The American Trucking Association is a
federation o
f associations, councils and conferences that represent the interests of the trucking industry; to influence Federal and State
governmental actions
; to advance the trucking industry’s image, efficiency, competitiveness and profitability; to provide educational programs and industry research; and to promote highway and driver safety.
ATA owns the copyrights to the Uniform Straight Bill of Lading
as found in the NMFC.
The American Trucking Association.
An association governing the National Motor Freight Traffic Association and the publication of the NMFC.
The ATA owns the copyright
to
the Uniform Stra
ight Bill of Lading as found in the NMFC.
Bill of Lading
The document and/or contract used to record and transfer detail information pertaining to a unique shipment.
Bill of Lading Number
The unique number assigned by the shipper in creating the Bill of Lading, which identifies the unique shipment
(See Section III of this guideline).
.
Carton Packing List
A list of the products being shipped within the carton or container. Used primaril y for pick and pack shipments for receipt processing at the retail store location . The purpose is for communication to the final receiving destination to identify carton contents . The carton packing list commonly includes the total number of units per stock keeping u nit ( SKU ) . This information is not to be included on the Bill of Lading and is not intended as a carrier document.
CID Number
Consignee Identification Number; a unique internal number assigned by the consignee for their own purposes. Must not be the Bill of Lading number or the Pro number. Examples are appointment numbers and authorization numbers.
Class
A rating assigned to products based on their value and shipping characteristics, i.e. density and how the freight is packaged.
Collect
The consignee pays for the freight costs from the shipper’s door to their door.
COD
Cash on Delivery: refers to the payment for the goods being shipped. If this section of the BOL is
filled in, the carrier cannot deliver the goods until payment for the goods has been received.
Customer Order Number
The number used by the customer to identify the purchase of the goods.
Declared Value
Documents the dollar value of the goods being shipped . Full value rates are applied. Only necessary when the value of goods exceeds the carrier ’s defined shipment value or the shipper requests the carrier to purchase additional insurance to cover the value of the shipment . The carrier is responsible for the full liability if declared on the Bill of Lading.
Documents the dollar value of the goods being shipped. Only necessary when the rates applied to that shipment are based on the value of the goods and the shipper requests additional insurance coverage from the carrier. Most commonly used by small package and air carriers.
Other carriers rely on the NMFC to declare the release value of the goods if loss or damage occurs.
Delivery Manifest
A carrier generated manifest that is a summary of LTL final destination shipments to a consignee. The delivery manifest may include the manifest control number, trailer number, PRO numbers, Hazardous Material indicator, purchase order numbers, weight and carton count.
DOT
The abbreviation for the U.S. Department Of Transportation.
EAN
The European Articles Numbering Organization. EAN is the equivalent of the UCC outside of North America (USA, Canada, Mexico). EAN works in cooperation with the UCC administrators and the EAN.UCC system. The EAN.UCC system consists of product and serialized identification codes, Application Identifiers and associated symbolog
ies
ies.
EAN.UCC Company Prefix
Part of the international EAN.UCC Data Structures consisting of an EAN.UCC Prefix and Company Number, both of which are allocated by either the UCC or an EAN International Member Organization.
EDI 204 Motor Carrier Load Tender
The Motor Carrier Load T ender is initiated by the shipper to a Truckload carrier. The carrier responds to a load tender using the EDI 990 (Response to Load Tender). The 204 is used to convey Bill of Lading and Customer Order information and may be used to tender loads from multiple origins to multiple destinations.
EDI 211 Motor Carrier Bill of Lading
The Motor Carrier Bill of Lading is initiated by the shipper to a carrier as an electronic
Bill of Lading. It is used to convey Bill of Lading and Customer Order information, but is not to be used as a load tender, legal Bill of Lading, pickup notification or appointment s c hedule .
EDI 214 Carrier Shipment Status
The carrier sends the Carrier Shipment Status notice to the consignee and possibly to the shipper. The 214 includes the Bill of Lading information as well as the pickup date, ETA and schedule time at the consignee’s facility.
EDI 215 Motor Carrier Pickup Manifest
The Motor Carrier Pickup Manifest is initiated by the shipper to a small package carrier. The
215 provides the carrier a manifest of all shipments tendered to that carrier for a single day’s
activity from a single shipping location. The 215 can be used to convey a Bill of Lading
Number , Customer Order number, shipper bar code and/or carrier bar code to the carrier for
each shipment.
