Dray Insight
Drayage glossary
251 drayage terms and abbreviations.No terms match.
0–9
20-foot container Standard short box, about 20 feet long; often used for heavy cargo like stone or metal.
3PL 3PL Third-party logistics provider: an outside company that manages transport, warehousing or both for a shipper.
40-foot container Standard long box, about 40 feet long and 8 feet 6 inches tall; equals two TEU.
40-foot high cube A 40-foot container one foot taller than standard, at 9 feet 6 inches, for bulky light cargo.
45-foot container A longer high-cube box used by some ocean carriers; needs a 45-foot or extendable chassis.
53-foot container A North American domestic container moved mostly by rail and truck, not on ocean vessels.
A
AB5 AB5 California law using the ABC test to classify workers, which affects carriers that rely on owner-operators.
Accessorials Charges added on top of the base rate for extra services or delays, such as waiting time or prepull.
ACE ACE Automated Commercial Environment: CBP's electronic system for filing and tracking imports and exports.
Advanced Clean Fleets ACF CARB zero-emission fleet rule; in 2025 CARB stopped enforcing its drayage provisions and moved to repeal them.
Category
Regulation
All-in rate A single price that bundles linehaul, fuel and agreed accessorials.
Appointment A reserved time slot to enter a terminal for a specific pickup or drop-off; many US terminals require one.
Arrival notice AN Notice from the carrier or NVOCC that cargo is arriving, with ETA, charges due and pickup details.
Related
Freight releaseETA
Category
Documents
ATA ATA Actual time of arrival.
ATD ATD Actual time of departure.
Available Container status meaning it is off the vessel, free of holds and ready for pickup.
B
Bad order Equipment flagged as damaged or unsafe and taken out of service until repaired.
BAF BAF Bunker adjustment factor: an ocean carrier's fuel surcharge.
BCO BCO Beneficial cargo owner: the importer or exporter that owns the goods and contracts for their transport.
Bill of lading B/L The contract of carriage and cargo receipt issued by the carrier; may also serve as title to the goods.
Also called
BOL, BL
Category
Documents
Bobtail A tractor running with no chassis or trailer attached; also the charge for a tractor-only trip.
BOC-3 Filing that names process agents in each state to receive legal papers for a carrier or broker.
Bonded carrier A carrier holding a CBP bond that allows it to move goods in bond.
Related
In-bondCustoms bond
Category
Regulation
Booking A reservation of vessel space with an ocean carrier; the booking number releases an empty for an export load.
Booking confirmation The ocean carrier's confirmation of an export booking, listing vessel, cutoffs and empty pickup location.
Related
BookingCutoffEmpty pickup
Category
Documents
C
CARB CARB California Air Resources Board: state agency that writes truck emission rules affecting drayage in California.
Also called
California Air Resources Board, ARB
Category
Regulation
CARB Drayage Truck Regulation California rule setting engine emission standards for trucks that serve the state's ports and rail yards.
Cargo insurance Coverage for loss or damage to the freight while in the carrier's care.
CBP CBP US Customs and Border Protection: federal agency that clears imports, enforces customs rules and places holds and exams.
CBP Form 7512 The transportation entry and manifest used to move goods in bond within the US.
CDL CDL Commercial driver's license, required to drive a tractor-chassis combination.
Centralized examination station CES Private facility designated by CBP where containers are unloaded and inspected.
Certificate of insurance COI Proof of a carrier's insurance coverage, often required by brokers, shippers and the UIIA.
Related
UIIACargo insurance
Category
Documents
CFS CFS Container freight station: warehouse where LCL cargo is packed into or unpacked from containers.
Chassis The wheeled steel frame a container sits on for road moves, locked on with twist locks.
Related
Chassis poolTri-axle chassisIEP
Category
Equipment
Chassis number The ID marked on a chassis, used to match it to the provider responsible for its upkeep.
Chassis per diem Daily rental for a pool or leased chassis, billed by the chassis provider.
