AFN Glossary Terms

LOCKED

1. A Brokerage Status in PowerBroker that signifies a Carrier Rep is in the process of booking a load. Only 1 rep can be "locked" in a load at a time; this lock gives them access to the Carrier Dispatch/Booking screen, which avoids multiple people selling one load to multiple carriers.

Dispatcher

1. A person working at a carrier who is responsible for dispatching and/or planning loads for drivers.

Clean BOL

A BOL signed by the Carrier and the Consignee for receipt of merchandise in good condition (no damage, loss, etc.) apparent. Clean bills mean no issues with the load!

LIVE

A Brokerage Status in PowerBroker which means a load is in need of a truck / carrier assignment.

BOOKED

A Brokerage Status in PowerBroker. A Carrier has been contracted on the load.

DELIVERD

A Brokerage Status in PowerBroker. A Load is put into "Delivered" status when a carrier or driver confirms that the trailer is completely offloaded at the receiver (consignee) the bills are signed, and "In" and "Out" times have been marked in the system.

DISPATCH

A Brokerage Status in PowerBroker. A Load moves to "Dispatched" status when the Driver of that particular Load is: confirmed to be empty, has the correct equipment, has all necessary PU information, and is on the way to the pickup destination

TRANSIT

A Brokerage Status in PowerBroker. A Load moves to (in) TRANSIT status when the Driver confirms that the freight has been picked up and is on the way to the next stop or delivery. Proper "In" and "Out" times must be marked at the shipper to trigger this status.

UNLOADNG

A Brokerage Status in PowerBroker. Indicates that the driver is confirmed to be at the receiver, and accurate arrival times have been entered into the system.

HOLD

A Brokerage Status in PowerBroker. This load will appear on the board, but is not yet available to book. The freight may not be ready at the shipper or there may not be a delivery appointment set on the load yet. The load appears in orange on the Load Board.

LOADING

A Brokerage status in PowerBroker. A Load moves to "Loading" status when the Driver is confirmed to be at the Shipper, and an arrival time has been entered into the system.

Private Carrier

A Business that operates trucks primarily for the purpose of transporting its' own products and raw materials. The principle business activity of a Private carrier is not transportation.

Hotshot

A Cargo Van that specializes in 1 or 2 pallet expedited loads.

Expeditor

A Carrier that offers expedited pick-up & delivery services.

Blind Load

A Load in which the shipper does not want the receiver to know who the shipment was sent from or to whom it may be going. In order to accomplish this, the Bill of Lading (BOL) that the driver initially receives will direct the shipment to a particular location. The driver will know that this is not the actual shipping location because we will have alerted him/her to this in advance, but will not mention the actual destination to the shipper. Instead, the driver will fill out a new delivery Bill of Lading, or a "dummy bill," that will list the customer as the shipper and the "real receiver" as the consignee. .

Rater

A Software Program used to fulfill a Customer's LTL rate request. It requires the zip code of the Shipper and the Consignee and the weight and class of the shipment.

Day Cab

A Tractor that does not have a sleeper compartment in the cab. They are usually used for local freight, especially in areas that make maneuvering standard tractors difficult (i.e., Manhattan).

Sleeper Cab

A Tractor that has an area designed for sleeping.

Yard Tractor

A Tractor used to maneuver trailers within a DC's yard.

TL Carrier

A Trucking Company which dedicates trailers to a single shipper's cargo, as opposed to an LTL Carrier which transports the consolidated cargo of several shippers and makes multiple deliveries. TL carriers haul full truckload shipments.

Curtain Side Trailer

A Van with walls that are constructed of tarp-like materials rather than metal or wood.

Log Book

A book that each Driver must keep showing the number of miles he has driven and the number of hours he has worked over a certain period of time. These are required by the DOT and drivers can only work a certain number of hours per day and per week as dictated by law. Controls HOS.

Certificate Holder

A certificate of insurance which is provided to AFN (usually by the carrier's insurance company) on behalf of our carriers, as evidence that AFN is insured by that carrier.

Surcharge

A charge above the usual or customary charge.