EDI 856 Ship Notice Manifest
The shipper sends the Ship Notice Manifest to the consignee. The 856 is an electronic packing list that details the specific shipment attributes. It also includes the shipping container numbers that have been bar coded and applied to the cartons and/or pallets. The key common data elements between the EDI 214 and the EDI 856 are the Bill of Lading number, the customer order number, and the “ship to” location number.
FOB
Free On Board: The point at which the title of the goods passes from the shipper (seller) to the consignee (buyer).
Handling Unit
The shipping unit level handled by the carrier when loaded on the trailer. For example, when cartons are unitized onto a pallet, the handling unit is the pallet. When cartons are tendered loose, i.e. not unitized, the handling unit is the carton.
LTL
The abbreviation for Less Than Truckload ground transport within the U.S.
Master Bill
A Bill of Lading used to summarize multiple Bills of Lading (commonly called underlying Bills of Lading), which represent one shipment. The Master Bill of Lading number shall be documented in the Special Instructions section of each underlying Bill of Lading.
NMFC
The National Motor Freight Classification.
The
manual
publication
produced by the
NMFTA
ATA and the NMFTA that
classifies
includes NMFC numbers of all commodity types
and establishes
level of rates for a shipment
.
as well as the Uniform Straight Bill of Lading, Long and Short forms.
LTL Carriers that are members of the
ATA
NMFTA subscribe to the NMFC and follow the
commodity
ir classifications.
NMFC Number
The National Motor Freight Classification item number. The NMFC number is assigned by commodity type and is used by
participating
LTL carriers to determine the level of rates for a shipment.
NMFTA
The National Motor Freight Traffic Association. The NMFTA is
a part of the ATA and is responsible for maintaining the NMFC and documenting carrier SCAC codes. See the “SCAC code” definition for information about obtaining a SCAC code or a copy of the list of all SCAC codes.
Pallet/Slip
Pallets or Slips refers to the common types of unitizing cartons on a shipment.
Prepaid
The shipper pays for the freight costs from origin to the consignee’s dock.
Pro Number
A unique number assigned by the carrier to identify a specific shipment.
Package
The lowest level of shipping unit of an item. The packages may be unitized into a handling unit for shipment, e.g. pallet, slip.
Released Value
Value of a shipment set by the shipper, which establishes maximum liability of the carrier.
Usually results in lower freight rates.
SCAC
Standard Carrier Alpha Code. A four-letter alpha code uniquely identifying a carrier. Carrier SCAC codes are assigned and maintained by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA). To obtain a SCAC code or the list of all carrier SCAC’s, contact the
NMFTA
ATA
at 703-838-1868.
Shipment
The movement of freight from one origin point to one destination point.
Shipment Packing List
A s ummary by customer order of the number of pieces per stock keeping unit ( SKU ) and associated carton count on the shipment . The purpose is for communication to the final receiving destination to be used for receipt check-in of cartons and/or units to the customer order. Not used for cross-dock shipments. This information is not to be included on the Bill of Lading.
Shipping Manifest
The Shipping Manifest is a document generated by the shipper for a customer pertaining to store shipments that are shipped to a customer specified intermediate location (i.e., distribution center, consolidator) with the individual cartons marked for specific store locations. This is commonly referred to as Ship To / Marked For Cross Dock shipments. The manifest contains store level detail that typically includes store location numbers, store addresses, customer order numbers, number of cartons per order per store and weight/cube totals. See Appendix E for recommended format and examples of use with the VICS BOL.
SID #
Shipper Identification Number, a unique internal number assigned by the shipper for their purposes. Must not be the Bill of Lading number or the Pro number. Examples of uses are as an invoice number, supplier code or location code.
Third Party
The freight charges for a shipment are paid a party other than the shipper or consignee.
TL
The abbreviation for Truck Load ground transport within the U.S.
UCC
The Uniform Code Council, Inc., which in cooperation with EAN administers the EAN.UCC system. The EAN.UCC system consists of product and serialized identification codes, Application Identifiers, and associated symbologies.
VICS
Voluntary Inter-industry Commerce Standards. VICS establishes cross-industry standards that simplify the flow of product and information in the general merchandise retail industry for retailers and suppliers. VICS is made up of executives whose efforts are directed at projects that will improve the timely and accurate flow of product and information between companies
.Arrow Name
(Input, Output, Control or Mechanism)
Arrow Definition
204 Shipment Tender A shipment tender is generated from the shipper to the carrier, consignee or a third party
to let him know there is a shipment available for pickup. This is typically done when
shipping with a truckload carrier (TL), where the shipment can be scheduled in advance,
as opposed to a less than truckload (LTL) shipment. the document can also be used as a
pickup notification, identifying the shipment details and dates for pick up. Most frequently
the document is used as a Bill of Lading. the electronic format of this document is
accepted by the interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) as a legal document, providing a
paper representation can be generated , if necessary.
