What is trucking terminology? It is the shared vocabulary that shippers, brokers, carriers, and drivers use for equipment, freight, pay, paperwork, and federal rules, and knowing it keeps new drivers from getting confused or underpaid.
This glossary defines 65 trucking terms in plain English, plus common trucker slang. We first published it in 2023 with 31 terms and rebuilt it on September 19, 2026 with current hours-of-service, ELD, MC number, and heavy vehicle use tax details.
Key Takeaways
- Trucks moved 11.27 billion tons of freight in 2024, about 72.7% of U.S. freight by weight, and earned $906 billion in gross freight revenue (ATA).
- A typical load involves five parties (shipper, broker, motor carrier, driver, consignee) and four documents (rate confirmation, BOL, POD, invoice), so learn those terms first.
- Property-carrying drivers can drive 11 hours inside a 14-hour window after 10 hours off duty, and need a 30-minute break once more than 8 hours of driving pass (49 CFR 395.3).
- Detention hit 39.3% of stops in 2023 and cost $3.6 billion in direct expenses plus $11.5 billion in lost productivity (ATRI).
- The Heavy Vehicle Use Tax applies at 55,000 pounds or more, not “over 55,000,” and the current tax period runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027 (IRS).
- FMCSA still issues MC numbers through its new Motus system and says phasing them out is only under consideration (FMCSA, May 2026).
- Property brokers must keep $75,000 in financial security on file with FMCSA, so check a broker’s record before you haul (49 CFR 387.307).
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What does trucking terminology mean and why does it matter?
Trucking terminology is the working vocabulary of the freight industry: the words shippers, brokers, motor carriers, and drivers use on rate confirmations, load boards, and dispatch calls. Get one wrong and you can accept a load with the wrong equipment, miss a fee you were owed, or misread a rule that carries a fine.
The stakes are large because the industry is. According to ATA, trucks moved 11.27 billion tons of freight in 2024, roughly 72.7% of U.S. freight by weight, earned $906 billion in gross freight revenue, and employed 3.58 million drivers. As of June 2025, almost 580,000 active carriers were registered with FMCSA, and 91.5% of them ran 10 or fewer trucks, so most carriers are small businesses.
Key trucking numbers: ATA 2024 data (carrier count as of June 2025) and ATRI 2023 data.
The terms below are grouped by how you meet them on the job. Jump to a group, or scan the table of ten terms new drivers hear first.
Jump to: People and companies | Equipment | Freight and loads | Rules and regulations | Pay and paperwork | Trucker slang
| Term | Plain-English meaning | Where you will hear it |
|---|---|---|
| Deadhead | Driving without a paid load | Dispatch and pay talk |
| Detention | Paid waiting time past the free time | Rate confirmation |
| BOL | Bill of lading, the shipment’s receipt and contract | Pickup and delivery |
| Rate con | Rate confirmation, the contract for the load | Broker email |
| HOS | Hours-of-service driving limits | Your logs |
| ELD | Electronic logging device that records your hours | The truck’s dash |
| TONU | Truck ordered not used, paid when a load cancels | Rate confirmation |
| Lumper fee | Charge for third-party unloading | Receiver’s dock |
| Drop and hook | Swapping trailers without waiting on loading | Shipper’s yard |
| Bobtail | A tractor with no trailer attached | Yard and dispatch |
Who is who in trucking terminology?
A typical load involves five parties. The shipper has the freight, a broker may arrange the truck, the motor carrier holds the operating authority and employs or contracts the driver, the driver moves the load, and the consignee receives it. Four documents follow the freight along the way: the rate confirmation, the bill of lading, the proof of delivery, and the invoice.
How a load moves: five parties and four documents.
| Role | Main job | Owns the trucks? | Who pays them |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shipper | Sends the freight | No | Pays the freight bill |
| Broker | Arranges a carrier for the shipper | No | Paid by the shipper, then pays the carrier |
| Motor carrier | Hauls the freight and answers for the driver and equipment | Yes, or leases them | Paid by the broker or shipper |
| Owner-operator | Drives a truck they own | Yes | Paid by the carrier, broker, or shipper they haul for |
| Company driver | Drives a truck the carrier owns | No | Paid by the carrier |
Shipper
A shipper is the company or person sending the freight, and usually the party whose money pays for the move. A shipper can hire a motor carrier directly or work through a broker. The shipper’s name and pickup address appear at the top of the bill of lading.