Chassis pool A shared fleet of chassis that truckers draw from at terminals and ramps instead of owning their own.
Related
Gray poolPool of poolsIEP
Category
Equipment
Chassis split The container and the chassis needed for it sit at different locations, so the driver detours to collect the chassis first.
Related
ChassisFlipAccessorials
Also called
Split fee, Chassis split fee
As a charge
How it is billed →
Category
Operations
Class I railroad One of the largest US freight railroads, which run the main intermodal rail network and ramps.
Clean Truck Check CARB's heavy-duty inspection and maintenance program requiring periodic emissions testing and compliance for trucks operating in California.
Clean Truck Fund rate CTF Fee on loaded containers moved by non-exempt trucks at Los Angeles and Long Beach, funding cleaner trucks; zero-emission trucks are exempt.
Also called
Clean Truck Fund, CTF rate
Category
Regulation
Clean Truck Program Los Angeles and Long Beach program setting truck emission requirements and registry rules for terminal access.
COC COC Carrier-owned container: a box supplied by the ocean carrier, which sets free time and return locations.
COFC COFC Container on flatcar: a container carried directly on a rail car without its chassis.
Congestion surcharge An added charge when terminals are backed up and trips take longer than normal.
Consignee The party receiving the goods; on imports, usually where the container is delivered.
Related
ShipperNotify party
Category
Parties
Container A standard steel box for cargo that moves by ship, rail and truck without being unpacked.
Container number The unique ID painted on a container: three-letter owner code, a category letter, six digits and a check digit.
Contract rate A price agreed in advance for repeat freight over a set period or volume.
Cross-dock Unloading inbound freight and loading it straight onto outbound trucks with little or no time in storage.
Cross-town move Moving a container between two terminals or rail ramps in the same metro area, common where railroads do not connect directly.
CTPAT CTPAT Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism: voluntary CBP supply chain security program for importers, carriers and others.
Customs bond A surety bond guaranteeing CBP that duties, fees and rules will be met.
Customs broker A CBP-licensed company or person who files import entries and handles customs clearance for importers.
Customs entry The filing an importer or customs broker makes with CBP to declare goods and pay duties.
Customs exam A CBP inspection of an import container, ranging from an X-ray scan to a full unload at an exam station.
Customs hold CBP has not released the container, often pending entry, review or exam.
Customs release CBP clearance letting an import leave the terminal; shown as a released status in the terminal system.
Also called
CBP release, Customs clearance
Category
Documents
Cutoff The deadline to deliver a loaded export container to the terminal so it can make its vessel.
Also called
Port cutoff, CY cutoff, Cargo cutoff
Category
Operations
CY CY Container yard: area where full or empty containers are stored and received, often the terminal itself.
D
D&D billing rule FMC rule on what demurrage and detention invoices must show, when they are due, and how disputes work.
Dangerous goods declaration The shipper's document describing hazardous cargo, its class and UN number, required to move it.
Day cab A tractor without a sleeper berth, the usual truck for local drayage.
Deadhead Driving without a load that earns revenue, such as running back to the yard empty.
Related
BobtailEmpty return
Category
Operations
Delivery order DO Instructions authorizing a trucker to pick up a container and deliver it to a named place.
Demurrage Daily charge for leaving a container at the terminal past its free time, billed by the carrier or terminal.
Related
Last free dayDetentionFree time
Category
Money
Detention Daily charge for keeping the carrier's container outside the terminal past free time; also used for truck waiting time.
Related
Per diemDemurrageWaiting time
Category
Money
Devanning Unloading cargo from a container at a warehouse.
Discharge Unloading a container from the vessel at the terminal; the discharge date often matters for free time.
Dispatcher The person who assigns loads to drivers, sets appointments and tracks moves through the day.
Documentation cutoff Deadline for shipping instructions and other export paperwork, separate from the deadline for the container itself.
Double stack Rail service with containers stacked two high on well cars.
Drayage Short truck move of a container between a port or rail ramp and a nearby warehouse, yard or another terminal.
