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Use this glossary to look up freight industry and Load Work terms in plain language. Terms are listed alphabetically.

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A

Accounts payable (AP) The billing contact at a brokerage who handles payment for completed loads. The AP contact, email, and phone are shown on broker profiles. Get this info before accepting a load if it is missing. Authority See MC number and FMCSA. A carrier or broker must have active FMCSA operating authority to legally operate. Load Work checks and displays broker authority status.

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B

Broker A company or individual licensed by the FMCSA to arrange freight transportation between shippers and carriers. Brokers post loads on the board; carriers contact them to negotiate and book.

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C

Carrier A company or individual who physically moves freight using their own trucks. The primary user of Load Work. Claim A self-reported signal in Load Work that you or a teammate is pursuing a saved load. Visible to everyone in your org. Does not reserve the load with the broker. Conestoga A flatbed trailer with a rolling tarp system that provides enclosure. Often used for loads that need weather protection but are not suited to a dry van.

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D

Deadhead Driving empty miles, without cargo, to reposition your truck. Minimizing deadhead is key to profitability. De-duplication Load Work’s process of merging identical loads posted in multiple places into a single entry on the board. One load = one card, even if the same broker posted it in 3 places. Double-brokering When a broker who accepted a load illegally re-brokers it to another carrier without the shipper’s knowledge. A form of freight fraud. Watch for brokers asking you to re-broker a load.

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F

FMCSA Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The US agency that licenses and regulates carriers, brokers, and freight forwarders. Load Work uses FMCSA data to check broker authority. Website: safer.fmcsa.dot.gov.

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H

Hotshot A trucking service using a heavy-duty pickup truck pulling a flatbed or gooseneck trailer, typically for time-sensitive smaller loads.

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L

Lane A specific origin-to-destination freight route. For example, “Dallas, TX to Memphis, TN” is a lane. Liftgate A hydraulic platform mounted to the back of a truck that raises and lowers freight. Required by some shippers for loading and unloading without a loading dock. Load board A marketplace where brokers post available freight and carriers search for loads. Load Work is a load board that aggregates postings from multiple sources and adds scoring. Lowboy A flatbed trailer with a very low deck height, used for oversized or tall equipment that cannot fit on a standard flatbed.

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M

MC number (Motor Carrier number) A unique identifier issued by FMCSA to licensed motor carriers and brokers. Also called an “operating authority” number. Used to verify a broker’s legitimacy.

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P

Power only When a carrier provides only the truck (tractor) and the shipper or broker provides the trailer. Common for drop-and-hook operations. Posting completeness A Load Work metric showing how consistently a broker fills in key fields (weight, dates, contact info) on their load postings. Higher = more useful data. Does NOT indicate legitimacy.

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Q

Quiet hours A setting in Load Work that pauses non-urgent notifications during a daily time window you define. Applies to all notification rules.

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R

Rate confirmation (rate con) The written agreement between carrier and broker confirming the rate, lane, and terms of a load. Get this before you move any freight. RGN (Removable Gooseneck) A trailer with a detachable front section, allowing heavy equipment to drive on from the front. Used for very heavy or oversized loads. RPM (Rate per mile) Total load rate divided by loaded miles. The primary profitability metric for comparing loads. For example, 500rate/200miles=500 rate / 200 miles = 2.50 RPM. Reefer A refrigerated trailer used for temperature-sensitive freight (food, pharmaceuticals, etc.).

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S

Seat A user account slot within a Load Work organization. Essential = 1 seat, Pro = 5 seats, Enterprise = 10 seats. Step deck (drop deck) A flatbed trailer with two deck levels, an upper and a lower, allowing taller freight than a standard flatbed without a height permit.

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T

Tanker A trailer designed to carry liquids or gases in bulk. Time to fill The average time a broker’s loads remain on the board before being covered. A Load Work stat on broker profiles. Short time to fill = competitive broker, move quickly.

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U

USDOT number A unique identifier issued by FMCSA to commercial vehicles operating in interstate commerce. Different from the MC number.

Load rating explained

Broker authority badges

Equipment types and shorthand

Avoiding freight fraud