Consignee
The consignee is the receiver, the business or person the freight is delivered to. Dock staff at the consignee check in the driver, unload the trailer, and sign the bill of lading, which then serves as proof of delivery.
Motor Carrier
A motor carrier is a company that moves freight by truck and is responsible for the drivers, the equipment, and safe delivery. A for-hire carrier that hauls regulated freight across state lines needs a USDOT number and operating authority from FMCSA. In everyday talk, motor carriers are also called fleets or trucking companies.
Broker
A broker arranges transportation between shippers and carriers without hauling the freight themselves. Property brokers must register with FMCSA and keep $75,000 in financial security on file, either as a BMC-84 surety bond or a BMC-85 trust fund (49 CFR 387.307). That security is no substitute for checking a broker’s record before you haul.
Our guides explain how carrier-broker partnerships work and how to become a freight broker.
Freight Forwarder
A freight forwarder arranges the movement of freight, often across several carriers or across borders, and may consolidate smaller shipments. FMCSA registers forwarders as their own entity type, separate from brokers and motor carriers. Our post on freight brokers, freight forwarders, and freight factoring walks through the differences.
Third-Party Logistics (3PL)
A third-party logistics (3PL) company handles logistics work for a shipper, such as warehousing, freight brokerage, and managing transportation. Many freight brokerages operate as 3PLs, so the two terms overlap.
Owner-Operator
An owner-operator is a driver who owns the truck they drive. Some run under their own USDOT number and operating authority, while others lease onto a motor carrier and haul under that carrier’s authority. Either way, the owner-operator carries truck costs such as fuel, maintenance, and payments.
Our guides cover the risks of becoming an owner-operator, how to find loads, and tax savings for owner-operators.
Company Driver
A company driver is an employee who drives a truck the carrier owns. Pay is usually by the mile, by the hour, or a salary, and the carrier covers fuel, maintenance, and insurance. Use our truck driver salary calculator to compare pay models.
Dispatcher
A dispatcher plans loads and schedules for drivers, passes along pickup and delivery details, and helps solve problems on the road such as breakdowns and delays. At a small carrier the owner often dispatches too, and some owner-operators hire an outside dispatch service instead.
Team Drivers
Team drivers are two drivers who share one truck and trade off driving so it keeps moving. Each driver still has to stay within their own hours-of-service limits.
Booking through a broker you have never heard of? Check them first.
A broker’s bond is no substitute for a look at their record. Search the company before you haul.
- Free carrier and broker search
- Safety ratings, inspection history, and CSA data for carriers
- Takes a minute, saves a lot of chasing invoices
What do trucking equipment terms mean?
Equipment terms describe the tractor, the trailer, and the hardware that couples them. Trailer type decides what freight you can haul and which extra requirements come with it.
| Trailer | Typical freight | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Dry van | Packaged and palletized goods | Enclosed, but not temperature controlled |
| Reefer | Food, medicine, plants | Runs its own cooling unit and its own fuel |
| Flatbed | Steel, lumber, machinery | Cargo must be strapped, chained, or tarped |
| Step deck (drop deck) | Freight too tall for a standard flatbed | Lower deck gives more headroom |
| Lowboy | Heavy, tall equipment such as excavators | Very low deck; loads may need oversize or overweight permits |
| Tanker | Liquids and gases | Driver needs a tank vehicle (N) endorsement |
Endorsement rules: 49 CFR 383.93.
Tractor
The tractor is the power unit that pulls a trailer. It is also called a semi truck, a big rig, or an 18-wheeler, although strictly speaking the “semi” is the semitrailer it pulls. A tractor and trailer together are a combination vehicle.