Drayage carrier A motor carrier specializing in container moves to and from ports and rail ramps.
Drayage Truck Registry DTR CARB's statewide database of trucks that serve California ports and intermodal rail yards.
Category
Regulation
Drop Leaving a container on its chassis at the customer to load or unload later; a second trip collects it.
Drop and pick The driver drops a container at the customer and in the same visit picks up another one that is ready.
Drop fee Charge for leaving a container at the customer instead of a live unload.
Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse FMCSA database of CDL drivers' drug and alcohol violations that carriers must check when hiring.
Dry run A trip where the driver arrives but cannot pick up or deliver, for example because of a hold or closed dock; billed as a fee.
Related
TONUHoldAccessorials
Also called
Dry run fee
As a charge
How it is billed →
Category
Operations
Dry van container An enclosed container without refrigeration or ventilation, used for general cargo.
Dual transaction Completing two jobs in one terminal visit, such as returning an empty and pulling a loaded import.
DVIR DVIR Driver vehicle inspection report: the driver's written record of vehicle or equipment defects.
Related
Pre-trip inspectionRoadability
Also called
Driver vehicle inspection report
Category
Regulation
E
Earliest return date ERD The first day a terminal accepts a loaded export container for a given vessel.
EDI EDI Electronic data interchange: standard machine-to-machine exchange of documents like tenders, statuses and invoices.
ELD ELD Electronic logging device: required device that records a driver's duty status for hours-of-service compliance.
Also called
Electronic logging device
Category
Regulation
Empty depot An off-terminal yard where ocean carriers accept empty returns or release empties for exports.
Empty pickup Pulling an empty container from a terminal or depot against a booking so the shipper can load an export.
Related
BookingExport move
Category
Operations
Empty return Taking the empty container back to the terminal or depot the ocean carrier names, ideally before detention or per diem starts.
Equipment interchange receipt EIR A record made at interchange showing who took the container or chassis, when, and its condition.
ETA ETA Estimated time of arrival, for a vessel, train or truck.
ETD ETD Estimated time of departure, for a vessel, train or truck.
Exam fee Charges for a customs exam, including extra trucking, handling and exam station costs, billed to the importer.
Category
Money
Export move Pick up an empty on a booking, load it at the shipper, then deliver it to the terminal before cutoff.
Related
Import moveBookingCutoff
Category
Operations
Export receiving window The span from the earliest return date to the cutoff, when the terminal accepts exports for a vessel.
Extendable chassis A chassis that slides to different lengths so it can carry 20-, 40- or 45-foot containers.
F
Factoring Selling unpaid freight invoices to a factoring company for quick cash, minus a fee.
FAK FAK Freight all kinds: one rate applied regardless of commodity.
FCL FCL Full container load: one shipper's cargo fills or books a whole container.
FEU FEU Forty-foot equivalent unit: one 40-foot container, equal to two TEU.
FIRMS code FIRMS Four-character CBP code identifying a facility, such as a terminal or bonded warehouse, where imported cargo sits.
Also called
Facilities Information and Resources Management System
Category
Regulation
Flat rack A container with end walls but no sides or roof, for heavy or oversized cargo; ends may fold down.
Flip Lifting a container off one chassis and onto another, for example to change chassis pools or move a heavy box to a tri-axle.
Also called
Chassis flip, Flip fee
Category
Operations
Floor load Cargo stacked loose on the container floor instead of on pallets; slower to unload and often needs lumpers.
FMC FMC Federal Maritime Commission: regulates ocean carriers, terminals and intermediaries, including demurrage and detention practices.
FMCSA FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration: federal agency regulating truck safety, carrier registration, drivers and equipment.
Category
Regulation
Foreign trade zone FTZ A secured area treated as outside US customs territory, where goods can be stored or processed before duties.
Free flow Terminal practice where the driver takes the next box from a stack for that carrier or importer instead of a specific number.
Free time The days allowed before demurrage, detention or per diem start to accrue; set by the ocean carrier or terminal.
