Trucking Glossary

One part of California’s framework for deciding whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. In many situations, the worker is presumed to be an employee and the hiring entity must prove all three parts of the ABC test; statutory occupation or business-relationship exceptions may use the Borello or another standard instead.

Owning the truck, receiving a Form 1099, or signing an independent-contractor or owner-operator agreement does not by itself decide classification. The actual working relationship and the applicable legal test control.

Explanation attached to a log event or edit.

Explain the reason; a note does not itself alter status.

The weight that a vehicle and its cargo place on the road through one axle or an axle group. A legal gross weight does not prove every axle is legal; axle spacing, tire ratings, state law, route restrictions, and permit conditions can all affect the allowed weight.

After loading, review each axle-group reading as well as gross weight. If the load is distributed poorly, ask the shipper or carrier whether it can be adjusted; a BOL weight, container weight, or GVWR alone does not establish road legality.

Also: 车轴重量 · 轴荷 · axle load · axle group weight

CHP's terminal-inspection program covering applicable vehicles, maintenance and records, not an individual certificate every driver must obtain.

BIT means Basic Inspection of Terminals; do not infer a universal two-year schedule.

An FMCSA filing designating agents for service of legal process. Such agents are not dispatchers or freight brokers.

A filing alone does not establish active operating authority; check status separately.

Federal formula relating axle-group weight to axle count and spacing.

Check axle, gross, and posted bridge limits too.

A carrier identification number issued by the California Highway Patrol (CHP) to a motor carrier operating motor vehicles commercially on California highways. It identifies the operating entity; it is not a particular vehicle’s registration number or operating authority.

Many property carriers must obtain a CA number and then separately apply to the California DMV for a Motor Carrier Permit (MCP). Need and display rules depend on the operation and vehicle, so check CHP and DMV requirements separately.

California's state agency for air quality and vehicle emissions. Major impact on truck rules including Clean Truck Check and ACF.

Also: California Air Resources Board

The use of vehicle structures, dunnage, blocking, bracing, tiedowns, chains, or other suitable means to contain, immobilize, or restrain cargo so it does not leak, fall, or shift enough to affect vehicle stability or handling. A container seal indicates closure or identity; it does not secure the cargo.

Before departure, confirm who is responsible for loading and securement, and inspect the method for that cargo and body plus visible damage. A sealed door, signed BOL, or enclosed trailer does not automatically establish adequate securement.

Also: 货物捆扎 · 装载固定 · load securement · cargo restraint · tie-down

A set of documents or online forms used when onboarding with a broker or customer to check carrier information, authority, insurance, and payment arrangements. Requirements vary; completing setup neither grants government authority nor guarantees loads.

An authorized person should verify the recipient and provide the records. A driver receiving the request should refer it to the responsible carrier staff.

Also: 承运人资料包 · 车队入驻 · 开户注册 · carrier onboarding · setup packet · carrier setup packet

A state-issued license for operating vehicles that meet CDL thresholds. Federal classes use the weight rating or actual weight, whichever is greater: Class A covers a combination of 26,001 pounds or more with a towed unit over 10,000 pounds; Class B covers a single vehicle of 26,001 pounds or more, or such a vehicle towing 10,000 pounds or less; Class C covers a vehicle outside A/B designed to carry 16 or more people including the driver, or that transports placarded hazardous materials or specified agents. Endorsements and restrictions must also be checked.

Also: 商业驾照 · Commercial Driver's License

CARB’s emissions compliance program for covered heavy-duty vehicles, including an annual compliance fee and vehicle-specific testing requirements. Testing is not limited to OBD.

An annual fee does not imply annual testing. Check CARB and CTC-VIS for applicability, test method, and actual deadlines.

Also: 加州重型车排放检测 · Heavy-Duty Inspection and Maintenance

FMCSA’s Safety Measurement System (SMS) groups carrier roadside-inspection, State-reported crash, and investigation data into seven safety categories. Where enough data exist, it calculates performance in each category and then a 0–100 percentile relative to carriers with a similar number of safety events, to prioritize interventions. It is not one overall “CSA score.”