210 Carrier Invoice The transaction set can be used to provide detail information for charges for services
rendered by a motor carrier. It is used both as a motor carrier invoice to request payment
and as details pertaining to motor freight shipment(s) charges.
211 BOL Bill of Lading - A document issued to a carrier from the shipper for the receipt of goods
for shipment, and which describes the terms of shipment. Acronym: BL, B/L (1997,
Matthew D. Cox, logistics@logisticsworld.com. ) This transaction set can be used to
allow shippers or other parties, responsible for contracting with a motor carrier, to provide
a legal bill of lading for a shipment. It is not to be used to provide a motor carrier with
data relative to a load tender, pick-up manifest, or appointment scheduling.
212 Trailer Manifest This transaction set can be used to allow motor carriers to provide consignees or other
interested parties with the contents of a trailer, containing multiple shipments, that has
been tendered for delivery. It is not to be used to provide the recipient with data relative to
a full truckload shipment.
214 Shipment Status A shipment status message is generated regularly for a carrier's customers and transmitted
on a scheduled basis. This message contains the current status of a single shipment
moving within the carrier's system. the receiver would receive a separate status message
for each shipment moving with the carrier. Depending upon partnership arrangements, the
information can be generated for only delivery information, pickup and delivery, each
change in status, or to report status at selected intervals regardless of change. The receiver
of the information can use it in several ways. Customer service can provide immediate
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Arrow Name
(Input, Output, Control or Mechanism)
Arrow Definition
shipment tracing by reviewing the current status and history of status for a specific Bill of
Lading, or purchase order number. Traffic can use the information to review carrier
performance along both specific routes and in general. Accounts receivable could use the
information on the status message to generate an invoice for prepaid and add-freight
charges to customers, or to verify an internal freight rating system. (VICS EDI
Architectural Guide). This transaction set can be used by a transportation carrier to
provide shippers, consignees, and their agents with the status of shipments in terms of
dates, times, locations, route, identifying numbers, and conveyance.
216 Pick-Up Notice This transaction set can be used to allow shippers or other interested parties to provide a
motor carrier with notification that a shipment is available for pick-up. It is not to be used
to provide a motor carrier with data relative to a legal bill of lading, rating, pricing, or
appointment scheduling.
810 Invoice An itemized list of product shipped specifying the quantity shipped, unit price, total
amount due, and terms on which the invoice will be paid. The Invoice Document, 810,
is the EDI transaction. This document allows a buyer to record payment information and
automatically update applicable financial systems. The data contained in the Invoice
Document provides automated cross-referencing of purchase order and receiving data.
Once the invoice data has been verified and payment rendered, the information may be
reformatted into a Payment Order/Remittance Advice (820) and may initiate the
Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) process. (VICS EDI Architectural Guide).
820 Carrier Payment The transaction set can be used to make a payment, send a remittance advice, or make a
payment and send a remittance advice. This transaction set can be an order to a financial
institution to make a payment to a payee. It can also be a remittance advice identifying the
detail needed to perform cash application to the payee's accounts receivable system. The
remittance advice can go directly from payer to payee, through a financial institution, or
through a third party agent.
850 Purchase Order A purchase order is the information conveyed from a customer to a vendor initializing a
transaction for goods or services. The Purchase Order (850) is sent from the buyer to the
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Arrow Name
(Input, Output, Control or Mechanism)
Arrow Definition
supplier to order product for shipment at a later date. All the customary information
included in a paper purchase order can be included in the EDI version, including terms,
shipping instructions and other related information. The 850 has two basic forms, the
simple Purchase Order and the spreadsheet Purchase Order. The simple purchase order is
used to order product for one buying location with one ship-to destination. The
spreadsheet purchase order is used to order product for many different locations with a
ship-to destination for each location. A company wide buyer ordering product for
different store locations would typically use the spreadsheet purchase order. (VICS EDI
Architectural Guide)
856 Shipping Manifest The Ship Notice/Manifest (856) combines order and shipment information in one
electronic document sent from the supplier to the buyer. Once executed, updated
information can then be communicated to inbound carriers, internal receiving
departments, inventory control and outbound carriers. The key to success of the Ship
Notice/Manifest (856) is "advanced" notice. Such information as bill of lading, carton
markings and contents, and carrier identification helps to speed the flow of merchandise
through the pipeline. This information is used for receiving and inventory control
purposes. (VICS EDI Architectural Guide)
920 Freight Claim This transaction set can be used to file a legal claim with a transportation carrier for loss
or damage.