Broker

A company that acts as an intermediary between a customer and carrier to facilitate the movement of freight. AKA: the "Middle Man".

Interchange Agreement

A contract or agreement between 2 carriers authorizing Carrier A to utilize or take possession of equipment owned by Carrier B for load hauling purposes.

Tracking Device

A device used to track the location of a specific trailer. AFN works directly with carriers, shippers, consignees, and customers to provide this service. These devices are oftentimes called covert when the carrier hauling the load is not aware the device is on the truck.

W9

A document with a businesses' name, address and taxpayer identification number. AFN requires this document before any carrier can be set-up to haul a load for us.

Heated Van

A dry van that has a heating unit which allows the product to be kept warm. They are used when a product cannot move on a reefer, but needs to be kept at a controlled temperature.

Distribution Center

A facility that consolidates large amounts of freight into smaller amounts to distribute to retail outlets. Commonly referred to as DC.

Rate Matrix

A grid that lists a carrier's rates (before fuel surcharge or FSC) based on origin city/state to destination city/state (called point-to-point) or origin state to destination state (called state-to-state).

Customs Broker

A group that facilitates the intricacies of transporting freight across any national border. Normally responsible for obtaining and submitting all documents for clearing merchandise through customs, arranging inland transport, and paying all charges related to these functions.

Factoring Company

A lending institution that pays Carriers for their receivables as soon as a load is delivered. They pay a portion of the total amount due (typically 70%) once they receive the paperwork for the load. We then pay the Factoring Company for the load. Once the Factor has been paid in full, they release the balance of the funds to the carrier minus their service charge (typically 5-7%). Our Speedy Pay program charges 1.5-2% depending on type of payment that the carrier wants and pays them the full amount much sooner so it is a much better alternative for carriers.

Backhaul

A load that bring a carrier's truck from an area where they do not have Customers with freight to an area where they do have Customers with Freight. Backhauls vary by Carrier, and usually go for competitive rates as the freight is getting the carrier where it needs to be. Many backhauls are loads that get a carrier to its "home base".

Y-Split Load

A load where an additional Movement has been created to accommodate for more than one payee. The two most common Y-Split occurrences:

Double-Brokered Load

A load which is tendered by AFN to a carrier who then tenders the load out to a different carrier. AFN cannot work with carriers who double-broker our freight.

Expedited

A load which must pick up and deliver at specific times (i.e., production line, rush orders, other carrier failures, etc.). These loads usually charge a premium and require a carrier who will be accountable to this level of service.

Dock

A loading/unloading area at a warehouse that is elevated to the same height as the back of a trailer. Docks allow for easy loading and unloading as fork lifts can drive directly on and off the trailers of the trucks.

Kick Plate

A metal plate at the base of a door or panel to protect it from damage or wear. These can sometimes run along the interior floor of a trailer and reduce the interior width.

Comchek

A numbered code that AFN gives to Carriers that can be cashed like a check at most Truck stops.

Customer

A person or Company who either gives AFN, or potentially could give AFN, freight to haul. Also, the payer of the freight charges.

Agent

A person or Company who secures business for AFN, but is not an employee of AFN. They are usually paid an "Agent Fee."

Yard Jockey

A person who operates a yard tractor.

Pallet Jack

A piece of equipment used to move pallets by hand. Acts as a manual forklift.

Seal

A piece of plastic (resembling a zip tie) which is placed around the locked trailer when loading is complete. Each seal has a unique code/number which is documented on the BOL by the shipper once the load is sealed. When the truck arrives at the consignee, they will check the seal number against what's written on the bills (BOL) to determine the freight was not disturbed while in transit. If the seal is intact (still on, undamaged), it is safe to assume the freight was undisturbed. This is again noted on the bills as "Seal Intact" and helps to declare whether the shipper or driver is responsible for any shortage.

Slip Sheet

A piece of plastic or cardboard that goes under the product and on top of the trailer floor to protect the product from the floor. It also saves the height of the pallet to create more space in the container.