Bobtail
Bobtail means driving the tractor with no trailer attached. It is the same truck, just without the load, and drivers bobtail when they run to a shipper’s yard to hook a trailer or head home after dropping one. Bobtail miles still burn fuel and use up driving time.
Day Cab and Sleeper Cab
A day cab has no sleeping compartment and suits local and regional runs where drivers get home each night. A sleeper cab adds a bunk behind the seat so drivers can rest on the road, which is why sleepers dominate long-haul work. Our day cab vs sleeper cab comparison covers the trade-offs.
Fifth Wheel
The fifth wheel is the horseshoe-shaped coupling plate on the back of the tractor frame. The trailer’s kingpin locks into it, and the plate lets the trailer pivot as the tractor turns. A converter dolly has its own fifth wheel.
Kingpin
The kingpin is the steel pin under the front of a semitrailer. It slides into the fifth wheel’s jaws and locks, which is what actually connects trailer to tractor. Drivers check the coupling every time they hook up.
Dry Van (Dry Box)
A dry van, also called a dry box, is an enclosed, non-refrigerated trailer used for general freight such as packaged goods, clothing, electronics, and boxed products. It protects freight from weather but has no temperature control. Freight normally loads and unloads through the rear doors.
Reefer
A reefer is a refrigerated trailer with its own cooling unit, used for food, medicine, plants, and other temperature-sensitive freight. The unit holds a set temperature range and usually runs on its own diesel tank, so reefer fuel is a separate cost to track. Reefer freight also brings more waiting: ATRI found refrigerated-trailer drivers were detained at 56.2% of stops in 2023, against 39.3% across all stops.
Flatbed
A flatbed is an open trailer with no sides or roof, used for machinery, construction materials, steel, and other large or oddly shaped freight. The driver secures cargo with straps, chains, and tarps, so flatbed work takes more hands-on loading skill than dry van work.
Converter Dolly
A converter dolly is a short frame with its own fifth wheel and a drawbar. The drawbar hooks to a pintle hook on the back of the lead trailer, and the rear trailer’s kingpin locks into the dolly’s fifth wheel. Dollies are how one tractor pulls two or three trailers in a set of doubles or triples.
Doubles and Triples
Doubles and triples are combinations with two or three trailers behind one tractor, joined by converter dollies. Drivers need a doubles and triples endorsement on their CDL (49 CFR 383.93). Slang for a set of doubles is a wiggle wagon.
Long Combination Vehicle (LCV)
A long combination vehicle (LCV) is a truck tractor pulling two or more trailers at a gross weight above 80,000 pounds on the Interstate System, as defined in 23 CFR 658.5. Federal law froze LCV operation to the configurations states already allowed on June 1, 1991 (23 U.S.C. 127(d)), and FHWA’s state weight table lists about two dozen states where they can run above 80,000 pounds. Rules differ by state, so confirm routes and permits before accepting an LCV load.
What do freight and load terms mean?
Load terms describe what is being hauled, how far it goes, and how it gets booked. Knowing them helps you read a load posting and spot a bad deal.
Truckload (FTL)
A truckload, or full truckload (FTL), is a shipment that uses most or all of a trailer’s space or weight capacity and goes from one origin to one destination without mixing in other shippers’ freight. It is priced by the trip or by the mile rather than by the pallet.
Less-Than-Truckload (LTL)
Less-than-truckload (LTL) freight is a smaller shipment that shares trailer space with other shippers’ freight. LTL carriers collect freight at local terminals, consolidate it, and move it between terminals before final delivery. Shippers pay by weight, size, and distance rather than for a whole trailer.
Lane
A lane is a route between an origin and a destination, such as Dallas to Atlanta. Rates, demand, and driver preferences are all quoted by lane, and a lane can be strong in one direction and weak in the other.
Backhaul
A backhaul is a load carried on the return leg of a trip, back toward where the truck is based. The first leg is called the headhaul. Backhaul rates are often lower because more freight moves in one direction on many lanes, so trucks heading the other way compete for less freight, but any paid load beats deadheading home.
