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Trucking Glossary

26 terms in plain English. Each one is a 30-second read, with video.

Driver rules34-hour resetIt's a driver reboot. Thirty-four hours of rest in a row, and your work hours reset to zero.How the work runsBackhaulBackhaul is a load back home, so you don't have to drive home empty.How the work runsBobtailBobtail is a tractor with no trailer. It has a head but no tail.DocumentsBOLBOL stands for Bill of Lading. It's the main document for a load: what you're hauling, how much, from whom, and to whom.Money & payCargo ClaimA cargo claim is a demand for payment over damaged or lost freight.How the work runsDeadheadDeadhead is when a truck drives empty.Money & payDetentionDetention is pay for getting held up at a warehouse.How the work runsDouble BrokeringDouble brokering is cheating, trucking style.How the work runsDrop And HookDrop and hook is when a driver leaves a full trailer at the facility and immediately hooks up another one that's already loaded.Equipment & cargoDry VanA dry van is a regular enclosed trailer. No refrigeration, no tricks. Just a box on wheels.Driver rulesELDELD is an electronic logging device. A box in the cab that automatically records how long the driver drove and sat.Money & payFactoringFactoring is when a company sells its freight invoice and gets paid right away.How the work runsFCFSFCFS stands for First Come, First Served. Whoever shows up first gets served first.Equipment & cargoFlatbedA flatbed is an open platform. No walls, no roof.Money & payFuel SurchargeFuel surcharge is an extra fee on top of the rate when diesel gets more expensive.Equipment & cargoHazmatHazmat is dangerous cargo: fuel, gas, chemicals, anything that can burn or explode.Driver rulesHOSHOS stands for Hours of Service. These are the rules for how long a driver can drive and how much rest is required.Money & payLayoverLayover is when a driver is stuck for a day or more because the load isn't ready or the warehouse won't take the truck.Money & payLumperA lumper is a warehouse worker who unloads your truck. For a fee.DocumentsMC NUMBERMC is an operating authority number from the federal agency. Without it, a company can't haul freight for pay across state lines.How the work runsOwner-OperatorAn owner-operator is a driver who owns his truck. He is his own business.DocumentsPODPOD stands for Proof of Delivery. It proves the load was delivered.DocumentsRATE CONRate con is short for Rate Confirmation. It's the broker's confirmation of what the load is, where it's going, when, and for how much.Equipment & cargoReeferA reefer is a refrigerated trailer. It hauls anything that can spoil: meat, fish, produce, ice cream.How the work runsTeam DriversTeam drivers are two drivers in one truck. One drives while the other sleeps.Money & payTONUTONU stands for Truck Order Not Used. It's money paid to the driver when a load is canceled at the last minute.