Related
Last free dayDemurrageDetention
Category
Operations
Freight broker A company that arranges truck moves between shippers and carriers without hauling; needs FMCSA broker authority.
Freight forwarder A company that arranges shipments for cargo owners, booking carriers and handling paperwork.
Freight hold The ocean carrier blocks release until freight charges are paid or original bills are surrendered.
Freight release Confirmation that the ocean carrier's charges are paid and its documents are in order, clearing the freight hold.
Also called
Carrier release, Line release
Category
Documents
Fuel surcharge FSC An added charge tied to diesel prices, usually a percentage of linehaul that moves with a published index.
Related
LinehaulAll-in rate
Category
Money
G
Gate in The moment a truck and container enter a terminal; the time is recorded and often starts or stops charges.
Gate out The moment a container leaves the terminal; for imports this usually ends demurrage and starts detention.
Genset A diesel generator mounted on the chassis or reefer that powers the refrigeration unit during transport.
Related
ReeferReefer fee
Also called
Generator set, Clip-on genset
As a charge
How it is billed →
Category
Equipment
GIER GIER Global Intermodal Equipment Registry: IANA database linking each chassis to the provider responsible for its maintenance.
Related
IEPRoadabilityChassis number
Category
Regulation
Gooseneck chassis A 40-foot chassis with a raised front rail that fits the container's floor tunnel, so the box rides lower; useful for high cubes.
Gray pool A cooperative pool where chassis from several providers can be used interchangeably by truckers.
GRI GRI General rate increase: a carrier raise to base rates on a trade lane, sometimes reduced or cancelled.
Gross vehicle weight limit GVW Federal Interstate limits: 80,000 pounds gross, 20,000 on a single axle and 34,000 on a tandem, unless lower by bridge formula.
Also called
Bridge formula, 80,000-pound limit
Category
Regulation
Grounded operation Containers stored stacked on the ground, so the terminal must lift each one onto a chassis.
Related
Wheeled operationTop pick
Category
Operations
H
Hazmat HAZ Hazardous materials regulated for transport, needing proper papers, placards and a qualified driver.
Also called
Hazardous materials, Dangerous goods, DG
Category
Regulation
Hazmat endorsement CDL endorsement needed to haul placarded hazardous materials; requires a TSA security threat assessment.
Hazmat fee A surcharge for hauling regulated hazardous cargo.
HC HC High cube: a container one foot taller than standard.
Hold A status that blocks pickup until cleared, such as a customs, freight, terminal or agency hold.
Hot box A priority container the customer needs moved first, often near its last free day or needed for production.
Hours of service HOS FMCSA limits on driving and on-duty time, including the 11-hour driving and 14-hour window rules.
Related
Short-haul exceptionELD
Category
Regulation
House bill of lading HBL The bill of lading an NVOCC or forwarder issues to its own customer.
I
IANA IANA Intermodal Association of North America: trade group that administers the UIIA and GIER.
IE IE Immediate exportation: in-bond export of foreign goods from the same port where they arrived.
IEP IEP Intermodal equipment provider: a company that interchanges chassis to truckers and must keep them roadworthy under FMCSA rules.
Related
Chassis poolRoadabilityGIER
Also called
Intermodal equipment provider, Chassis provider
Category
Parties
IMC IMC Intermodal marketing company: arranges rail intermodal for shippers, buying rail service and drayage.
IMDG Code IMDG International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code: international rules for packing, labeling and stowing hazardous cargo on ships.
Category
Regulation
Import move Pull a loaded import from the terminal, deliver it to the consignee, then return the empty to the carrier's chosen location.
Category
Operations
Importer of record IOR The party legally responsible to CBP for an import, including duties and compliance.
Related
Customs entryCustoms broker
Category
Parties
In-bond Moving imported goods under CBP bond without paying duty yet, from the arrival port to another port or for export.
Intensive exam The most thorough CBP exam: the container is trucked to an exam station, unloaded, inspected and reloaded.
Category
Operations
Interchange The transfer of possession of a container or chassis between parties, recorded on an interchange receipt.
