15 Terms You Should Know For Transportation in Canada
15 Terms You Should Know For Transportation in Canada
People working in the transportation industry often use technical jargon when they are discussing a shipment. Like with any technical field, these terms can be confusing if you’re not familiar with them. That’s why we’re here to help!
For this blog, the team at J&R Hall have broken down 15 technical terms that are commonly used when transporting freight in Canada. We hope they’ll be helpful!
FTL or Full Truckload
FTL stand for Full Truckload shipping. This is when you have enough product to fill a truck (26 pallets). One advantage of FTL is that your product will not be cross docked on route, meaning it will be safer and faster.
LTL or Less Than Truckload
LTL stands for Less Than Truckload. This is when you don’t have enough product to fill a truck and the transportation company combines shipments from multiple customers. This option will be cheaper than FTL shipping.
Bill of Lading (BOL, BL, B/L)
The Bill of Lading is an important shipping document between the transportation company and the shipper. It includes information like the product description, the size, the weight, the origin and the destination—among other things.
Consignee
The consignee is the delivery location for a shipment. It’s the person or company that will receive the shipment.
Consignment
The consignment is the product or the goods being transported.
Consignor
The consignor is the shipper, the person giving the products to the transportation company.
Customs Document
A document required for crossing borders between the US and Canada, detailing the contents of the shipment for legal purposes.
Deadheading
Deadheading is when a truck is running empty and not carrying any products.
Hazardous Materials
Hazardous materials are classified as anything explosive, flammable, poisonous or otherwise potentially dangerous. Anything regulated by the US or Canada will require additional information to be added on the trailer.
Log Book
A document that describes the working duties of a truck driver, while they are transporting a shipment.
Manifest
A document commonly used during loading and unloading, which describes the contents of a truckload in more detail than the Bill of Lading.
Oversize Load
Any product that exceeds the legally-defined limits for width, length, height or weight, which is impossible to split into smaller units.
Pallet
A wooden or plastic platform used to stack boxes or other containers of product for loading and unloading. The term also refers to a pallet that is fully-loaded with goods.
Terminal
A terminal is any dock or hub where the products will be loaded, unloaded or otherwise handled in the transportation process.
Contact the team at J&R Hall for more information on transportation in Canada.