A percentile closer to 100 indicates worse relative performance within the comparison group; no percentile is assigned without sufficient data. It helps prioritize oversight and is not FMCSA’s formal safety fitness rating. Crash data record involvement and do not automatically assign fault to the carrier.

Also: Compliance, Safety, Accountability

FMCSA’s data-review system, where drivers, motor carriers, and their representatives can request and track review of incomplete or incorrect Federal or State inspection, violation, and crash data stored by FMCSA.

An FMCSA crash record shows involvement, not a finding of fault. Preventability review through DataQs is limited to crashes eligible for the Crash Preventability Determination Program, and a regular DataQs request does not replace State judicial or administrative procedures for contesting a citation.

An alternate route around a closure or restriction.

A detour is not automatically truck suitable.

A commercial-vehicle compliance inspection conducted by authorized enforcement personnel at roadside or an inspection facility. Its scope varies and may cover the driver, documents, and vehicle condition.

Roadside inspections, periodic vehicle inspections, and driver pre-trip checks serve different purposes. Completing one does not automatically satisfy the others.

Also: 路检

The qualification file a motor carrier keeps for a driver subject to 49 CFR Part 391. Depending on the driver, it can include the employment application, motor vehicle records, a road-test certificate or accepted equivalent, annual driving-record review, and medical-qualification or variance records.

Do not rely on a universal “11-item” checklist. Clearinghouse pre-employment and annual query records may be managed with driver files, but the query duties are separate requirements under 49 CFR Part 382.

Also: Driver Qualification File

FMCSA’s central database of drug-and-alcohol program violations and return-to-duty status for CDL/CLP drivers subject to the federal program. Employers query it to determine whether a current or prospective driver is prohibited from safety-sensitive work because of an unresolved violation.

An employer must complete a full query before the driver first performs safety-sensitive work and query each current driver at least annually. Consent differs by query type, and a Clearinghouse query does not replace the employer’s other testing and recordkeeping duties.

Also: FMCSA Clearinghouse

The category recorded for each period: Off Duty, Sleeper Berth, Driving, or On Duty, Not Driving. Record the actual activity and responsibilities. An electronic logging device (ELD) does not decide every waiting, loading, or rest period for the driver.

Being parked does not always mean off duty, and sitting in the cab is not automatically sleeper berth. During loading, inspections, or waiting, classify the time from the actual responsibility; check the ELD before moving and correct or annotate errors as required.

Also: 工时状态 · 日志状态 · driver duty status · log status · RODS status

A Driver Vehicle Inspection Report records vehicle defects discovered by or reported to the driver that could affect safety or cause a breakdown. It is distinct from the pre-trip check that the vehicle is safe to operate.

Under the general federal rule, no DVIR is required when no defect is found or reported; other exceptions also apply. This does not remove pre-trip inspection duties. Check state and carrier requirements separately.

Also: Driver Vehicle Inspection Report

An electronic device used to record driver duty status. Federal rules generally require ELDs for drivers who must keep records of duty status (RODS), subject to exceptions.

ELD is the recording tool; HOS is the set of time limits. Using an ELD does not by itself establish HOS compliance.

Also: Electronic Logging Device

A failure of required electronic logging functions.

Notify and keep alternative records under applicable procedures.

A guide for initial hazard identification and response during transport incidents.

It supports initial response, not training or shipment documents.

A federal tax identifier issued by the IRS for businesses and certain other entities, not a driving or carrier credential.

Onboarding may request it; share only through necessary, trusted business channels.

The federal agency under DOT that regulates commercial truck/bus safety and writes the FMCSR (49 CFR Part 350–399).

Primary transport hazard class or division.

It is separate from any applicable packing group.

Materials regulated for transport because they may pose health, safety, or property risks.

Recognizing the term does not establish transport qualification.

Federal rules governing commercial drivers’ driving, duty time, and rest (49 CFR Part 395). Under the general property-carrier rules, 10 consecutive hours off duty permit up to 11 hours of driving within a 14-hour window after coming on duty.

The 11-hour limit does not authorize 11 uninterrupted driving hours; the 14-hour window is not a blanket limit on all work. Break requirements, weekly limits, and applicable exceptions also matter.