Tote

A plastic container similar in size to a pallet that is designed to haul liquids or powders.

Pallet

A platform usually made of wood, on which merchandise can be stacked in order to facilitate handling by a forklift and used as a foundation for loading a truck. The standard size is 42"x 48" but they are very often 48"x 48". 26 Pallets fit on a 53' and 24 fit on a 48' straight-loaded.

Lift Gate

A power operated tail gate capable of lifting pallets from street level to the level of the floor of the trailer. Used in locations where there is no dock for loading/unloading, and often found on LTL truck fleets.

Quote

A price given to a Customer or Carrier for a specific load.

E-Track

A racking system designed to be mounted on trailer walls and/or floors in order to tie down or secure freight inside the trailer.

Container

A rectangular box used to transport freight by ocean, rail and highway. Containers are transported on public roads atop a Container Chassis towed by a tractor to/from ocean ports and rail yards. International shipping containers (ocean), are 20 or 40 ft. long. Domestic containers may get up to 53' long, but are designed for rail & highway use only.

Load Lock

A removable pole/bar that spans the width of a trailer and is used to keep the freight from shifting while in transit.

Terminal

A satellite location for a trucking company (not their home office). Terminals can be used for truck maintenance/repair, as well as storage or delivery of freight. These are very commonly found in LTL carriers and larger, nationally based OTR/FTL trucking companies.

Flat Bed

A semi-trailer that has no walls, looking like a flat plank. Freight must be secured by either tarps or chains. AFN hauls only a small percentage of flatbed freight.

Load

A shipment of freight moving from point A to point B.

Routing Sheet

A spreadsheet AFN gets from a warehouse indicating orders that are ready for shipment. Also called Ready Sheet.

Vented Van

A standard van with vents in the front and rear to allow airflow through the unit. These types of vans are typically used for certain types of produce.

Tariff and Pricing

A term that describes the contracted rates and discounts for LTL shipments negotiated between AFN and our Customers and Carriers. It is a document issued by an LTL carrier establishing applicable rules, rates, and charges for the movement of goods. The document sets up a contract of carriage between the shipper, consignee, and carrier.

Van

A term used to describe a "traditional" semi-trailer. The walls and floor are usually made of wood.

Dry Van

A term used to describe a 48' or 53' trailer with wooden walls and floors.

Hot Load

A term used to describe a high profile or expedited load.

Partial

A term used to describe a load smaller than a full truckload, but does not qualify as an LTL shipment, usually because the load is too large for traditional LTL standards. These loads are quoted on a per-pallet cost, instead of density classification.

53 Footer

A term used to describe the maximum length of a Trailer (Container or Van). The only exception to this is in Texas, where 57 footers are allowed. Trailers are also available in assorted smaller sizes.

Tractor

A term used to describe the truck.

Stop

A term used to refer to any additional pick-up or delivery on a load.

Targeted Commodity

A term used to refer to commodities which are commonly stolen by cargo thieves. Electronics, liquor, high-end apparel are examples of targeted commodities.

Food Grade Trailer

A trailer (either van or reefer) of high enough quality to haul food products. Trailers must be clean, free of odors, and cannot be used to haul certain commodities (i.e. plants, tires, etc.). Shippers will inspect trailers for quality and will reject those that do not meet the necessary requirements.

High Cube

A trailer that is 110" tall and 102". By definition, this type of trailer must have swing doors.

Single Axle Trailer

A trailer that looks the same as a regular semi but that only has one axle in the back. These trailers can only scale about half the weight of a normal trailer.

Plated Trailer

A trailer with thinner walls to allow for greater interior space; typically ~100 inches vs. the standard trailer which is 98.5-99 inches.

Straight Truck

A truck with the body and engine mounted on the same chassis.

SKU

A unique identification number associated with a specific product on a truck. If there are multiple products on an order, each product will have its own SKU #.

Logistics Van

A van equipped with E-Track racking which allows for loading multiple rows of cargo inside the trailer.

Kingpin

A vertical bolt that joins the tractor to the trailer and acts as a pivot between the two.

2.