Category
Operations
Intermodal Moving freight in the same container across two or more modes, such as ship, rail and truck, without handling the cargo.
ISF ISF Importer Security Filing: data on an ocean import the importer must send CBP at least 24 hours before foreign loading.
ISO tank A cylindrical tank inside a standard container frame for bulk liquids, gases or powders, often hazardous.
L
Landing gear The crank-down legs at the front of a chassis that hold it up when unhooked from the tractor.
Last free day LFD The final day a container can stay at the terminal before demurrage or storage charges begin.
Layover A load or driver held overnight because the pickup or delivery could not finish the same day; billed as a fee.
LCL LCL Less than container load: several shippers' cargo shares one container, consolidated at a freight station.
Lift Placing a container on or taking it off a chassis with a crane or top pick; sometimes billed as a lift fee.
Linehaul The base charge for the move itself, before fuel and accessorials.
Live load The driver waits at the shipper while an export container is loaded, then takes it to the terminal or yard.
Related
Export moveWaiting time
Category
Operations
Live unload The driver waits at the consignee while the container is unloaded, then leaves with the empty.
Load tender An offer of a specific load to a carrier, which the carrier accepts or rejects.
Lumper A third-party worker or crew hired to unload freight at a warehouse, usually paid per load.
Related
Floor loadLive unload
Also called
Lumper service
As a charge
How it is billed →
Category
Parties
M
M&R M&R Maintenance and repair: work on containers or chassis, often at a terminal repair shop.
Manifest A list of all cargo on a vessel, train or truck, filed with carriers and customs.
Related
Bill of ladingACE
Category
Documents
Marine terminal operator MTO The company running a container terminal: vessel work, yard, gates and equipment release.
Master bill of lading MBL The bill of lading the ocean carrier issues, usually to a forwarder or NVOCC.
Max gross weight The most a container may weigh loaded, cargo plus tare, as marked on its doors.
MC number FMCSA operating authority number allowing a company to haul regulated freight for hire across state lines.
Related
USDOT numberOperating authority
Also called
Motor carrier number, Docket number
Category
Regulation
Motor carrier A company that hauls freight by truck; for-hire interstate carriers need FMCSA registration and authority.
MT MT Empty, as in an empty container.
N
Near-dock rail A rail yard just outside the marine terminal, reached by a short truck move.
Notify party The party the carrier contacts when cargo arrives, often the customs broker or importer.
Related
Arrival noticeConsignee
Category
Parties
NVOCC NVOCC Non-vessel-operating common carrier: sells ocean transport and issues its own bills without operating ships; FMC-licensed in the US.
O
Off-peak shift Night or weekend terminal gate hours meant to spread truck traffic away from the daytime peak.
On-dock rail A rail yard inside the marine terminal, so containers move between ship and train without a truck.
Related
Near-dock railRail ramp
Category
Operations
OOG OOG Out of gauge: cargo that sticks out past a container's standard dimensions, often on flat racks or open tops.
Also called
Out of gauge, Oversize
Category
Abbreviations
Open top A container with no solid roof, covered by a tarp, for tall cargo loaded from above.
Operating authority Federal permission to operate as a for-hire carrier or broker in interstate commerce.
Original bill of lading OBL A paper negotiable bill that must be surrendered to the carrier before cargo is released.
OSRA 2022 OSRA Ocean Shipping Reform Act of 2022: gave the FMC more power over demurrage and detention and put the burden of proof on carriers.
OTI OTI Ocean transportation intermediary: an FMC umbrella term covering NVOCCs and ocean freight forwarders.
OTR OTR Over the road: long-haul trucking, as opposed to local drayage.
Overweight OW A container whose weight exceeds legal or chassis limits for a standard setup, needing a tri-axle, permit or surcharge.
Also called
Heavy box
Category
Operations
Overweight permit A state-issued permit allowing a load over standard legal weight on specified routes.
Owner-operator A driver who owns or leases the truck and contracts with a carrier or holds their own authority.
