Mandata’s Haulage Industry Jargon Buster

Keeping up-to-date with various industry terms can be tough. Acronyms that go on forever, new jargon being used by a customer which leaves you confused, or reading articles and seeing words which look alien. Sometimes it is good to have a reference point to stay in the loop especially when collaborating with other operators.

In this article, we thought it would be beneficial to collate some of these widely used industry terms, and to put them in one location, ready to be looked up if you ever get stuck.

• Abnormal Load: Refers to a load that exceeds the standard legal size or weight limits for a vehicle and may require special permits or arrangements for transportation.
• ADI: Automated Data Interchange, the electronic exchange of structured data between different computer systems, often used for seamless communication in supply chain management.
• ADR: This is the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road. It sets the regulations for transporting hazardous materials.
• Ambient Goods: Goods that can be transported and stored at room temperature, without the need for temperature control.
• Artic: Short for articulated lorry, a large vehicle with a trailer that is connected by a pivoting joint.
• Backhaul: Refers to the transportation of goods on the return journey of a vehicle, typically after delivering a primary load.
• Bilateral Transport: Transportation between two countries, involving the movement of goods or passengers across their borders.
• BRCGS Accreditation: Brand Reputation Compliance Global Standards, is a leading global brand and consumer protection organisation that sets rigorous standards for food safety, consumer products, and packaging.
• Brexit: British exit, referring to the UK leaving the European Union (EU), affecting customs for imports and exports, to and from the UK and Europe.
• Bulk Cargo: Loose goods that are not packed in containers or boxes but rather loaded directly into the cargo hold of a ship, truck, or other transport.
• Cabotage: Refers to the transport of goods or passengers between two places in the same country by a transport operator from another country.
• Cargo: Goods or freight being transported by ship, plane, truck, or other means of transportation.
• Carrier: An individual or company that transports goods or passengers.
• CDS: Customs Declaration Service, a system used for the electronic submission of customs declarations in the United Kingdom. It’s a key component for managing customs procedures and import/export documentation.
• Charter: Hiring a whole aircraft, ship, or other vehicle for a specific journey, typically for the transport of goods.
• Chilled Goods: Perishable goods that require temperature control during transportation to prevent spoilage.
• CLOCS: Construction Logistics and Community Safety. It’s a standard for managing work-related road risk in the construction industry.
• Consignment: A batch of goods destined for a particular recipient.
• Courier: A person or company that transports and delivers messages, packages, or goods.
• CPC: Certificate of Professional Competence, required for professional bus, coach, and lorry drivers.
• CRM: Customer Relationship Management. CRM refers to both the practices and technologies that companies use to manage and analyse customer interactions and data (such as contact information) throughout the customer lifecycle. The goal is to improve customer service relationships and assist in customer retention. Helping to drive sales growth.
• Cross Docking: A logistics practice where goods are unloaded from an incoming vehicle, then immediately loaded onto outbound vehicles with minimal storage time.
• Customs: The official department that administers the collection and enforcement of customs duties and regulations.
• Dangerous Goods (DG): Substances or materials that, if not properly controlled, can present a risk to health, safety, property, or the environment during transportation.
• DEFRA: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, this governmental department takes the reins in environmental protection, food production, and agriculture, impacting the haulage industry through various regulations.
• Demurrage Charges: Charges incurred when cargo is delayed beyond the agreed-upon time for loading or unloading.
• Depot: A facility or location used for storing, managing, and distributing goods. Depots are often strategically placed within transportation networks to optimise the efficiency of loading, unloading, and transferring goods between different modes of transportation.
• DfT: Department for Transport, a UK government department responsible for overseeing transportation policies and regulations.
• Drops: Individual deliveries or stops made during a transportation route.
• DSA: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, responsible for roadworthiness testing, enforcement, and operator licensing of vehicles in the UK.
• DVLA: Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, the organisation that maintains driver and vehicle records in the UK.
• DVS: Direct Vision Standard, a safety initiative in London that rates heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) based on the driver’s direct vision from the cab, with the aim of reducing accidents involving vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians.