AFN's Logistics Coordinators act as our dispatchers

2.

Accounting Lock - all Movements are locked 24 hours after a load is marked delivered; all Orders are locked 48 hours after a load is marked delivered.

Manifested Load

An AFN load that consists of multiple customer orders that are typically smaller than a full truckload, which have been consolidated to create a full truckload shipment (single Movement). These loads can be identified in PowerBroker as having an M in front of the order number.

Driver Assist

An accessorial which occurs when a driver must aid in loading or unloading the Truck. Usually the Driver must operate a Pallet Jack to move the freight to the back of the trailer.

Driver Unload

An accessorial which occurs when a driver must unload the entire content of the truck. This Fee generally depends on the amount of work the Driver must do to accomplish the unloading of the Trailer.

Cargo Van

An actual van, this vehicle has dimensions which allow it enough height to clear pallets and is typically tall enough to reach the loading dock level. Most can typically haul 1-2 pallets, and are often used in expedited situations.

Lumper

An individual at a warehouse that a driver may hire to unload his truck. AFN will pay the carrier and charge the customer as an accessorial, provided the driver sends in a receipt.

Rate Confirmation

An individual sheet of paper containing all the general information and requirements of a load. It also has all the payment information for the load being described. No Carrier will haul a Load without first getting a Rate Confirmation.

Owner-Operator

An individual that owns and drives (operates) his/her own truck. They are responsible for all costs associated with owning a truck: insurance, fuel, maintenance, repairs, etc. They are also responsible for booking their own loads.

Pick Ticket

An order confirmation from a Customer to a warehouse, indicating exactly what they want pulled and shipped.

Carrier

An organization that has the equipment, authority and license to haul freight.

Bills

Another term for / See BOL.

Power Unit

Another term for Truck/Tractor.

Skid

Another term for pallet.

Third Party Shipment

Any Load that is paid by an entity other than the Shipper, Consignee or the Customer that tendered the load. AFN is a Third-Party shipper, as we do not own the freight we ship, but we contract (hire and pay) trucking companies to haul on our customers' behalves.

Prepaid Shipment

Any Load that is paid by the same Customer that tendered AFN the load. Billing information must be known when taking the load so that Accounting can check the credit of the customer.

Multi-Drop

Any Load with more than one delivery.

Multi-Pick

Any Load with more than one pickup.

Milk Run

Any Load with more than three stops.

Overage

Any amount of freight that exceeds what was stated on the BOL. In some circumstances, the consignee may still receive all the freight, in some circumstances the overage may be rejected. If rejected, AFN must work with the customer and/or shipper to determine how to return the excess freight.

Shortage

Any amount of freight that is less than what the BOL lists. IF there was a seal on the trailer and it's intact, it indicates a shortage of freight was loaded on the truck.

Accessorial

Any amount of money paid to a Carrier or charged to a Customer above and beyond the actual agreed line haul rate. Examples of accessorials are: fuel surcharge (FSC), lumpers, detention, layover, etc.

High Risk Freight

Any load consisting of electronics, pharmaceuticals, liquor, or any commodity containing any precious metal. Also, any load valued at greater than $100,000 consisting of clothing/apparel, cosmetics/perfume, beer, or wine.

High Value Freight

Any load valued at greater than $100,000, which does not consist of the following commodities: electronics, Pharmaceuticals, liquor, precious metal, clothing/apparel, cosmetics/perfume, beer, or wine.

Shipper

Any location that ships freight.

Contract

Any written agreement between AFN and another party. With the exception of Rate Confirmations, all Contracts, both Carrier and Customer, must be approved by the Legal Department and signed by a Manager.

Apt.

Appointment

BOL

Bill of Lading - This is the paperwork that accompanies a Load. It usually doubles as the "Proof of Delivery or POD." It is the paperwork that the Driver signs to state that he has received the Load and is taking responsibility for possession of the trailer's contents while in transit. When the receiver signs the BOL, the receiver takes responsibility for the Load having been delivered and accepted. At this point, the BOL becomes the POD.

3.