P
Pass-through charges Third-party costs the trucker pays and rebills at cost, such as terminal fees or exam charges.
PDTR PDTR Port Drayage Truck Registry: Los Angeles and Long Beach database every truck must be in to enter their container terminals.
Also called
Port Drayage Truck Registry
Category
Regulation
Per diem Daily fee for using a container or chassis beyond free time once it has left the terminal.
Related
DetentionChassis per diem
Category
Money
PGA PGA Partner government agency: other federal agencies, like FDA or USDA, that can hold or inspect imports alongside CBP.
Pickup number A reference the terminal or carrier issues that lets a driver pull a specific container.
PierPASS Organization at Los Angeles and Long Beach that runs the off-peak gate program and collects the Traffic Mitigation Fee.
Placard Diamond-shaped sign on the container or truck showing the hazard class of the cargo.
POL POL Port of loading: where cargo is loaded onto the vessel.
Pool of pools Interoperable chassis arrangement at Los Angeles and Long Beach combining pools run by major chassis providers.
Port authority The public agency that owns port land and infrastructure and usually leases terminals to operators.
Port drayage Drayage that starts or ends at a marine container terminal, such as pulling an import or returning an export.
Related
DrayageMarine terminal operator
Category
Operations
Port of discharge POD Port where the container comes off the vessel; also abbreviated POD, not to be confused with proof of delivery.
Pre-trip inspection The driver's check of tractor, chassis and container before leaving, covering tires, lights, brakes and twist locks.
Prepull Pulling a container from the terminal before the delivery date and parking it in the carrier's yard, usually to beat last free day.
Private chassis A chassis owned or long-term leased by a trucker or shipper instead of drawn from a pool.
Related
Chassis poolChassis
Also called
Trucker-owned chassis, Proprietary chassis
Category
Equipment
Proof of delivery POD A signed record that cargo was delivered, often with time, condition notes and receiver name.
PSS PSS Peak season surcharge: a temporary carrier charge added during periods of high demand.
R
Rail drayage Drayage to or from a rail intermodal ramp, moving containers or trailers between the railroad and a customer.
Rail ramp A rail intermodal terminal where containers and trailers are loaded on or off trains.
Rate confirmation Document confirming the agreed rate, accessorials and load details between broker or shipper and carrier.
Also called
Rate con, Load confirmation
Category
Documents
Reefer A refrigerated container with its own cooling unit, plugged in at the terminal and powered by a genset on the road.
Reefer fee Extra charge for refrigerated moves, often covering genset fuel and monitoring.
Reposition Moving empty containers or chassis to where they are needed next, without cargo.
RFQ RFQ Request for quote: a shipper's or broker's ask for a price on one load or a set of lanes.
Roadability FMCSA rules making chassis providers maintain, inspect and repair intermodal equipment so it is safe on the road.
S
SCAC SCAC Standard Carrier Alpha Code: two-to-four letter code from NMFTA identifying a carrier; terminals commonly require one.
Scale ticket A printed weight record from a certified scale, used to prove container or axle weight.
Related
OverweightVerified gross mass
Also called
Weight ticket
As a charge
How it is billed →
Category
Documents
Sea waybill A non-negotiable transport document; cargo goes to the named consignee without surrendering originals.
Seal A numbered tamper-evident lock on container doors; the number is recorded on shipping and interchange papers.
Also called
Seal number, Bolt seal
Category
Equipment
Shipper The party sending the goods; on exports, often where the container is loaded.
Shipping instructions SI Exporter's details to the carrier for issuing the bill of lading: parties, cargo, weights and seals.
Category
Documents
Short-haul exception Lets drivers within 150 air-miles who finish within 14 hours skip logs and ELDs, using time records instead.
Shuttle A short move between a terminal or ramp and a nearby lot or yard, often to free space or store equipment.
Related
PrepullCross-town move
Category
Operations
SOC SOC Shipper-owned container: a box owned or leased by the shipper rather than the ocean carrier.
