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The vehicle transport industry, like any industry, has a collection of terms and lingo that might confuse people who are not familiar with it.
In this blog, we’ve laid out some of the most common terms with their definitions so that you can have a clearer understanding of what they mean when you are looking for a car shipping service. We hope our glossary helps you.
A Bill of Lading (BOL) is a legal document that is signed by the shipper and carrier. This document tenders the responsibility of the freight to the carrier.
A BOL will have the relevant information for the shipment, including the complete address of the shipper and the consignee, the number of pieces, description, weight, and any info on hazardous materials.
A bonded driver, or bonded carrier, is a driver who carries a special bond that allows them to transport goods that have yet to clear customs duties and taxes from a port of entry to an authorized inland location.
A car shipping broker acts as a middleman, connecting car owners with various carriers. While they can provide quotes and simplify the initial search, they have limitations as they are not a carrier.
When talking about logistics, capacity is the amount of physical space, assets, or personnel available to carry, store, or deliver freight. An example would be the capacity of a truck used to carry goods.
A car dealership is a business that sells new or used cars at a retail level. They will have a dealership contract with a specific automaker or a sales subsidiary.
A carrier is dedicated shipping company, like Hansen’s, who owns and operates a fleet of transport vehicles. This gives the carrier complete control over the shipping process, from pickup to delivery.
A corporate fleet is a collection of vehicles that are either owned or leased by a business or other organization that are used for conducting operations. Generally, you’ll see these vehicles used to transport goods, employees, or clients. Corporate fleet vehicles can range in size depending on the needs of that specific organization.
Cross-border shipping is fairly simple: it is when freight is transported across an international border from shipper to receiver.
A dispatcher is a person whose job it is to coordinate transportation services and assign the current transportation loads to available drivers.
Door-to-door service is the term for the shipping method where the vehicle is picked up at the door of the sender and dropped off at the recipient’s door.
Enclosed car transportation, as opposed to open car transport, means your car is shipped in a fully enclosed trailer. This shipping method provides you with a much higher degree of security and protection. This is commonly used for high value vehicles, vintage cars, or collectibles.
A fuel surcharge is a charge that’s applied to shipping that reflects the cost of fuel. These charges vary depending on the method of transportation used and the market cost of fuel.
Open car transport is a shipping method where your vehicle is transported on an open-air carrier. This is the most common and popular method for vehicle transport as a fast and cost-effective option.
An oversized vehicle is any vehicle that is larger than the standard size and weight of a vehicle. Examples of oversized vehicles can include commercial vans, and heavy- and light-duty pickup trucks.
Rail shipping is what it sounds like – it’s when rail cars and the railway are used during the transportation process from one location to another.
Shipping origin refers to the place where the goods or products were initially dispatched to start their journey.
Shipping destination refers to the location where the shipment will arrive.
Sustainability refers to processes or modes of transportation that have less of an environmental impact than traditional methods.
In shipping, the terminal is any place where goods are loaded onto or unloaded from a vessel or vehicle.
Terminal-to-terminal delivery is the shipment process of shipping from one terminal to another terminal where it will be picked up by the receiving party. In vehicle transport, it would mean you drop your car off at a shipping terminal, and then pick it up from the destination terminal yourself, as opposed to having it delivered to your door.
Vehicle pickup refers to the service where a transportation company will pick up your vehicle from your home or shipping origin in order to ship it to its destination.
A vehicle shipping quote is the estimated cost of shipping your vehicle from one location to another.
Vehicle tracking allows you to track your vehicle as it is shipped to its destination so you know where it is at all times.
A Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is a 17-character alphanumeric ID number or serial number. This number provides information about the vehicle and its unique history.
In freight and logistics, volume refers to the amount of goods, imported and exported, that move through the transportation industry or through a specific company.
At Hansen’s, we know the car shipping process can feel daunting, which is why we’re always ready to help. As the trusted name for car shipping in Canada for over 40 years, we provide fast, safe, and reliable vehicle transport service.
With our fleet of more than 300 automobile carriers, we can deliver your vehicle safely to its destination across Canada or to the U.S. Contact us today to learn more about our vehicle shipping services, or get a quote online.
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