Also: 驾驶时长法规

A fuel-use tax reporting system for qualified vehicles operating in two or more IFTA member States or Provinces. The carrier files one quarterly return with its base jurisdiction, using distance traveled and fuel used or purchased in each jurisdiction to settle tax or credits.

IFTA covers fuel-use tax, not vehicle registration. Check the base jurisdiction’s qualified-vehicle thresholds and whether a trip permit is available for occasional travel.

Also: International Fuel Tax Agreement

A cross-jurisdiction registration program used when a fleet operates qualifying vehicles in two or more IRP member States or Provinces. The fleet applies through the base jurisdiction where it has an established operation and keeps records; that jurisdiction issues one apportioned plate and cab card and allocates fees using distance by jurisdiction. California-based fleets file with the California DMV.

IRP is vehicle registration; it does not replace USDOT or operating authority, UCR, or IFTA. A vehicle operating only in California does not qualify for IRP registration.

Also: apportioned plate · International Registration Plan

Distance from kingpin to the rearmost trailer axle.

Not to the tandem center; check California route conditions.

A hazmat exception for specified materials meeting quantity and packaging conditions.

Small packaging alone does not establish the exception.

Driver's certification of duty-record accuracy.

Review and recertify after edits as required.

Correction to an editable ELD record.

Original events remain; automatic driving time cannot be shortened.

The record of a driver's daily status segments (driving/on-duty/off/sleeper) — now mostly maintained by an ELD.

The log records duty status; an ELD is a recording tool. Complete records and compliance with driving limits are different checks.

An MC number is a familiar identifier in FMCSA operating-authority records. The need for authority and its type depend on the business role and operation. Check the legal entity, authority type, and current status rather than relying on the presence of a number.

Also: MC 牌照 · Authority · operating authority

The Motor Carrier Identification Report, used mainly to update the company and operating information tied to an existing USDOT number, including the biennial update. First-time USDOT applicants use FMCSA’s current new-registration system.

The biennial update is generally required even when nothing changed, and legal name, address, or other record changes should be updated promptly. FMCSA has temporary enforcement arrangements during its 2026 registration-system transition, so check the current notice before filing.

The Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC) issued by an FMCSA-listed medical examiner to show that a covered driver meets the federal physical-qualification standards. It generally applies to non-excepted interstate CMV drivers: not every CDL holder needs one, and some covered CMV drivers who do not need a CDL still do. Intrastate rules depend on the State.

A federal MEC may be issued for no more than two years, and the examiner may set a shorter period. Need and filing steps depend on the driver’s self-certified operating category.

Also: 医疗卡 · Med Card · MEC

A California DMV motor-carrier permit program with requirements depending on the operation and vehicles; it is not a federal MC number.

Confirm that MCP means the California permit, not federal MC authority.

A CLP or CDL issued by a State, in a situation allowed by federal rules, to an otherwise eligible applicant whose domicile is outside the issuing State. “Non-domiciled” describes the relationship between domicile and the issuing jurisdiction; it is not a label for every noncitizen or non-permanent resident.

Under the federal rule effective March 16, 2026, foreign-domiciled applicants generally must show eligible H-2A, H-2B, or E-2 status. The credential may not outlast the verified authorized stay or one year, whichever is shorter. Before applying, renewing, or transferring, check the current FMCSA rule and whether the issuing State is authorized and ready to issue it.

Also: 非永居 CDL

The vehicle’s onboard electronic diagnostic system, which monitors emissions and powertrain systems and stores diagnostic trouble codes. For covered OBD-equipped vehicles, Clean Truck Check can use a certified device to read and submit OBD emissions data; vehicles not tested through OBD follow other test procedures.

An OBD trouble code is a diagnostic clue, not a final diagnosis. Confirm Clean Truck Check applicability and test method from the vehicle record in CARB/CTC-VIS.

Also: On-Board Diagnostics

Status when relieved of work and responsibility.

Parking alone does not establish off-duty time.

Status for time spent working or otherwise on duty.

On-duty time is not all driving.