990 Response to Load Tender The Motor Carrier Shipment Information (204) transaction is generated by the shipper to
the carrier to let the carrier know there is a load available to pickup. Typically, this is
executed in the truck Load (TL) environment. This transaction set can be used to respond
to the load tender with either acceptance, conditional acceptance or declination of the load
tender. It can also provide the reasons for the declination and the conditions of acceptance.
The Response to a Load Tender (990) is used by a motor carrier to accept, conditionally
accept, or decline a load tender as sent in the Motor Carrier Shipment Information (204)
transaction set. (VICS EDI Architectural Guide)
Build Load Software Software that assists a company in assigning freight to individual trailers based upon the
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Arrow Name
(Input, Output, Control or Mechanism)
Arrow Definition
dimensions of the trailer and the weight, cube, and dimension of the freight.
Business Plan A statement of long-range strategy and revenue cost, and profit objectives usually
accompanies by budgets, a projected balance sheet, and a cash flow statement.
Carrier Equipment Available A determination if the carrier has all the equipment available to perform the shipment.
Carrier Equipment Type Size of trailer, specifications, etc.
Carrier Rates and Availability A determination by the carrier as to what rates apply to commodities and conditions of the
shipment and determine the availability of these rates.
Carrier Request for Delivery Appointment The carrier contacts the consignee requesting a date and time that would be convenient for
the consignee to accept shipment.
Carrier Request to Pickup Load The request from a carrier to a shipper requesting a time and date the carrier can pickup
the load from the shipper.
Carrier Selected The carrier selected to transport the load.
Consignee Controlled Routing Instruction The consignee is responsible for routing the shipment. This may be prepaid or collect.
Consignee Dock Capacity The dock capacity for a specific consignee.
Consignee Drop-off Dock Time Available This is the time slot available for the consignee to accept a shipment to their facility (dock
or store) from the carrier.
Consignee Receiving Schedule Policies Information related to the consignee concerning available times, capacities, and
regulations to be used by the shipper in planning deliveries.
Cost & Transit Analysis In determining what shipment policies are to be established, one must gather data and
analyze the cost and transit information for the transport industry at any given point in
time.
Customer Guidelines General customer (consignee) information applying to shipping and receiving instructions
to be used by the shipper.
Delivery Appointment The actual delivery time and date for the shipment sent to the carrier from the consignee.
Delivery Receipt The receipt for the goods delivered.
Driver Assignment The designated driver who will be assigned to transport a particular shipment.
Driver Pre-plan A list of deliveries/pickups the driver will make during a particular day. This needs to be
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Arrow Name
(Input, Output, Control or Mechanism)
Arrow Definition
checked by the dispatcher before the driver is assigned to any other pickups or deliveries.
Dropped Trailer A trailer left at a certain location for either loading or unloading. The location may be the
consignee, consolidator or distribution center.
EDI Standards Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) is defined as the computer-to-computer exchange of
information, which has traditionally been communicated using paper documents. An EDI
document is a collection of a specific set of business information to accomplish a business
transaction, e.g. purchase order, invoice, etc. exchanged electronically in industry's
standard format. EDI documents are also referred to as transaction sets. (VICS EDI
Architectural Guide)
Finished Goods Available Those items on which all manufacturing operations, have been completed. These
products are available for shipment to the customer as finished product.
Goods for Consolidation or
Deconsolidation
Goods that are available for either consolidation or deconsolidation at the distribution
center.
Goods for delivery The articles that are delivered from a shipper to either a consolidator, a distribution center
for cross docking or break bulk, or retail store
HazMat and DOT Regulations Hazardous Materials (HazMat) and Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations.
Picked Orders A document that lists the SKU and quantity of product to be picked for a specific ship
order or for a batch of shipping orders.
Pickup Schedule The notification from the shipper to the carrier informing the carrier the date, time, and
place the load can be picked up.
PO Ready Instruction The instructions for the shipper processing the Purchase Order to generate the Purchase
Order Ready Notification for the consignee.
PO Ready Notification Include weight, cube, date available, etc.
