Trucking Terms You Need to Know, According to a Freight Broker in Kansas City — Whenever you work with a freight broker in Kansas City or heavy equipment movers in Kansas City, you may discover that they often use terms unique to their industry. If you aren’t familiar with the terms already, it may be challenging to understand what is happening with your shipment. With that in mind, we have compiled a list of the most common and important trucking terms you need to know.
Bill of Lading – A bill of lading is an exact itemized list of everything in a shipment. It is not a receipt or an invoice.
CDL – Commercial Driver’s License. The license is required for drivers of trucks and buses weighing more than 26,000 pounds. Most truck drivers are required to hold a Class A CDL and often need additional endorsements for transporting special loads like hazardous materials.
Freight Broker – A freight broker is a logistics specialist who coordinates the shipper’s entire process of pickup, shipment, and delivery. State Tractor Trucking is a full-service freight broker and logistics company in Kansas City.
GAWR – Gross Axle Weight Rating. This is the total weight that may be carried on a vehicle or trailer’s axle. This rating is often used to determine the proper tractor and trailer to ship an overweight load.
GVWR – Gross Vehicle Weight Rating. This is the total amount of weight that may be carried on a vehicle safely and without exceeding the limits specified by the manufacturer.
Hazmat – Hazardous Materials. This includes, but is not limited to, products that are corrosive, flammable, explosive, radioactive, and poisonous.
Lowboy – A “lowboy” typically refers to a flatbed trailer with a dropped center deck. They are also often described as a trailer with two drops in deck height. Lowboys are standard equipment for many oversized load shipments because they can carry heavy loads, and they also lower the shipment’s center of gravity, making the load more stable and easier to haul under bridges. Flatbed carriers in Kansas City often use lowboys.
Oversize Load – An oversize load in most states is defined as a load wider than 8 ft 6 in, taller than 13 ft 6 in, and longer than 50 ft. If any of the three dimensions is exceeded, the load is considered oversized.
Overweight Load – An overweight load is any load exceeding 80,000 pounds, including the vehicle.
Tractor – A tractor or tractor unit in trucking refers to the truck pulling the trailer.
State Tractor Trucking – Freight Broker in Kansas City
At State Tractor Trucking, we know cargo. We have extensive experience with oversized loads, heavy hauls, beams, and rail-bound freight. We are also a full-service freight broker and can handle your specialty load from start to finish. You can trust us with route planning, route oversight, and communications between your business and the carrier.
We Are Heavy Hauling Experts
When you work with us, you can expect straight talk and a guarantee to deliver safely and on time.
Check out our extensive inventory of specialized hauling equipment here.
Contact us if you need heavy equipment movers in Kansas City, a heavy haul company in Kansas City, or an oversize transportation company in Kansas City.
State Tractor Trucking
(913) 334-1075
4101 Powell Dr.
Shawnee, KS 66226