An order restricting a driver or vehicle from operation until the conditions required by the order and applicable rules are met.

A vehicle defect may require repair, while a driver’s hours violation may require rest. OOS is not simply vehicle impoundment, and not every roadside citation is an OOS order.

Also: 路检扣车

A vehicle or load beyond applicable standard size limits.

Check permits against dimensions and jurisdiction.

A permit for a specified overweight move under stated conditions.

Check route, vehicle, and validity dates.

Group I, II, or III indicating degree of danger where assigned.

Not all hazard classes receive a packing group.

Special category for qualifying off-duty personal driving.

Work responsibility must have ended; carrier policy applies.

An escort vehicle for a move when the permit requires one.

Escort requirements vary by permit.

Large hazard sign displayed on a transport unit when required.

Requirements depend on material, quantity, and applicable exceptions.

A driver's check before operating to confirm that the vehicle is in safe working condition, commonly covering the tractor, trailer, brakes, tires, lights, coupling, and cargo securement. It is a pre-driving safety judgment, not the same as completing a DVIR, a roadside inspection, or a periodic inspection.

Review the previous DVIR when applicable and any unrepaired defects, then use the checklist for the vehicle and carrier. If a defect affects safety, recording it does not by itself make the vehicle safe to drive.

Also: 行前检查 · 驾驶前检查 · pretrip · pre-trip check · vehicle inspection before driving

The name assigned in the hazardous materials table for transport.

A trade name may differ from the required shipping name.

RQ designation for a hazardous substance meeting its threshold in one package.

It is not a universal spill-reporting threshold.

A record issued after a vehicle is weighed, commonly showing vehicle identifiers, weighing time, and axle-group or gross weights; a licensed weighmaster may issue a formal weight certificate. It records that weighing event and is not permission to load, a road permit, or an overweight exemption.

Before leaving, check the truck or trailer identifier, axle and gross weights, and date and time. Reweigh or clarify mismatches; possession of a ticket does not establish that the load, axle weights, or route are legal.

Also: 过磅单 · 称重单 · 重量票 · weigh ticket · weight ticket · scale receipt · weighmaster certificate

Transport document carrying required hazmat descriptions.

No single form is required, but fields and sequence matter.

Recorded status for rest in a qualifying sleeper berth.

Do not assume any parked rest is sleeper time.

A combination truck in the STAA size category.

Not every Truck Route permits STAA access.

A letter code assigned by NMFTA to identify transportation companies, distinct from a USDOT identifier or operating permission.

Verify it for the customer's or terminal's use; its existence does not prove authority.

A road designated for specified truck categories.

Check signs against the actual truck category.

An annual registration and fee for covered interstate or international motor carriers, private carriers, freight forwarders, brokers, and leasing companies. Motor carriers and freight forwarders that operate commercial vehicles generally pay by fleet-size bracket; brokers, leasing companies, and freight forwarders with no commercial vehicles pay the lowest bracket.

UCR does not require a credential to be carried in or displayed on the vehicle. Applicability depends on the entity’s role and its interstate or international commerce.

Also: Unified Carrier Registration

Four-digit identification number used for hazardous materials.

Match it to the shipping name; UN and NA prefixes differ.

ELD driving time not yet attributed to a driver.

Claim or explain based on facts, not convenience.

An FMCSA identifier used to associate an entity with safety records. Whether one is required depends on the vehicle and operation under federal and applicable state rules. A USDOT number alone does not establish operating authority for a particular service.

Available height beneath a bridge or tunnel.

Compare with actual loaded height.

A fixed or temporary enforcement facility used to weigh and inspect commercial vehicles for weight, size, equipment, loading, registration, and driver requirements. It differs from a commercial public scale that sells a weighing ticket and may involve more than weighing alone.

Watch the posted signs, open status, and instructions that apply to the vehicle. A recent weighing at a commercial scale does not excuse a required stop at an enforcement facility or satisfy other inspections.

Also: 卡车磅站 · 商用车检查站 · truck scale · inspection station · Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Facility · CVEF

Special ELD category for qualifying yard driving.

Recorded as on-duty not driving; confirm eligibility.