Deadhead
Deadhead means driving without a paid load, either with an empty trailer or as a bobtail tractor. Deadhead miles cost fuel, wear, and hours-of-service time and earn nothing, so cutting them is one of the fastest ways to improve profit per mile. Use the extra distance option in our diesel fuel calculator to price deadhead legs into a trip.
Drop and Hook
In drop and hook, the driver drops the trailer they arrived with and hooks a different trailer that is already loaded. It skips the wait for loading and unloading, which cuts detention risk, though the shipper or carrier has to manage a pool of trailers to make it work.
Live Load and Live Unload
A live load or live unload means the driver waits with the truck while the trailer is loaded or unloaded. Live loads are where most detention happens, because the clock keeps running while dock crews work through their queue.
Power Only
Power only means the carrier supplies the tractor and driver to pull a trailer owned by someone else, usually a shipper, broker, or trailer-leasing company. It is common in drop-and-hook operations and suits carriers that own tractors but no trailers.
Hot Shot
Hot shot trucking is expedited hauling of smaller, time-sensitive loads, usually with a heavy-duty pickup or medium-duty truck pulling a gooseneck or flatbed trailer. Whether a CDL is required depends on the combined weight rating: a Class A CDL applies when the combination is rated at 26,001 pounds or more and the towed unit is rated above 10,000 pounds (49 CFR 383.5). Hot shot operators also need a USDOT number once a vehicle rated at 10,001 pounds or more works in interstate commerce.
Spot Market and Contract Freight
Spot freight is a one-time load booked at the current market rate, often through a load board or broker. Contract freight is hauled at an agreed rate over a set period, often a year, for a regular shipper. Spot rates swing with demand, while contract rates are steadier but can trail the market.
Load Board
A load board is an online marketplace where brokers and shippers post available loads and carriers post available trucks. Carriers search by lane and equipment, then call or book through the board. Many boards charge subscription fees. Our guide to finding loads as an owner-operator compares the main ways to fill a truck.
Over-the-Road (OTR)
Over-the-road (OTR) driving means long runs that keep a driver away from home for days or weeks. There is no official mileage cutoff. Carriers use local, regional, and long-haul or OTR to describe how far and how long a driver is away, and each carrier draws the lines differently, so ask about home time before you accept a job.
Line Haul
Line haul is the long-distance leg of a shipment between cities, regions, or terminals, as opposed to local pickup and delivery. In LTL networks, line haul drivers move trailers between terminals while other drivers handle the local runs.
Intermodal
Intermodal moves freight in the same container or trailer using two or more modes, usually truck plus rail or ship. The freight is not unpacked between modes, so trucking’s part is typically the short haul to and from the port or rail ramp, known as drayage.
Drayage
Drayage is short-distance trucking of containers between ports or rail terminals and nearby warehouses or yards. Drayage drivers often deal with terminal queues, appointment windows, and the chassis, the wheeled frame that carries a container.
Last-Mile
Last-mile is the final leg of a delivery, from a local hub or distribution center to the customer’s door. It is usually done with smaller trucks and vans, and dense streets, tight docks, and limited parking make it one of the hardest legs to run efficiently.
Hazmat
Hazmat is short for hazardous materials, cargo that can harm people or the environment. A vehicle carrying placardable amounts must show placards on each side and each end (49 CFR 172.504). Some materials need a placard in any quantity, while many others only when the total reaches 1,001 pounds or more.
Drivers need a hazmat (H) endorsement, which requires a TSA security threat assessment (49 CFR 383.141), and the shipper must describe the material on the shipping papers (49 CFR 172.200). Our post on technology for safer hazmat transportation covers the tools carriers use.
Which rule and regulation terms should new drivers know?
Rule terms are where new drivers get fined or put out of service, so they change fastest. The details below were checked against FMCSA, IRS, and eCFR pages in September 2026, and the page dates are noted in the text.
FMCSA
FMCSA, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, is the U.S. Department of Transportation agency that regulates commercial motor carriers, drivers, and brokers in interstate commerce. It issues USDOT numbers and operating authority, writes the hours-of-service and ELD rules, maintains the registered ELD list, and runs the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.