• DVSA: Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, an agency within the DfT responsible for road safety and vehicle standards.
• Emission: The release of pollutants into the atmosphere, often related to vehicle emissions in the context of transportation.
• Empty Running / Dead Miles: Refers to the distance a vehicle travels without carrying a load, which can be inefficient and costly.
• EORI Number: Economic Operators Registration and Identification number, a unique ID for businesses involved in importing or exporting goods.
• ePOD: Electronic Proof of Delivery, a digital confirmation of the successful delivery of goods. A paper based version would be just classed as a POD.
• ERP: Enterprise Resource Planning, a software system that integrates and manages various business processes, including finance, inventory, manufacturing, and more, to streamline operations and improve efficiency.
• ETA: Estimated Time of Arrival, the anticipated time a shipment or vehicle will arrive at its destination.
• EVs: Electric Vehicles, vehicles powered by electric motors.
• EWC Codes: European Waste Catalogue Codes, used to classify and describe different types of waste.
• FCL: Full Container Load, referring to a shipment that occupies a full container.
• Flat Bed: A type of truck or trailer with a flat, open platform for carrying goods, often used for oversized or irregularly shaped cargo.
• FORS: Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme, a voluntary accreditation scheme that promotes best practices for commercial vehicle operators.
• Freight Exchange: Also known as online freight exchange or haulage exchange, is an online service that connects the haulage and logistics companies on the web, and allows them to share haulage job opportunities, or seek extra transport jobs.
• Freight Forwarder: A company or individual that organises the transportation of goods on behalf of shippers.
• Fridge: A refrigerated vehicle used for transporting goods that require temperature control.
• FTA: Freight Transport Association, a trade association for the transport and logistics industry in the UK.
• Goods In Transit (GIT): Refers to the period during which goods are being transported from the seller to the buyer.
• Groupage: Combining smaller shipments from multiple shippers into a single shipment.
• HGV: Heavy Goods Vehicle, a large commercial vehicle used for transporting goods.
• Hiab: A hydraulic crane truck used for lifting and transporting heavy loads.
• HVO: Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil, a renewable diesel fuel derived from vegetable oils or animal fats, and can be used to power heavy goods vehicles in a more sustainable way.
• HVS: Hydrogen Vehicle Systems, powered with hydrogen fuel cells, which when burned with oxygen, generate electric power, with the only by-products from this chemical reaction being electricity, water vapour and warm air, making them a more sustainable vehicle option.
• ICE: Internal Combustion Engine, the traditional engine using fuel combustion to generate power.
• Import: Bringing goods into a country from abroad.
• Intermodal: Involving the use of multiple modes of transportation (e.g., truck, train, ship) for moving goods.
• ISO: International Organisation for Standardisation. ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organisation that develops and publishes standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems across various industries. Software providers will often receive accreditations when demonstrating a dedication to cyber-security and best practice when handling data, such as ISO 27001
• Just-In-Time (JIT) Logistics: An operational strategy where the shipment or materials arrive at the depot or delivery location exactly when it is needed, meaning goods can be transported immediately, helping to reduce warehouse stock levels, and run efficiently.
• Landbridge: A route for transporting goods between two locations, often involving crossing a land mass.
• LCV: Light Commercial Vehicle, typically smaller trucks or vans used for transporting goods.
• LEZ: Low Emission Zone, an area where access is restricted to vehicles that meet specific emission standards.
• LGV: Large Goods Vehicle, a term commonly used in the UK for heavy goods vehicles.
• Modality: The method or mode of transportation, such as road, rail, air, or sea.
• MOT: Ministry of Transport test, an annual test of vehicle safety, roadworthiness aspects, and exhaust emissions required in the UK for compliance regulations.
• Multi-drop: Making multiple deliveries on a single route, often used in courier and delivery services.
• O License: Operator’s License, a license required for operating goods vehicles in the UK.
• OCRS Scoring: Operator Compliance Risk Score, a scoring system used by the DVSA to assess the compliance of commercial vehicle operators.
• OTIF: On Time In Full, a metric used to measure the delivery performance of goods.
