickup and delivery to patient’s home

  • Pickup at patient’s home same day to be delivered back to customer
High-value overnight

Overnight service with special requirement for the pickup or delivery or both

  • Example 2man delivery, de-crating of freight, packaging, disposal etc.

L

Less-than-truckload (LTL)

Goods weighing less than 10,000 pounds from several shippers loaded onto one trailer.

Linehaul

Movement of goods between cities or between Rogue terminals, particularly between origin terminal and destination terminal, excluding pickup and delivery service.

N

National Motor Freight Classification (NMFC)

Industry standard tariff published by motor carriers containing rules, descriptions and rating on all products moving in commerce; used to classify goods to rate the freight bill. You can obtain more information about shipment classes and the NMFC. To determine your shipment's classification, contact your local terminal

O

Origin

Site where the shipment first enters the Rogue system

Overage

Overages should not be delivered to a customer. They're returned to the terminal unless the terminal can determine the number of units received is in excess of the quantity shown on shipping documents and receives further information while the driver is making pickups and deliveries

Overcharge claims

The payer of the shipping charges files an overcharge claim to dispute a discrepancy in charges that can stem from over payment, weight or description corrections, etc.

P

Payment terms

Generally, the shipper is responsible for payment for prepaid shipments, and the consignee is responsible for payment for collect shipments unless a third party is indicated as payer on the shipping papers

Pickup and delivery (P&D)

Local movement of goods between the shipper (or pickup point) and the origin terminal or between the destination terminal and the consignee (or delivery point).

PRO

An acronym for Progressive Rotating Order PRO; it is a 10-digit number assigned to each shipment and is a tracking number and a Rogue invoice number

R

Revenue

Shipping charges the transportation provider receives for transporting goods

Route

A geographic area within a zone having an established typical grouping of cities, towns or general municipalities that is serviced by a set quantity of trucks due to concentration of customers or directional association.

S

Same-Day

Pickup before noon and delivery same-day up to 6pm to no special time requirements

Shipping documents

Papers accompanying a shipment as it moves through the Rogue system, including bills of lading (PDF), packing slips (PDF), customs paperwork, manifests and shipment bills.

Shortage

The number of units received is less than the quantity shown on shipping documents. The outstanding units may be delivered late

T

Terminal

Rogue building and grounds where shipments are prepared for local delivery or transportation to other terminals. Find your local terminal.

Third party

A party other than the shipper or consignee that is ultimately responsible for paying the shipment charges.

Trailer Flip

A Trailer Flip is where we will drop an empty trailer at a customer and they will call when it is full and ready for pick up and we will driver another empty trailer over to replace the full trailer that Rogue will pick up and bring back to our location to be sorted for delivery.

Trigger Point

The weight at which it is cheaper to use the chargeable weight equal to the next higher weight break. Using the above example the trigger point is $62.50/$7.50=833 lbs.

Truckload (TL)

Large-volume shipment from a single customer that weighs more than 10,000 pounds or takes up all the trailer space so no other shipment can be loaded

U

UN number

An internationally accepted four-digit number used to identify hazardous material

W

Waybill

A "Waybill" is a non-negotiable document prepared by or on behalf of the carrier at origin. The document shows origin point, destination, route, consignor, consignee, shipment description and amount charged for the transportation service. See also air waybill

Weight Breaks

Defined within a shipping tariff rate where predetermined weights automatically reduce the per pound shipping charges once achieved. Thus the per 100 weight charge is less for 10,000 lbs than 1,000 lbs. The minimum chargeable weight will always apply.

Z

Zone

A city grouping assigned similar rates. (not necessarily in the same geographic region)