Carrier Rep's are identified as dispatchers for commission purposes in PowerBroker

CWT

Carton Weight. This is used when shippers and customers pay their freight charges per hundred pounds. This means that they want a quote on freight costs based on weight. It is typically used when moving agricultural products and refers to how much they pay per 100lbs. We do not see this very often in Carrier.

CDL

Commercial Driver's License - The License which authorizes an individual to operate commercial motor vehicles and buses that weigh over 26,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight.

Fifth Wheel

Coupling device attached to a tractor or dolly which supports the front of a semi-trailer and locks it to the tractor or dolly. The Fifth Wheel's center is designed to accept a Trailer's kingpin, around which the trailer and tractor or dolly pivot in turns.

2.

Cross-docking/redelivery on different carrier

CPU

Customer Pick-Up - This refers to any shipment that is routed by the end customer (typically the receiver) and not the shipper. This is also known as Collect.

DOT

Department of Transportation - The government agency that makes many of the laws to which the Trucking Companies and Drivers must adhere.

Swing Doors

Doors on the back of the trailer that swing open. The alternative is a Rollup Door. Swing Doors allow for taller pallets and/or fork lifts to fit within the trailer. These are becoming more common than roll doors as new trailers are manufactured.

DRV

Driver

Cab

Driver's compartment of a truck or tractor.

Bobtail

Driving a semi-tractor without a trailer.

EDI

Electronic Data Interchange - This is the process for the business-to-business interconnection of computers for the rapid exchange of a wide variety of information from load tenders, load status updates, invoices, etc. AFN has many customers and carriers set up to transit & receive EDI transactions.

MT

Empty

FAK

Freight of All Kinds - A generalization for freight meaning that it is "general freight" usually used when the shipment is many different products.

FOB

Freight on Board

Perishable Freight

Freight subject to decay, rot or deterioration. Refrigerated freight and produce are example commodities.

FSC

Fuel Surcharge - The additional charge added to a Line Haul Rate to account for the cost of fuel. FSC fluctuates based on the National Average cost of fuel for that week.

Lane History

Function within PowerBroker that allows you to see if we have run a particular lane in the past. If so, it will pull up the order numbers, how much we paid the carriers, and how much we charged the customer.

Hours of Service

HOS. These are DOT regulations that control how many hours a driver can work in a given day and/or week.

HazMat

Hazardous Materials - as classified by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). A substance that poses a risk to health, safety, and/or property when transported. Transport of hazardous materials is strictly regulated by the US Department of Transportation.

Weight Tickets

Heavy & Light - These are issued at truck scales to determine the gross weight of a truck. Light tickets refer to the truck's weight without a load; Heavy tickets are the truck's weight with a load. Certain shippers require that drivers obtain light & heavy weight tickets to ensure they are not over-loaded. Exceeding the gross vehicle weight of 80,000 lbs. is not legal.

HV

High-Value

Cubic Capacity

Interior volume of a truck body, semi-trailer or trailer, measured in cubic feet.

JIT

Just in Time - JIT minimizes inventory investment by providing timely, sequential deliveries of product exactly where and when it is needed, from a multitude of suppliers. This type of freight usually requires an extremely high level of Customer Service.

LTL

Less Than Truckload - any load consisting of 6 skids or less, or shipment weights under 10,000 lbs are ideal to be shipped on a LTL Carrier. LTL uses product density to determine the cost of the shipment - the more dense the product, the lower the rate.

Head Haul

Loads going outbound from a carrier's city of origin / home base. Traditionally more expensive than a backhaul.

Intrastate

Loads shipping and delivering within the same state. (TX-TX)

Interstate

Loads shipping from one state to another. (TX-PA)

Cartage

Local hauling between locations in the same town or city or contiguous municipalities.

MC Number

Motor Carrier Number - This is the number assigned to a motor carrier or broker by the FMCSA, denoting the type of Authority (Common, Contract, or Brokerage) that organization has. This should not be confused with the DOT Number. AFN's MC# is 446639.