• Owner-operator: A person who owns and operates their own commercial vehicle for transporting goods.
• Pallet Network: A distribution system where multiple haulage companies work together to efficiently transport and deliver palletised goods, where each company is responsible for collecting and delivering goods within a specific geographic area, and the network facilitates the coordination and transfer of pallets between these companies to ensure timely and cost-effective delivery.
• Pallet: A portable platform with both a top and bottom deck, used for storing, handling, and transporting goods.
• Part Load: A shipment that does not fill a whole truck or container but is part of a larger load.
• PCV / PSV: Passenger Carrying Vehicle / Public Service Vehicle, used for transporting passengers.
• Rate Card: A document or list that outlines the established rates or prices for specific services, products, or transactions.
• RDC: Regional Distribution Centre, a facility used to store and distribute goods to specific regions.
• Reefer: A specialised container with refrigeration or temperature control systems designed to transport and store perishable and temperature-sensitive products.
• RHA: Road Haulage Association, a trade association for the road transport and freight logistics industry in the UK.
• Roll on/Roll off (RoRo): A method of loading and unloading goods where they are driven on and off a vessel.
• Route Optimisation: The process of finding the most efficient and cost-effective way to plan and navigate a transportation route. It involves considering factors such as distance, time, vehicle capacity, traffic conditions, and delivery constraints to minimise fuel consumption and delivery time while maximising productivity.
• Shunting: The movement of trailers or railcars within a transportation yard or terminal.
• Sprinter: A type of van commonly used for courier and small cargo transportation.
• Sub-contractor: Or “subbie”, often individual owner-operators, or larger businesses, that are hired to complete certain aspects of the delivery process.
• Supply Chain: A network of organisations, people, activities, information, and resources involved in the production, transportation, storage, and distribution of goods from the point of origin to the point of consumption.
• Tachograph: A device fitted to a vehicle that automatically records its speed and distance, as well as the driver’s activity.
• Tanker Container: A specialised container designed for transporting liquids, gases, or powders.
• TFL: Transport for London, the government body responsible for the transport system in Greater London.
• TMS: Transportation Management System, software that helps businesses manage and optimise the transportation of goods, such as Mandata.
• Tracking & Telematics: Systems that use technology to monitor and track the location, movements, and performance of vehicles and drivers.
• Tractor Unit: The front part of an articulated vehicle that pulls the trailer, often referred to simply as the “tractor” or “cab”.
• Traffic Commissioner: A public official responsible for licensing and regulating operators of heavy goods vehicles and passenger service vehicles in the UK.
• Traffic Pad: Within a Mandata TMS, this is the area in the software used to organise, allocate, plan and manage the movement of goods, vehicles and drivers, ensuring efficient and safe operations.
• Tramping / Trampers: Truck drivers who work irregular hours and routes, often staying away from home for extended periods.
• Transit Time: The time it takes for goods to be transported from the point of origin to the final destination.
• Trunking: Regular transportation of goods between a central distribution hub and various delivery points.
• Ugly Freight: Cargo that is difficult or expensive to transport due to its size, shape, or weight.
• Vehicle Maintenance: The systematic process of inspecting, servicing, and repairing vehicles to ensure they remain in optimal working condition. Checks on vehicles can be logged using vehicle daily walkaround check apps.
• VOSA: Vehicle and Operator Services Agency, the former UK government agency responsible for enforcing vehicle and driver standards.
• Warehouse: A storage facility where goods and materials are held before they are distributed, often part of the logistics and supply chain process.
• Waste Transfer Note (WTN): A document that provides details about the transfer of waste from one party to another.
• Weighbridge: A platform with a weigh scale used for weighing vehicles and their loads.
• WMS: Warehouse Management System, software designed to manage and optimise warehouse operations, such as Mandata.

Communication and collaboration is key within the haulage industry, so having continuity with the terminology and language used is essential for success. So, whether you’re a seasoned haulier or just starting your journey in the industry, we hope this has helped, and please do consider this glossary as your reliable companion on the road. Safe travels!