USDOT Number
A USDOT number is the unique identifier FMCSA assigns to a company so it can track safety records. FMCSA says you need one to operate a commercial vehicle in interstate commerce if it is rated at 10,001 pounds or more (gross vehicle or combination weight rating), and passenger and hazmat rules add other triggers (FMCSA). Many states also require one for intrastate work, and most interstate carriers also pay the annual Unified Carrier Registration fee.
MC Number (Operating Authority)
An MC number, also called a docket number, identifies a carrier’s or broker’s operating authority. FMCSA says companies that transport federally regulated commodities owned by others, or arrange their transport, for a fee in interstate commerce need operating authority in addition to a USDOT number (FMCSA). Private carriers hauling their own freight generally do not.
MC numbers are not gone yet. FMCSA’s FAQ, last updated May 21, 2026, says existing MC numbers will not be replaced by USDOT numbers, and that phasing MC numbers out is only under consideration. Its new Motus registration system still issues docket numbers.
CDL (Commercial Driver’s License)
A commercial driver’s license (CDL) is required to drive heavy or placarded vehicles. Class A covers combinations rated at 26,001 pounds or more where the towed unit is rated above 10,000 pounds, which is the tractor-trailer license. Class B covers single vehicles rated at 26,001 pounds or more, such as straight trucks. Class C covers vehicles that fit neither but carry 16 or more passengers or placarded hazmat (49 CFR 383.5).
Endorsements add permissions: hazmat (H), tank (N), doubles and triples (T), passenger (P), and school bus (S) (49 CFR 383.93). See how to get a CDL in 7 steps for the process.
Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT)
Entry-level driver training (ELDT) is federally required training for first-time Class A and Class B applicants, drivers upgrading to Class A or B, and first-time hazmat, passenger, or school bus endorsement applicants. It must come from a provider listed on FMCSA’s Training Provider Registry and has applied since February 7, 2022 (49 CFR Part 380, Subpart F). Drivers who held their license or endorsement before that date are grandfathered in.
The registry showed more than 2 million drivers trained since the rule began, as of September 2026. Our guide to choosing a truck driving school explains how to pick a provider.
Hours of Service (HOS)
Hours of service (HOS) are the federal limits on when and how long property-carrying drivers can drive. The table below summarizes the core rules from 49 CFR 395.3 and FMCSA’s HOS summary.
| Rule | Limit | Source |
|---|---|---|
| 11-hour driving limit | Up to 11 hours of driving after 10 consecutive hours off duty | 49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(i) |
| 14-hour window | No driving after 14 consecutive hours from coming on duty; off-duty time does not extend it | 49 CFR 395.3(a)(2) |
| 30-minute break | Required once more than 8 hours of driving pass without a 30-minute break; on-duty not driving, off duty, or sleeper time all count | 49 CFR 395.3(a)(3)(ii) |
| 60/70-hour limit | No driving after 60 hours on duty in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days | 49 CFR 395.3(b) |
| 34-hour restart | A 7 or 8 day period can end after 34 or more consecutive hours off duty | 49 CFR 395.3(c) |
| Sleeper berth split | Split the 10 hours into two periods: one at least 7 hours in the berth, the other at least 2 hours off duty or in the berth (7/3 and 8/2 splits) | FMCSA summary |
| Adverse driving conditions | Extends the 11-hour limit and 14-hour window by up to 2 hours | FMCSA summary |
| Short-haul exception | Drivers within a 150 air-mile radius who are released within 14 hours are exempt from logs and the 30-minute break | 49 CFR 395.1(e)(1) |
As of FMCSA’s hours-of-service page, last updated March 26, 2026, these limits are unchanged. FMCSA has announced two limited pilot programs, flexible sleeper berth and split duty period, that only participating drivers can use, so check FMCSA before assuming any change applies to you. Waiting at a dock keeps the 14-hour clock running. Our post explains who is responsible for HOS compliance.