OTD

On-Time Delivery

OTP

On-Time Pick-Up

Advance

Once a load is confirmed to be in TRANSIT, we can provide the carrier with up to 40% of their payment for the load they are hauling for a small fee.

Common Carrier

One of the 2 types of motor carrier trucking authorities which are approved to booked.

Contract Carrier

One of the 2 types of motor carrier trucking authorities which are approved to booked. Defined as a company engaging in for hire transportation of property under individual contract or agreement with one or a number of shippers.

Low Boy

Open flatbed trailer with a deck height very low to the ground used to haul construction equipment or bulky or heavy Loads.

OS&D

Overage - More product was shipped than was ordered (1000 cases ordered, 1100 received)

PU

Pick-UP

PMI

Preventative Maintenance Inspection.

POD

Proof Of Delivery - The paperwork signed by the consignee indicating receipt of a load. AFN requires this paperwork in order for a carrier to be paid on a load. In many circumstances, the BOL becomes the POD once signed by the receiver.

Reefer

Refrigerated Trailer - A specialized type of truck with aluminum walls and floor, and a built-in diesel power generator engineered for the transportation of refrigerated and perishable commodities.

Relay

Relay Driving - A common practice in the LTL Industry, in which one driver takes a truck for 8 to10 hours then turns the trailer over to another driver, Pony Express style. Relaying has become much more common within the TL industry in recent years, as carriers are moving more towards regional fleets.

RFP

Request for Pricing - When AFN sends a request for pricing to an LTL Carrier.

RAD

Required Arrive By Date - This is the date by which AFN's customer or shipper must have their product delivered to their customer, usually a big box retailer like Wal-Mart, Target, etc. If this date is missed, there can be financial penalties assessed to the shipper. These financial penalties are often called charge-backs.

RA

Return Authorization - the code or number given by the customer to AFN when a product or shipment is rejected by a consignee and needs to be returned to the shipper. This number is needed in order to redeliver the product to the original shipper.

RLLN

Rollin'

Barn Doors

See Swing Doors.

SLC

Shipper Load and Count - Indicates that the shipper loaded and counted the freight, but that the Driver was not allowed to check or verify that what was loaded matched the BOL.

Pup Trailer

Short semi-trailer, usually between 26' and 32' long, with a single axle. Typically found in LTL transportation.

Dolly Legs

Similar to (and sometimes also called) the landing gear of an airplane, they're the support structure located on a trailer which allows it to stand freely when not hooked to a tractor.

T-Check

Similar to Comcheks, but offered by a different company than Comdata. CH Robinson owns T-checks; if drivers ask if we carry these, say we don't, but can issue Comcheks.

Sliding Tandem

Slider - A mechanism that allows a tandem axle suspension to be moved back and forth at the rear of a semi-trailer, for the purpose of adjusting the distribution of weight between the axles and fifth wheel.

Axle

Structural component to which wheels, brakes, and suspensions are attached. There are DOT laws indicating how much weight each axle can carry. There are 3 different axles; each can scale only a certain amount: Steer (12,000lbs), Drive (34,000lbs) and Trailer (34,000lbs).

SBP

Suggested Booking Price - This is the maximum price that AFN believes a load should be booked. This price is set by the Operations Rep. If you book the load at or below this number, you do not need approval. You must get authorization from the Operations Rep assigned to the Load to book it for over the SBP.

1.

TONUs

PowerBroker

The Load, Customer and Carrier management database used by AFN.

Pallet Exchange

The Shipper and/or Receiver requires the truck to bring in as many pallets as they are shipping/receiving of the same quality that they use to exchange with them. This keeps their pallet inventory stable. If there are no trucks with pallets to do a particular load, they can usually buy them either at the Shipper or nearby.

Customs Clearance

The act of obtaining permission to import merchandise from another country into the importing nation.

Pin Wheeling

The act of turning Pallets to allow for more skids on a trailer. Pin-Wheeling works with standard sized pallets as it allows a change of depth from 48" to 42" allowing 2 extra Pallets to be loaded. Also referred to as Turning

Rate

The charge for transporting Freight. This can be the cost of the line-haul (Point A to Point B before fuel surcharge) or all-in (both line-haul + fuel).

