GLOSSARY
Glossary of trucking terms in plain English.
From USDOT and IFTA to detention, deadhead, and driver settlements — the acronyms and terms every owner-operator and small carrier runs into, explained simply.
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Quick reference
- DQFDriver Qualification File
- IFTAFuel-tax agreement
- DeadheadEmpty miles
- DetentionWaiting fee
- SettlementDriver pay statement
53 terms defined
Safety & Driver Files
- CDL
- A Commercial Driver’s License — the license required to operate a commercial motor vehicle. Classes (A, B, C) and endorsements (HazMat, tanker, doubles/triples) define what a driver may legally haul.
- CSA / SMS
- Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) is FMCSA’s safety-enforcement program; its Safety Measurement System (SMS) scores carriers across BASIC categories using inspection and crash data to prioritize interventions.
- DOT Medical Card
- The Medical Examiner’s Certificate proving a driver passed a DOT physical and is medically fit to drive. It must be renewed (usually every 24 months or sooner) and kept current in the driver file.
- DQF (Driver Qualification File)
- The file a carrier must keep for every driver to prove they are qualified to operate. It typically includes the application, MVR, road test or CDL copy, medical card, annual review, and other required records.
- Drug & Alcohol Clearinghouse
- A federal database of CDL drivers’ drug and alcohol program violations. Carriers must query it before hiring and annually for current drivers, and report violations to it.
- DVIR
- The Driver Vehicle Inspection Report — a record of the pre-trip and post-trip inspections a driver performs, documenting any defects that could affect safe operation.
- ELD
- An Electronic Logging Device — hardware that automatically records a driver’s Hours of Service by connecting to the truck’s engine. Most CDL drivers subject to HOS rules are required to use a registered ELD.
- HOS (Hours of Service)
- The federal limits on how long a driver may drive and work before resting — for example the 11-hour driving limit and 14-hour on-duty window — designed to reduce fatigue-related crashes.
- MVR (Motor Vehicle Record)
- A driver’s official driving-history report from the state, showing license status, violations, and accidents. Carriers must obtain one at hire and review it at least annually.
- PSP
- The Pre-Employment Screening Program — an FMCSA report that lets carriers review a driver applicant’s five-year crash and three-year inspection history before hiring.
- Safety Audit
- A review FMCSA conducts on new entrants (and other carriers) to verify they have the required safety-management systems and records — driver files, drug/alcohol program, HOS, maintenance, and more.
Operations & Freight
- Backhaul
- A load hauled on the return trip toward a truck’s home base, used to avoid deadheading and turn empty return miles into revenue.
- Bobtail
- Driving a tractor without a trailer attached. “Bobtail insurance” covers the truck during those non-loaded, non-dispatched movements.
- BOL (Bill of Lading)
- The legal document between a shipper and carrier that lists the freight, terms, and destination. It serves as a receipt, a contract of carriage, and a document of title.
- Broker
- A licensed intermediary that arranges freight between shippers and carriers for a fee, without taking possession of the goods. Brokers must hold a $75,000 surety bond (BMC-84).
- Consignee
- The receiver — the party to whom the freight is delivered, named on the bill of lading.
- Deadhead
- Miles driven with an empty trailer — typically between delivering one load and picking up the next. Deadhead miles cost fuel and time without generating revenue.
- Detention
- A fee charged when a driver is held at a shipper or receiver beyond the free loading/unloading window (often two hours). It compensates for lost driving time.
- Drayage
- Short-haul transport of containers or freight, usually between a port or rail yard and a nearby warehouse or terminal.
- FTL vs. LTL
- Full Truckload (FTL/TL) means one shipment fills the trailer for a single customer; Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) combines multiple smaller shipments from different customers in one trailer.
- Layover
- A fee paid when a driver is forced to wait overnight or a full day due to loading, unloading, or scheduling delays outside the driver’s control.
- Load Board
- An online marketplace where brokers and shippers post available freight and carriers find loads to haul. Examples include DAT and Truckstop.
- Lumper Fee
- A charge for third-party labor that loads or unloads the trailer, common at grocery and food warehouses. Carriers often front the cost and get reimbursed by the broker or shipper.
- POD (Proof of Delivery)
- A signed document confirming the consignee received the freight. Carriers usually must submit the POD (often the signed BOL) to get paid or to release a factoring advance.
- Rate Confirmation
- The document (“rate con”) a broker sends confirming the agreed rate, pickup/delivery details, and terms for a specific load. It becomes the basis for the carrier’s invoice.
- Shipper
- The party (often a manufacturer or supplier) that owns the freight and tenders it to a carrier or broker for transport.
Pay & Settlements
- Accessorials
- Extra charges beyond the base linehaul rate — detention, layover, lumper, tarping, stop-offs, and fuel surcharge — that get added to a load’s pay.
- Chargeback
- A deduction taken from a driver’s or owner-operator’s settlement for items like insurance, tolls, damage, or equipment — itemized so the driver can see what was withheld and why.
- CPM (Cents Per Mile)
- A pay model that pays a driver a set number of cents for each mile driven. It’s one of the most common ways company drivers are compensated.
- Driver Settlement
- The pay statement that reconciles what a driver earned for a period against deductions (advances, insurance, escrow, chargebacks), producing the net amount paid. Common for owner-operators and percentage/mileage drivers.
- Escrow (Maintenance Escrow)
- Money withheld from an owner-operator’s settlements and held by the carrier to cover future maintenance, damages, or lease obligations, refundable under the lease terms.
- Factoring
- Selling unpaid freight invoices to a factoring company at a small discount to get paid within a day instead of waiting 30–60 days. It smooths cash flow for small carriers.
- Fuel Surcharge
- An adjustable charge added to freight rates to offset fuel-price swings, usually tied to the national average diesel price.
- Lease-On
- When an owner-operator operates under a carrier’s authority and insurance in exchange for a share of revenue, rather than running under their own MC number.
- Owner-Operator
- A driver who owns their truck and runs it as a business — either under their own authority or leased onto a carrier. Owner-operators are typically paid by settlement, not payroll.
- Per Diem
- A daily allowance for meals and incidental expenses while a driver is away from home, which can carry tax advantages for over-the-road drivers.
- Percentage Pay
- A pay model where the driver earns a percentage of the load’s revenue (often 25–75%). Common for owner-operators leased onto a carrier.
Equipment
- APU
- An Auxiliary Power Unit — a small onboard engine or battery system that powers a truck’s cab (heat, AC, electronics) without idling the main engine, saving fuel.
- Dry Van
- An enclosed, non-refrigerated trailer — the most common trailer type — used for palletized and boxed general freight.
- Flatbed
- An open trailer with no sides or roof, used for oversized, heavy, or awkward loads like machinery, steel, and lumber that require tarping and strapping.
- GVWR
- Gross Vehicle Weight Rating — the maximum loaded weight a vehicle is designed to carry, set by the manufacturer. It helps determine CDL and regulatory requirements.
- Preventive Maintenance (PM)
- Scheduled, mileage- or time-based servicing (oil, brakes, tires, inspections) that keeps a truck DOT-ready and reduces breakdowns and out-of-service violations.
- Reefer
- A refrigerated trailer used to haul temperature-controlled freight like produce, meat, or pharmaceuticals.
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