Trucking Terms Glossary
Not sure what a “bobtail” is? Curious about the meaning of “BOL”? This Trucking Terms Glossary, created by the American Trucking Association (ATA) , is a helpful starting point for anyone new to the trucking industry. It is not a complete list, but it covers many of the most common terms.
Glossary of Common Trucking Terms
- ABS (Anti-lock Braking System) – A system that uses sensors and valves to prevent wheels from locking during hard braking. It helps the driver keep control on slippery roads.
- Air Ride Suspension – A suspension system that supports the load with air-filled rubber bags instead of steel springs.
- Anchor It – To apply the brakes for an emergency stop.
- Bill of Lading (BOL) – A detailed list of goods in a shipment.
- Blind Spot – Areas around a truck that cannot be seen through the windows or mirrors.
- Bobtail – A tractor operating without a trailer. Also used to describe some straight trucks.
- Cargo Weight – Total weight of all loads, gear, and supplies on a vehicle.
- Cartage Company – A company that provides local pickup and delivery within a city or town.
- CDL (Commercial Driver’s License) – A license required to operate commercial vehicles over 26,000 pounds.
- Container – A standard rectangular box used to move freight by ship, rail, or truck.
- Converter Dolly – A small axle assembly with a fifth wheel used to connect two semitrailers.
- Doubles (Twins) – A tractor pulling two semitrailers connected by a converter dolly.
- EOBR (Electronic On-Board Recorder) – A device that records data such as speed, engine RPM, and idle time.
- Exempt Carrier – A company that transports goods not regulated by the Interstate Commerce Commission.
- For-Hire Carrier – A company paid to move freight for others.
- Hazmat – Hazardous materials regulated by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- Hours-of-Service – Federal rules that limit how long commercial drivers may operate their vehicles.
- Intermodal Transportation – Moving freight using more than one mode of transport, such as rail and truck.
- JIT (Just-In-Time) – A system that relies on frequent small deliveries to reduce warehouse storage.
- Landing Gear – Retractable legs that support the front of a semitrailer when it is not attached to a tractor.
- LCV (Long Combination Vehicle) – Vehicles longer than standard double trailers, such as twin 48-foot trailers or triple 28-foot trailers.
- Logbook – A record of a driver's hours of service, required for interstate drivers.
- Line-Haul Driver – A driver who travels between cities and usually returns home after each shift.
- Local Driver – A driver who makes pickups and deliveries within a city and returns home daily.
- LTL (Less-Than-Truckload) – Freight weighing less than 10,000 pounds, not enough to fill a trailer.
- LTL Carrier – A trucking company that combines smaller shipments from many customers onto one truck.
- Owner-Operator – A driver who owns and runs their own truck.
- Over-the-Road Driver (OTR) – A long-haul driver who travels across the country and sleeps in the truck cab.
- P&D – Pickup and delivery; another term for a local or city driver.
- Payload – The weight of the cargo being hauled.
- Peddle Run – A route with many delivery stops.
- Private Carrier – A business that operates trucks mainly to move its own goods.
- Professional Truck Driver – A general term for OTR, line-haul, and local drivers.
- Reefer – A refrigerated trailer used for temperature-controlled loads, such as food.
- SemiTrailer – A trailer supported by its rear wheels and the tractor’s fifth wheel.
- Sleeper – A sleeping compartment located behind the truck’s cab.
- Sliding Fifth Wheel – A movable fifth wheel that lets drivers shift weight between axles.
- Straight Truck – A truck with the cargo body fixed directly to the chassis.
- TL (Truckload) – A full trailer load, usually more than 10,000 pounds.
- TL Carrier – A carrier that dedicates a full trailer to one shipper’s cargo.
- Tractor – The power unit designed to pull a semitrailer.
- Tractor Trailer – A tractor connected to a semitrailer.
- Tri-Axle – A vehicle with three axles grouped together at the rear.
- Trip Leasing – Renting a company’s truck to another carrier for a single trip.
Click here for a printable version of the ATA Glossary. You can also learn these terms firsthand by joining Buchanan’s Best or by shipping with us. For additional resources, check out our Truck Driver Resource Page here.