Line Haul

The cost of a load before FSC (Fuel Surcharge) has been added. This can be calculated as a flat rate (lump sum) or rate per mile (RPM).

Dead-Head

The distance that a Driver has to drive his empty truck to pick up his next Load.

Clearance

The height of the ceiling of the lowest point of a trailer; the maximum is 110". Another important dimension is the width of the trailer; the maximum is 102".

Authority

The license that all Trucking Companies must have to transport freight in the US. The type of authority a company has (Common/Contract, Brokerage) typically denotes how the freight is transported. A company's authority can be located utilizing their MC number.

Logistics

The management of an organization's supply chain from raw materials used for production/manufacturing to executing delivery to the end user/customer.

Dunnage

The material used to protect or support freight in trucks.

Mode

The method used to transport the goods. Sea, Air, Over the Road (OTR) and Rail (IML) are the various types.

Book

The process of assigning a carrier to a load. Also known as selling a load to a carrier.

Cube-Out

The process of maximizing the cubic capacity in a trailer.

Consolidate

The process of taking multiple orders (PO's), or smaller (LTL) shipments and building 1 truckload.

Commodity

The product being shipped; the freight being hauled

Consignee

The receiver of the freight. This is where the freight is being delivered.

Scale

The total weight of a load that a truck can legally haul. A fully loaded truck with two axles cannot legally haul over 80,000 pounds. Most trucks can Scale between 42 and 46 thousand pounds.

DOT Number

The unique identification number assigned to a transportation company by the DOT authorizing them to haul goods between states.

Tarps

These are often required for use on flatbeds, step-decks, and other uncovered trailers to cover & protect the freight. They are secured with chains or straps.

Straps

These are used to secure freight primarily to flatbed trailers; sometimes used in vans. The straps are located on the sides of the flatbed and extend across to the opposite side where they can be tightened and secured. See also Chains.

Chains

These are used to secure freight to a flatbed trailer. The straps are located on the sides of the flatbed and extend across to the opposite side where they can be tightened and secured. Different chains may also be used on tires during snowy weather. See also Straps.

CHEP Pallet

This is a brand name pallet manufactured by CHEP; they are usually blue and are sometimes leased by warehouses for use. These pallets are more often found in a pallet exchange scenario, where a driver may be required to trade in (or purchase) pallets for the load he is hauling.

Class

This is a designation for pricing freight that is used primarily for LTL shipments. It is determined based on weight and volume (density). The more dense the product, the lower the class and the rate. Short for NMFC (National Motor Freight Class).

Freeze Protect

This is a directive given from shippers of freezable product (i.e. bottled beverages), during cold temperatures. There are two ways to accomplish this:

Charge Back

This is a financial penalty assessed to the shipper/vendor if a load misses its delivery appointment. These are typically found at big box retailers and many grocers (i.e. Wal-Mart, Staples, C&S Grocers, CVS, etc.).

Block and Brace

This is a method of securing freight to avoid movement during transit. This can be accomplished by using load locks, bars or straps. Sometimes 2 x 4's are nailed to the floor of the trailer to secure the freight.

Repo Man

This is a term on the floor used to describe when carriers are automatically removed from a CREP's name due to inactivity.

Layover

This is an accessorial that occurs when a truck is detained until the next shipping day.

DAT

This is an online load board where shippers and carriers can post available loads and trucks.

Carrier Packet

This is the information we require from each Carrier before we will do business with them. The information included in this packet consists of the following: W9, Authority, Signed AFN Carrier Contract, Insurance listing AFN as a certificate holder, Completed Payment Form and Carrier Profile Sheet.

Heavy Weight

This is the total weight of a truck + trailer + load. The total heavy weight—also called Gross Combination Weight (GCW)—cannot exceed 80,000 lbs.

Light Weight

This is the weight of an empty truck + trailer, without a load.

