Trucking Glossary

A reversal or recovery of a previously paid or credited amount, with different grounds in factoring or freight disputes.

Ask for the supporting invoice, reason and contractual basis.

Cost per Mile: operating costs for a period divided by total miles for the same period. Include relevant costs beyond fuel, such as maintenance, tires, insurance, and vehicle costs. In driver-pay discussions, CPM may instead mean cents per mile; check the context.

Compare with RPM only after aligning revenue, cost, and mileage definitions. Omitted fixed expenses or deadhead can overstate the apparent margin.

In a carrier lease, money held under agreed terms for specified purposes, sometimes accumulated through settlement deductions. Check the required amount, permitted uses, accounting, and return conditions; it is not an unrestricted carrier charge.

Leases subject to 49 CFR 376.12(k) have accounting, interest, and return requirements. These include return no later than 45 days after termination, with a final accounting of permitted deductions.

Transferring freight receivables to a factoring company, which pays an agreed amount in advance and collects from the debtor. It can accelerate cash flow at a cost; advance amount, timing, and any reserve depend on the contract.

Recourse generally allows the factor to recover an unpaid advance from you under the contract. For non-recourse, check exactly which non-payment risks are covered; the label does not eliminate every contractual responsibility.

A fleet payment card for fuel at participating sites.

Network, limits, and conditions vary by card.

A receipt for a fuel purchase.

Check date, volume, amount, and vehicle fields.

A charge reflecting changes in fuel costs, often called FSC. Some agreements use EIA diesel-price data, but EIA does not set a universal surcharge formula. Check whether a quoted rate already includes fuel before adding it again.

A federal highway-use tax generally involving vehicles used on public roads with a taxable gross weight of at least 55,000 pounds, reported on Form 2290. Taxable gross weight follows IRS rules, not just a scale reading; qualifying low-mileage use may allow suspension of the tax.

A stamped or electronically watermarked Schedule 1 is commonly used for vehicle registration. It may list tax-suspended vehicles, so it is not always proof of tax payment; check current IRS instructions for deadlines and exceptions.

Also: 2290 · Heavy Vehicle Use Tax

An IFTA licensee’s quarterly filing to its base jurisdiction, reporting mileage and fuel data to allocate tax among member states and provinces and calculate tax due or credits. It is not simply paying the same tax again at each border; retain mileage and qualifying fuel-purchase records.

A bill listing what is being charged, the amount, and payment terms. In U.S. freight work an invoice is commonly used to request payment; it is not a bill of lading or, by itself, proof that payment was received.

Provide required supporting records such as the POD and check the charges and payment arrangements. A receipt and a POD serve different purposes from the invoice.

Also: 运费账单 · 请款单 · 发票 · freight invoice · billing invoice

On a quote or bill, linehaul commonly means the base transportation charge, with fuel and accessorials potentially listed separately. In operations it can also mean transport between cities or terminals; context matters.

Before comparing quotes, check whether fuel and extra charges are included. Linehaul is not necessarily the final amount received or profit.

Also: 基础运费 · 干线运费 · 基本运费 · line haul · line-haul

Payment terms. Net 30 ordinarily means full payment within 30 days of the invoice date; Net 60 means 60 days. A transport agreement may instead start the clock when complete documents are received. Check the agreed starting date rather than simply counting from delivery.

Factoring where the factor assumes specified nonpayment risks. Contract scope and exclusions matter; not every dispute is covered.

Do not assume cargo, performance or documentation disputes are covered by the label.

A notice telling a payer that receivables have been assigned and payment should follow the confirmed arrangement, distinct from an invoice.

Independently verify any payee change through an established trusted channel.

An early-payment option offered by a broker or other payer, usually for a fee or discount from the freight bill. Timing, cost, and required documents vary; “Quick Pay” alone does not state those terms.

Confirm when the payment clock starts, which complete documents are required, and the net amount after fees, then compare with the standard terms.

Rate per Mile: freight revenue divided by the mileage used. Check whether that means loaded miles or loaded plus empty miles. “All-in” commonly concerns included charges, such as fuel, and does not automatically specify that deadhead miles are included.

Arithmetic example: $1,200 revenue over 400 loaded miles is $3/mile. Adding 100 empty miles makes it $2.40 per total mile.

Factoring in which unpaid-invoice risk can return to the carrier under the agreed conditions.

Check recourse triggers and timing, not just the fee.

A payer's explanation of invoices, adjustments and amounts included in a payment; it is not proof of bank receipt.

Reconcile the advice, invoices and actual receipt separately.

A statement listing earnings, deductions, and the net amount payable for a period. In a leased owner-operator example, it shows revenue less contractual deductions. An amount shown as payable is not proof of bank payment or profit after all business expenses.