Absolute Liability - Condition in which carrier is responsible for all liability and is not protected by the normal exemptions found in bill of lading or common law liability.

Abstract - Abridgement of evidence omitting non-essential items; used especially in regulatory proceedings

Acceptance - 1) Acknowledged receipt by consignee of a shipment terminating the common carrier contract; 2) a promise to pay, usually evidenced by inscribing across the face of the bill "accepted", followed by the date, the place payable, and the acceptor’s signature.

Accessorial Charges - Charges for supplementary services and privileges provided in connection with line-haul transportation of goods. These charges are not included in the freight charge and usually take the form of a flat fee. Some examples are: pickup-delivery, in-transit privileges, demurrage, switching, loading/unloading, weighing, storage, inspection, grading, repackaging, billing, and fabrication.

Actual Gross Weight - The sum of the container weight, tractor pulling it and the payload contained in it.

Actual Payload - Actual weight of commodity being transported (actual gross weight minus tare weight).

Ad Hoc - Latin phrase meaning "for this"; in business used to indicate a single end or purpose, a onetime application e.g., an ad hoc investigating committee.

Ad Valorem – Latin phrase meaning "according to value"; freight rates set at a certain fixed percentage of the value of articles, e.g., the wholesale price of the articles are known as ad valorem rates.

Advanced Charge – Freight or charge on a shipment that is advanced by one transportation company or another, or to the shipper, to be collected from the consignee.

Advice of Shipment – Notice to local or foreign buyer that shipment has occurred with details of packing, routing, etc.; a copy of invoice is usually enclosed and sometimes a copy of the bill of lading.

Affidavit – Written statement which must be witnessed and sworn to before a notary public or other officer who has authority to administer oaths or affirmations.

Afloat – Commodities underway in water transit, either actually aboard vessels at sea or in port but yet unloaded.

Agent – 1) A person authorized to transact business for and in the name of another; 2) a broker.

Aggregated Shipments – Several shipments from different shippers to a single consignee, consolidated and treated as a single consignment.

All-Risk Insurance – Name given to a policy which covers against loss caused by all perils except those which are specifically excluded in the terms of the policy. Ordinarily policies name the peril or perils specifically covered in the policy.

All-Commodity Rate – Usually a carload/truckload rate applicable to multiple shipments which move at one time in one vehicle from the consignor to one consignee; also as "freight-all-kinds" or FAK rates. An all-commodity rate is established based on actual transportation cost rather than "Value of service".

Allowance – Deduction from the weight or value of goods, allowed if a carrier fails to provide necessary equipment and that equipment is furnished by the shipper.

Alongside – Point of delivery beside a vessel; statement designating where the title to goods passes from party to another.

Alternate Routing – Routing that is less desirable than the normal but results in identical terms.

American Society of Traffic & Transportation (AT&T) – Examining and certifying organization which aims for professionalism in the traffic and transportation field.

American Bureau of Shipping – Organization for classification of vessels, control of construction specifications and examination of seaworthiness.

American Trucking Association (ATA) – National federation of the U.S. trucking industry comprised of 51 state trucking associations (including D.C.) and including independent conferences, each representing a special class/type of trucking operation.

American Warehouse-Men’s Association (AWA) – Voluntary organization of warehouse-men established to assure high standards in the industry.

American Waterway Operators – A domestic water-carrier industry association representing barge operation on the inland waterways.

Arbitrar – 1) Charge in addition to regular freight charge to compensate for unusual local conditions; 2) Fixed amount accepted by a carrier when dividing joint rates.

Arrival Notice – Notice the carrier sends to the consignee when a shipment has arrived.

As Customary – In a contract, this refers to the usual manner of performing a service without a time period specified.

As/Is – Term indicating that goods offered are without warranty/guarantee, purchase has no recourse on vendor for quality of the merchandise.

Association of American Railroads – A railroad industry association that represents the U.S. railroads.

Athwartship – A direction across the beam of a vessel.

Audit Trail – 1) Path generated by a fully processed business transaction includes original entry, transaction listing, file posting and report; 2) Management controls that document acceptance, handling and movement of materials through a warehouse; 3) Verifying summary account balances by analysis/inspection of underlying source documents and transaction records.

Authority – Operating rights granted by a motor carrier by the Interstate Commerce Commission.

Authorized Carrier – Person/company authorized by the Interstate Commerce Commission to engage in the transportation of property as a common or contract carrier.