ELD (Electronic Logging Device)
An electronic logging device (ELD) connects to the truck’s engine and automatically records driving time, engine hours, location, and duty status for a driver’s records of duty status. FMCSA’s exceptions are drivers who use paper logs no more than 8 days in any 30-day period, driveaway-towaway operations, and vehicles manufactured before model year 2000 (FMCSA). Drivers who qualify for the 150 air-mile short-haul exception do not need to keep logs either.
The device must appear on FMCSA’s registered ELD list. FMCSA’s ELD news page shows it removed devices from that list on May 20, June 23, July 9, and August 6, 2026, and drivers still using a removed device can be placed out of service, so check that yours is still listed. For the five devices removed August 6, FMCSA set an October 6, 2026 replacement deadline. Our ELD mandate questions and answers covers the basics.
DVIR
A driver vehicle inspection report (DVIR) is the written or electronic record a driver completes after inspecting the truck, noting any defects that could affect safe operation. Carriers keep DVIRs on file so a defect found on one shift is on record for the next driver.
CSA
CSA stands for Compliance, Safety, Accountability, FMCSA’s program for scoring carriers on inspection, violation, and crash data. Scores across categories called BASICs help decide which carriers get warning letters, audits, and other interventions. Read Understanding the BASICs of Compliance and Hours of Service for the categories.
Out-of-Service (OOS)
An out-of-service (OOS) order stops a driver or a truck from operating until the violation is fixed. Inspectors issue OOS orders for problems such as brakes, tires, hours-of-service violations, or a non-compliant ELD.
Weigh Station
Weigh stations, also called scales, are state checkpoints where trucks are weighed and may be inspected. Bypass services can let compliant trucks skip a scale, and apps show which stations are open. See our roundup of the best weigh station apps for truckers.
IFTA
The International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA) lets carriers running in several states file one quarterly fuel tax return with their base jurisdiction instead of filing in each state. Carriers track miles driven and fuel purchased by state to calculate what they owe. See IFTA, BOC-3, and heavy fuel tax filings for more.
IRP
The International Registration Plan (IRP) splits a truck’s registration fees among the states and provinces it drives in, based on miles. A carrier gets one set of apportioned plates through its base state instead of registering separately everywhere.
HVUT (Heavy Vehicle Use Tax)
The Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) is a federal annual excise tax on highway vehicles with a taxable gross weight of 55,000 pounds or more, reported on IRS Form 2290 (IRS). The current tax period runs July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027. The return is due by the last day of the month after the vehicle is first used on a public highway, so July use is due August 31 (IRS Tax Tip 2026-62).
Electronic filing is required at 25 or more vehicles, and the stamped Schedule 1 is your proof of payment when you register the truck. For July use, the annual tax runs from $100 for a 55,000-pound vehicle to $550 for one over 75,000 pounds (Form 2290). Vehicles used 5,000 miles or less (7,500 for agricultural vehicles) can claim a suspension but must still file.
Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse
The FMCSA Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse is the federal database of drug and alcohol program violations for CDL holders. Employers must check it before putting a driver in a safety-sensitive job, and a driver with a violation on record cannot legally drive a commercial vehicle until completing the return-to-duty process. Our post The Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, Six Years In covers what the 2026 data shows.
What do pay and paperwork terms mean?
Pay terms explain how you earn and what extra you can bill when a load goes sideways. Paperwork terms prove what was agreed and what was delivered, and brokers and factoring companies usually need those documents before money moves.
Rate Confirmation (Rate Con)
A rate confirmation, or rate con, is the document from a broker or shipper that confirms the agreed rate, pickup and delivery details, equipment, and accessorial terms such as detention. Read it before you accept, because it is the contract for the load and it controls what you can bill later. Anything promised on the phone should also appear on the rate con.
Bill of Lading (BOL)
A bill of lading (BOL) is the document that travels with a shipment. It lists the cargo, shipper, receiver, and carrier, and it works as a receipt for the freight and as the carrier’s contract for the move. The driver checks piece counts, notes any damage or shortage, and signs at pickup, and the receiver signs at delivery.
Proof of Delivery (POD)
Proof of delivery (POD) is the signed BOL or delivery receipt showing the freight arrived. Brokers usually need it before they release payment, and factoring companies usually need it before they fund an invoice, so send a clear copy quickly.
