TSL dictionary - phrases used in the industry

Specialists working in the TSL industry use professional terms and abbreviations for everyday communication. If we want to avoid misunderstandings during work, it is worth getting acquainted with the most frequently used phrases.

ADR (dangerous goods regulations) - designation of dangerous goods that pose a threat to the environment, e.g. petrol, paints or batteries. The transport of such goods must take place in special conditions and the driver must have the appropriate qualifications. There are several classifications of dangerous goods, each of them has separate regulations for securing individual goods.

Advice - in the language of forwarding, it usually means notifying the forwarder about booking a loading or unloading in a specific time period.

CMR - an international consignment note, which is prepared by the sender (customer) in three copies, one of which stays with the sender, the second is delivered to the carrier, and the third together with the goods goes to the recipient. The bill of lading contains, among others: place and date of issue, details of the recipient and the carrier, a detailed description of the goods, costs related to the transport of the cargo and any additional information.

FTL - (full truck load) is a full truck load that occupies the entire surface of a given vehicle. This is usually a more expensive solution than top-up, but often the only option if the goods take up a lot of space or are not stackable. However, it guarantees safety during the transport of goods and efficient delivery to the recipient due to the journey only to the destination, without the need to stop for additional loads.

Deconsolidation - is the division of a larger batch of cargo into smaller parts that are delivered to individual customers. The deconsolidation process allows you to reduce the costs associated with the transport of a small amount of goods, due to the lack of need to rent, for example, an entire container or vehicle. In this case, the cargo is transported together with other goods in one cargo space, which also do not occupy its entire area. Then the goods go to one place, e.g. a warehouse, where the cargo is deconsolidated. After separating the goods, they go to individual recipients.

LTL - (less than truckload) - a description of goods that do not occupy the entire space of the vehicle, but only part of it. It is most often taken along the way to other destinations as well. As a rule, a cost-effective solution due to the lack of need to rent the entire space of the semi-trailer and not driving "empty" (i.e. with an empty trailer).

General cargo - goods of small size that are countable. When transporting goods over short distances, e.g. within the European Union, they are usually stacked on pallets and transported by road. In the case of longer distances (between continents), general cargo is placed in sea containers and transported by sea.

Oversize - goods that exceed standard loads. A permit is required to transport this type of cargo. In addition, specialized organization of the route and securing the cargo and roads is required. There are 7 categories according to which the standards and orders for oversized transport are established.

Elevator - a phrase describing a part of the equipment at the back of the vehicle, thanks to which it is possible to load some goods (e.g. very heavy ones). Operation of this device is possible directly at the lift or from the driver's cabin.

Loading (side, back, top) - loads usually have to be transported in a certain way, depending on the type. Goods transported in cold stores can only be loaded backwards. Bulk materials are usually loaded from above. It is worth to determine the method of loading before transport, because at the pickup point it may turn out that loading is impossible due to the incorrectly selected vehicle.

Of course, these are not the only terms used by the TSL industry. It is therefore worth staying up to date and following articles to learn more about the world of transport, forwarding and logistics.