Freight Glossary
The key terms of road freight, in short plain definitions.
- ADRDangerous goods by road
- The European agreement on carrying dangerous goods by road. It requires marked vehicles, equipment and a driver with an ADR certificate.
- Cabotage
- A foreign-registered truck carrying goods between two points inside another country. In the EU it is allowed only in limited numbers and time.
- CMRCMR consignment note
- The road transport document under the CMR Convention that records the goods, sender, consignee and carrier. It is signed on delivery and usually required for payment.
- Curtainsider
- A trailer with fabric sides and roof. Side and top loading make it the most common body type.
- DAPDelivered at Place
- Incoterms rule: the seller carries the goods to the named place; import clearance and duties are on the buyer.
- DDPDelivered Duty Paid
- Incoterms rule: the seller delivers to the buyer's door including import clearance and duties, the heaviest rule for the seller.
- EPALEuro pallet
- The standard 120 × 80 cm pallet. A 13.6 m trailer fits 33 euro pallets in a single layer.
- EXWEx Works
- Incoterms rule: the seller makes the goods available at its premises; loading, transport and customs are the buyer's responsibility.
- FCAFree Carrier
- Incoterms rule: the seller clears export and hands the goods to the carrier named by the buyer.
- Freight rate
- The price of the transport service, usually quoted per trip or per kilometre, excluding VAT.
- FTLFull truckload
- A shipment that uses the whole truck. The vehicle goes from loading to unloading without taking other cargo.
- LDMLoading metre
- One metre of trailer length across its full width. A standard 13.6 m trailer is 13.6 LDM; part loads are often priced per LDM.
- LTLPart load (LTL)
- A shipment that uses only part of the truck. The carrier combines several customers' goods on one trip and prices by the space used.
- Mega trailer
- A trailer with about 3 m internal height and roughly 100 m³ of volume, used for light but bulky goods.
- Payment term
- The time within which the freight is paid, often 30, 45 or 60 days after the original CMR and invoice are received.
- Reefer
- A truck with a temperature-controlled body for food, pharmaceuticals or flowers kept within a set range.
- Return load (backhaul)
- A load found after delivery so the truck does not return empty. The smaller the detour, the more profitable the trip.
- T1T1 transit declaration
- A common transit document that moves goods without paid duties under customs control from one office to another.
- TIRTIR Carnet
- An international transit document under the TIR Convention that simplifies customs when a sealed truck crosses member countries.
- Waiting charge (demurrage)
- A charge for the truck waiting longer than agreed at loading or unloading; the first 24 hours are usually free.