Accessorial
An accessorial is any charge on top of the base freight rate, such as detention, layover, TONU, lumper fees, or extra stops. Accessorials are only reliably paid when they are written into the rate confirmation.
| Charge | When it applies | Usually paid by | Paid to |
|---|---|---|---|
| Detention | Driver waits past the free time at pickup or delivery | Shipper or receiver, through the broker | Carrier |
| Layover | Driver must wait overnight or longer because the load is not ready | Broker or shipper | Carrier |
| TONU | Truck was ordered and sent, then the load was cancelled | Broker or shipper | Carrier |
| Lumper fee | A warehouse requires a third-party crew to unload | Often reimbursed by the broker or shipper | Lumper service |
| Fuel surcharge | Diesel price rises above the baseline in the rate agreement | Shipper or broker | Carrier |
Detention
Detention is the waiting time a driver spends at a shipper or receiver beyond the agreed free time. Free time is commonly two hours, and O Trucking‘s 2026 guide reports detention rates of $25 to $75 an hour after that, often with daily caps, but the rate confirmation sets the real terms.
ATRI found drivers were detained in 39.3% of stops in 2023, costing the industry $3.6 billion in direct expenses and $11.5 billion in lost productivity. About 94.5% of fleets charge detention fees, but those invoices are paid less than half the time. Read the real deal behind truck driver detention for ways to push back.
Layover
Layover pay is a flat payment when a driver must wait overnight or longer because the load is not ready or the appointment moves. It is a negotiated accessorial, so get the amount and the trigger written on the rate confirmation.
TONU
TONU stands for truck ordered not used. It is a fee a broker or shipper pays the carrier when a truck was ordered and dispatched, or arrived at the pickup, but the load was cancelled or not ready. The amount is set in the rate confirmation or carrier agreement, so confirm the TONU terms before you send a truck.
Lumper Fee
A lumper fee is what a warehouse or distribution center charges when a third-party unloading crew, called a lumper, unloads a truck instead of the driver. Drivers often pay at the dock and get reimbursed by the broker or shipper, so ask the broker to approve the lumper in writing first and keep the receipt.
Fuel Surcharge (FSC)
A fuel surcharge (FSC) is an extra per-mile payment that adjusts a rate for changes in diesel prices. It is usually calculated from the DOE national average against a baseline price and an assumed fuel economy. Check whether your surcharge applies to loaded miles only and what baseline the broker uses. Our diesel fuel calculator includes surcharge math and current EIA diesel prices.
Cents Per Mile (CPM) and Linehaul Rate
Cents per mile (CPM) is how many drivers are paid: a set rate for each mile driven, sometimes split into loaded and empty miles. The linehaul rate is the base price of the move, quoted per mile or as a flat rate, before accessorials and fuel surcharge. Estimate pay under different models with our truck driver salary calculator, and read how truck driver pay has evolved.
Net Terms and Quick Pay
Net terms set how long after invoicing the payer has to pay you. Net 30 means payment is due 30 days after the invoice date, and carriers commonly wait 30 to 60 days on broker payments. Quick pay is an option where a broker pays faster in exchange for a small discount, which is one way to close the cash flow gap.
Factoring
Factoring means selling your delivered-load invoices to a factoring company for immediate cash, minus a fee, instead of waiting on net terms. With recourse factoring you owe the money back if the broker does not pay, while non-recourse factoring shifts more of the credit risk to the factor. A portion of each invoice may be held in a reserve until the broker pays.
Compare providers in Best Freight Factoring Companies of 2026, learn how a factoring reserve account works, or read how to get paid the same day you deliver.
Waiting on net 30, detention pay, or a slow broker?
Factoring turns a delivered load into cash the same day, so one slow payer does not stall your next dispatch.
- Cover the next tank without waiting on an invoice
- Steady cash flow while detention and lumper fees get sorted out
- Compare providers in our 2026 factoring rankings
What does common trucker slang mean?
Trucker slang varies by region and by carrier, and some of it comes from CB radio. These are the terms new drivers are most likely to hear on the road.