Drop and Hook

This means to take an empty trailer into a shipper's facility and drop it. The trailer is then picked up once it is fully loaded. It saves a large amount of time and most drivers find a company that has a high percentage of drops and hook to be a big advantage because there is less dock time.

Detention

This occurs when a driver has to sit at a Shipper or Consignee for longer than the industry standard of two free hours. This time is calculated starting from the appointment time (if the Carrier was on time for the appointment), to the time that he is signed out. In order to be paid for detention, the Driver must get the time in and out of the warehouse put on the signed Bills.

Demerit

This occurs when the commission for a load has been taken away from a Carrier Rep for a particular load. AFN uses this process to promote the proper service of a load while it's in transit.

Power Only Moves

This refers to a load where only the tractor is required. This usually occurs when a customer has their own trailers preloaded with freight, therefore only the tractor is required in order to complete the move.

Dedicated Run

This term is used to describe a load that ships with regularity, and is promised to one carrier (and in some cases one driver) to haul. AFN's goal is to obtain as much dedicated freight from our customers as possible, and in turn to dedicate as much freight to our carriers as possible.

Roll

To "Roll" a Load means to change the pick-up date of a load from the current day to the following day (i.e., moving from pick Monday to pick Tuesday). Rolled loads may occur as a result of not finding a carrier to cover it, late bounces, tight capacity, etc.

Track

To know the status and location of a load is during its entire life cycle:

Drayage

To move freight from a Rail yard to a Warehouse or vice versa.

Cross-Dock

To move freight from one truck to another. This is most commonly done at a warehouse, but can also be accomplished by backing two trailer tails together and shifting the freight from 1 trailer to another.

Live Bounce

To take a Carrier off a Load because the Carrier might not be able to make the assigned pickup time at the shipper and we are at risk of blowing the load. In a Live Bounce scenario, the carrier is NOT aware they have been taken off the load, and that AFN is searching for additional carriers that may be able to service the load. The load will be given to the first carrier with an empty driver, which in some circumstances is the original carrier. If the load is given to a new carrier, the original carrier is notified once the load has been dispatched.

Bounce

To take a Carrier off of a Load for any reason. In this scenario, the carrier knows they have been taken off the load.

Intermodal

Transportation involving more than one mode, such as Rail and Sea. On the floor, Intermodal refers to rail shipments.

TONU

Truck Ordered Not Used - An Accessorial charge for a load that cancels after a truck has been Dispatched. Typical charges are from $0-$250 but vary based on length of Deadhead and amount of time that the driver is Dispatched.

Roll Doors

Truck doors that roll up similar to a garage door. These doors remove a small amount of interior height inside the trailer, making certain freight impossible to load.

Team

Two certified drivers that alternate between driving and resting. Teams are typically used to shorten transit times, especially for hot or expedited shipments. The drivers alternate operating the truck to account for HOS breaks that would be needed by a single driver.

Sort & Segregate

Upon delivery, as the freight is being unloaded, the consignee will break down the contents of the pallet to sort and count the product. This can be a long and tedious process, which might cause drivers to be detained for longer than the standard 2 hours.

Claim

Used in reference to insurance, a claim may be filed by a company who suffered a loss as a result of an OS&D (Overage, Shortage or Damage) issue. AFN handles all customer claims in house, working with the carrier and customer associated with the load.

2.

Using a reefer (with reefer unit on), keeping the temperature above freezing.

1.

Using a van or reefer trailer (with reefer unit off) and leaving it attached to a running/idling tractor the entire time the freight is on board. The vibration caused by the idling tractor will keep the liquids from freezing at any temperature above zero Fahrenheit.

Strip out a Load

Using all resources available to cover a load. To call every Carrier resource that could possibly accept a specific order. This process includes calling every Carrier within a specified number of miles to be able to pick the order up on time. It also includes all Carriers based within 100 miles of the Consignee.

VM

Voicemail

Tailgate

When a driver needs to move the product on a trailer, usually with a pallet-jack, from the front of the trailer to the back. This helps the warehouse by not forcing them to drive the forklift into the trailer every time, reducing unloading time.

WCB

Will Call Back