Spot rate A one-time price for a single load at current market levels.
SSL SSL Steamship line: the ocean carrier that operates vessels and usually owns or leases the containers.
Related
NVOCCMaster bill of ladingCOC
Also called
Steamship line, Ocean carrier, VOCC
Category
Parties
Stop-off An extra pickup or delivery stop added to a single move, billed per stop.
Street interchange Handing a container or chassis from one motor carrier to another outside a terminal, documented under the UIIA.
Related
Street turnUIIAInterchange
Category
Operations
Street turn Reusing an import empty for a nearby export load without returning it to the terminal first; usually needs ocean carrier approval.
Also called
Street turnaround, Container reuse, Match back
Category
Operations
T
T&E T&E Transportation and exportation: in-bond move of foreign goods through the US to another port for export.
Tailgate exam CBP opens the container doors and checks the cargo visible at the rear without fully unloading.
Related
Customs examIntensive exam
Category
Operations
Tandem chassis The standard two-axle chassis used for most containers.
Tare weight The weight of an empty container, painted on its doors.
Telex release Release where originals are surrendered at origin so the destination office can release cargo without paper bills.
Also called
Express release, Surrender
Category
Documents
Terminal handling charge THC A carrier fee covering container handling at the origin or destination terminal.
Related
Marine terminal operator
Category
Money
Terminal hold The terminal blocks release until its own charges, such as storage or demurrage, are paid.
Terminal storage Daily charge from the terminal for holding a container past free time; in some ports billed apart from demurrage.
TEU TEU Twenty-foot equivalent unit: capacity measure where one 20-foot container counts as one.
TIR TIR Trailer interchange receipt: does the same job as an EIR, recording equipment condition and handoff time.
Also called
Trailer interchange receipt
Category
Documents
TMS TMS Transportation management system: software for booking, dispatching, tracking and billing freight.
TOFC TOFC Trailer on flatcar: a highway trailer carried on a rail flatcar.
TONU TONU Truck ordered, not used: a fee when a booked truck is cancelled too late or arrives to no load.
Top pick A large terminal machine that lifts containers by their top corners onto or off chassis and stacks.
Traffic Mitigation Fee TMF PierPASS fee on many loaded containers at Los Angeles and Long Beach, funding off-peak gates.
Related
PierPASSClean Truck Fund rate
Category
Money
Transload Moving cargo from an ocean container into a domestic trailer or 53-foot container at a warehouse, usually near the port.
Related
Cross-dock53-foot container
Also called
Transloading
As a charge
How it is billed →
Category
Operations
Transshipment Cargo moved from one vessel to another at an intermediate port before reaching its destination.
Related
Port of discharge
Category
Operations
Tri-axle chassis A chassis with three axles that spreads weight so heavier containers can run legally.
Related
OverweightChassisTri-axle fee
Also called
Tri-axle, Triaxle
As a charge
How it is billed →
Category
Equipment
Tri-axle fee Charge for using a tri-axle chassis on a heavy container.
Related
Tri-axle chassisOverweight
Category
Money
Turn time How long a truck spends at a terminal from arrival at the gate to exit.
TWIC TWIC Transportation Worker Identification Credential: TSA-issued card needed for unescorted access to secure areas of regulated port facilities.
Category
Regulation
Twist lock A rotating pin on the chassis corner that locks into the container's corner casting.
U
UIIA UIIA Uniform Intermodal Interchange and Facilities Access Agreement: standard contract covering equipment interchange, liability and insurance between truckers and providers.
Category
Regulation
V
VACIS exam A non-intrusive X-ray or gamma-ray scan of a container, usually at the terminal; unclear results can escalate.
Verified gross mass VGM Total weight of a packed export container that the shipper must certify before it can be loaded on a vessel.
W
Waiting time Billable driver time at a terminal or customer beyond the free period, usually charged hourly.
Wheeled operation Containers kept on chassis in the terminal or ramp, ready for a driver to hook and go.
Related
Grounded operationChassis
Category
Operations