Freight and Load Board Glossary (2026)

Accessorials: Extra charges beyond the line-haul rate, like detention, layover, lumper and TONU.
All-in rate per mile: A load's pay divided by all miles driven for it, including deadhead.
Backhaul: A load that brings you back toward home or out of the area after a delivery.
Bill of lading (BOL): The shipping document signed at pickup that lists the freight.
Broker: A licensed company that arranges freight between shippers and carriers.
Deadhead: Miles driven empty.
Detention: Pay for waiting past the free time at a shipper or receiver.
Double brokering: Re-brokering a load without permission, a scheme that can leave carriers unpaid.
Drop and hook: Dropping one trailer and picking up a loaded one instead of waiting to be loaded.
Factoring: Selling invoices for fast payment, for a fee.
Lane: A route between two areas, like Atlanta to Dallas.
Line haul: The base rate for moving the freight, before accessorials.
Live load / live unload: Waiting while the trailer is loaded or unloaded.
LTL: Less than truckload: smaller shipments that share a trailer.
Partial: A load that uses only part of the trailer.
Rate confirmation: The broker's written confirmation of the load's rate and details.
Spot market: One-time loads priced for current conditions.
TONU: Truck ordered, not used: a fee when a load is canceled after you were dispatched.

Freight and load board glossary