Backhaul – 1) Return transportation movement, usually at less revenue than the original move (headhaul); 2) movement in the direction of lighter traffic flow when traffic is generally heavier in the opposite direction; 3) to move a shipment back over part of a route already traveled.

Bank Draft – Bill of exchange drawn by one bank to another.

Barge – The cargo-carrying vehicle used primarily by inland water carriers. The basic barges have open tops, but there are covered barges for both dry and liquid cargoes.

Barrel – Container of cylindrical shape made of wood, aluminum or steel which is longer than it is wide and has ends with equal diameters.

Barter – To exchange goods or services without the use of money.

Basing Point – Geographic point to which transportation rates are set so that rates to adjacent points can be constructed by adding to/deducting from the basing point rate.

Baud Rate – Number of bits per second a computer is capable of sending/receiving, varies from 300 (teletypewriter) to 9600.

Bay – Area in a warehouse outlined by markings on columns or posts or floor to show specific boundaries; e.g., a 20-foot square.

Beam – Greatest width of a ship’s structure.

Benefit-Cost Ratio – An analytical tool used in public planning; a ratio of total measurable benefits divided by the initial capital cost.

Bill of Lading (B/L) – Principal transportation document by which a carrier acknowledges receipt of freight, describes the freight and sets forth a contract of carriage. Terms and conditions, responsibilities and liabilities vary with manner and place of use. Bills of lading may be negotiable or non-negotiable. Contents of the bill of lading were outlined originally in 1917. Every bill of lading must contain at least the following: 1) date of issue, 2) name of cosigner, 3) place of original consignment, 4) place of delivery, 5) statement of whether goods are to be delivered to a specific person, 6) description of goods/packages containing them, 7) signature of carrier. There are many kinds of bills of lading: Uniform Straight Bill of Lading, Short Form Uniform Straight Bill of Lading, Order-Notify Bill of Lading, Ocean-Marine Bill of Lading, Air Bill of Lading, Express Bill of Lading, etc.

Blanket Rate – A rate that does not increase according to the distance the commodity is shipped.

Bogie – 1) An assembly of two or more axles; 2) removable set of rear axles and wheels used to support a van container.

Bolster – A device so fitted on a chassis or railcar so as to hold and secure the container.

Bona Fide – Latin phrase meaning "in good faith," also used to mean real or true.

Bond – 1) Obligation made binding by payment of a fee, which is lost if the contract is violated; 2) a binding agreement.

Bonded Warehouse – Warehouse approved by the Treasury Department and under bond/guarantee for observance of revenue laws; used for storing goods until duty or goods are released in some other proper manner.

Bottom Side-Rails – Structural members located on the longitudinal sides of the base of the container.

Box – 1) Slang term for trailer or container for ocean carriers; 2) slang term used for truck transmission.

Boxcar – An enclosed railcar typically 40 to 50 feet long; used for packaged freight and some bulk commodities.

Bracing – Securing a shipment inside a carrier’s vehicle to prevent damage.

Branch Line – Railroad line providing train service to one or more stations beyond a junction with the main line or another branch in the line.

Breakbulk – 1) To unload, sort and reload some/all of the contents of a vehicle in transit; 2) to reduce a large shipment of a single commodity to many small shipments that are then dispersed to various buyers.

Bridge Formula – Formula used to determine maximum gross weight that can be carried on any given arrangement of consecutive axles.

Broker – 1) Agent who arranges interstate movement of goods by other carrier; 2) arranger of except loads for owner-operators and/or carriers; 3) one who arranges the buying/selling of goods for a commission; 4) person who leases owned equipment to a carrier; 5) solicitor of insurance who places orders for coverage with companies designated by the insured or with companies of his choosing.

Bulk Carrier – Vessel engaged in carriage of bulk commodities like petroleum, grain, or ore, which are not packaged, bundled, bottled, or otherwise packed.

Bulkhead – Upright wall in trailer or rail car that separates and stabilizes a load; 2) cargo restraining partition in a vehicle or vessel.

Bull Rings – Cargo securing devices mounted in the floor of containers which pr9ovide for the lashing and securing of cargo.

Business Statistics – The physical movement of goods from supply points to final sale to customers and the associated transfer and holding of such goods at various intermediate storage points, accomplished in such a manner as to contribute to the explicit goals of the organization.

DWT – (Deadweight Tonnage) – Estimated number of tons of cargo a vessel can carry when loaded to maximum depth.

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