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 10-4 | “Message received” or “okay,” from CB radio ten-codes |
| 10-20 | Your location, as in “What’s your 10-20?” |
| Four-wheeler | A passenger car or other light vehicle |
| Bear or Smokey | A police officer or state trooper |
| Chicken coop | A weigh station |
| Pigtail | The coiled cable that carries electrical power and signals from the tractor to the trailer |
| Hammer down | Driving fast, or at full speed |
| Wiggle wagon | A set of doubles, or the short trailers used in them |
| Gear jammer | A driver who shifts a manual transmission |
How was this trucking glossary researched and updated?
Methodology. We rebuilt the original 2023 glossary (31 terms) on September 19, 2026, expanding it to 65 entries plus a slang table. Industry statistics come from ATA (2024 figures, with the carrier count as of June 2025) and ATRI‘s September 2024 detention release (2023 data). Detention free-time and rate ranges come from O Trucking‘s guide, updated June 30, 2026. Regulatory details were checked against FMCSA pages, the eCFR (current as of mid-September 2026), and IRS pages for Form 2290 (revised July 2026), and the page dates are named in the text.
Definitions of industry conventions that no regulation defines, such as TONU, drop and hook, and lumper fee, reflect common practice, so your rate confirmation or carrier agreement controls in a dispute. We did not use forum anecdotes or unsourced statistics. In this update we also corrected the 2023 entries for converter dolly, bobtail, TONU, and the HVUT weight threshold (55,000 pounds or more), merged the duplicate Dry Box and Dry Van entries, and removed generic supply-chain terms. Regulations change, so confirm details with FMCSA and the IRS. This article is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Frequently asked questions about trucking terminology
What are the most important trucking terms for new drivers to learn first?
Start with the terms that touch your paycheck and your license: deadhead, detention, bill of lading (BOL), rate confirmation, TONU, and lumper fee, plus hours of service (HOS) and ELD. Those eight cover how loads are booked, paid, documented, and legally driven.
What is the difference between a broker and a motor carrier?
A motor carrier owns or controls the trucks and drivers and physically hauls the freight. A broker arranges the move between a shipper and a carrier without hauling it, and must keep $75,000 in financial security on file with FMCSA under 49 CFR 387.307.
What does deadhead mean in trucking?
Deadhead means driving without a paid load, either with an empty trailer or as a bobtail tractor. Deadhead miles cost fuel and driving time but earn no revenue, so drivers try to book a backhaul to keep the truck earning.
What is the difference between a USDOT number and an MC number?
A USDOT number identifies a company for safety tracking and is required for interstate commercial vehicles rated at 10,001 pounds or more. An MC number, also called a docket number, identifies operating authority, which for-hire carriers hauling regulated freight for others across state lines need in addition to the USDOT number. FMCSA says MC numbers are still issued and are only being considered for phase-out.
How many hours can a truck driver drive per day?
A property-carrying driver may drive up to 11 hours within a 14-hour window after 10 consecutive hours off duty, and must take a 30-minute break once more than 8 hours of driving pass without one. Weekly limits are 60 hours on duty in 7 days or 70 hours in 8 days, under 49 CFR 395.3.
What does TONU mean in trucking?
TONU stands for truck ordered not used. It is a fee a broker or shipper pays the carrier when a truck was ordered and dispatched but the load was cancelled or not ready. The amount is set in the rate confirmation, so confirm it before you send the truck.
How much is detention pay and when does it start?
Free time is commonly two hours, after which detention pay starts. O Trucking’s 2026 guide reports rates of $25 to $75 an hour, often with daily caps, but the rate confirmation sets the actual amount. ATRI found drivers were detained at 39.3% of stops in 2023.
Does every truck driver need an ELD?
No. FMCSA’s exceptions include drivers who use paper logs no more than 8 days in any 30-day period, driveaway-towaway operations, and vehicles manufactured before model year 2000. Drivers who qualify for the 150 air-mile short-haul exception do not have to keep logs either. Everyone else who keeps records of duty status needs a device from FMCSA’s registered list.