Policy for Selecting Carriers The internal policy established by a company delineating the rules and requirements for
selecting a carrier.
Proof of Delivery The Proof of Delivery is maintained by the carrier and includes the signed Receipt of
Goods.
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Arrow Name
(Input, Output, Control or Mechanism)
Arrow Definition
Received Goods The goods received.
Request for POD A request for a copy of the Proof of Delivery (POD).
Routing Guide (EDI 217) The transaction set can be used to provide interested parties with a motor
carrier's loading instructions and/or routing guide. A transmission may include a list of the
motor carrier's terminals, a list of all points served, or a matrix of all points served
showing the advertised service times. The motor carrier may also indicate its breakbulk
terminal(s) to be used for each point for loading purposes.
Routing Guide Information Information contained in the Routing Guide
Satisfied customer Customers who have received the correct shipment, at the correct destination, on the date
requested.
Shipment Detail of the commodity to be shipped, special handling conditions, pieces, weight, cube,
POs.
Shipment Receipt A receipt for the actual shipment.
Shippable Cartons Cartons which have already been packed and marked and are ready for distribution.
Shipping handling units are also used-these are the number of countable physical shipping
pieces (i.e. pallets, shrink wrapped containing 24 cartons is one shipping handling unit)
Shipper Controlled Routing Instruction The shipper is responsible for routing the shipment. This may be prepaid or collect.
Shippers Manifest (paper) List of the carton numbers per PO or final destination (store), or invoice. This shipper
manifest travels with the goods at consignee request. The shipper manifest can also be
faxed to the consignee prior to the actual shipment arriving at the consignee.
Shipping Dock Capacity This is the total capacity of the shipping dock--doors, staging area.
Shipping Instructions Carrier, Mode, commodity, special handling instructions, terms, service level (overnight,
next day, expedite, etc.)
Shipping Schedule Policies The general policies establish by a shipper which may include standard routes, timetables
and equipment available.
Signed Delivery Receipt Upon receipt of goods, the delivery receipt is signed by the recipient.
Signed Receipt of Goods The document signed by the recipient of the goods which is used to provide information
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Arrow Name
(Input, Output, Control or Mechanism)
Arrow Definition
for both the Carrier Invoice and the Proof of Delivery documents
Signed Trailer Manifest The document signed by the recipient of the goods when the trailer carrying the shipment
is dropped at the consignee or distribution center. The Trailer Manifest is generated at the
last trailer load.
Standard Truckload Capacities Quantity of freight required to fill a truck. When used in connection with freight rates, the
quantities of freight necessary to qualify a shipment for a truckload rate. Usually in excess
of 10,000 pounds. (American Trucking Association) Truckload capacities vary with the
type of trailer being used. U.S. Bureau of the Census has categorized trucks by gross
vehicle weight (GVW) as follows: 1) Light-Less than 10,000 pounds GVW 2) Medium-
10,001 to 20,000 pounds GVW 3) Light-heavy-20,001 to 26,000 pounds GVW 4) Heavyheavy-
26,001 pounds GVW or more. (DOE)
Trailer Loaded A trailer on which the shipment has been placed and is ready for transport.
Trailer Ready The trailer is ready to be loaded.
UCC Standards Uniform Code Council (UCC) standards.
Value Added Goods Goods being handled by a consolidator, and which have passed through the consolidator
processes, having value added.
Value Added Shipments This is a shipment of goods which have had "value added" by a consolidator.
Vendor Pick-up Dock Time Available The time slot available to the carrier to pick up goods from the retailer.
Way Bill/Travel Copy A document prepared by a transportation line at the point of origin of a shipment, showing
the point of origin, destination, route, consignor, consignee, description of shipment and
forwarded to the carrier's agent at transfer point or destination.
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215 Package Carrier Manifest This Draft Standard for Trial Use contains the format and establishes the data contents of
the Motor Carrier Pick-up Manifest Transaction Set (215) for use within the context of an
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) environment. This transaction set can be used to allow
shippers, or other parties, to provide a motor carrier with a manifest of all of the shipments
tendered to a carrier. It is not to be used to provide a motor carrier with data relative to a
load tender, legal bill of lading, pick-up notification, or appointment scheduling.
Shipping Capacity Requirements MFG provides information to the SPC that tells them how to come pick up the goods.
Typically for small package it is a "fluid load". Mfg keeps feeding the staged trailer
throughout the day. Driver picks it up. Mfg give them a copy of the manifest. and the 215
transmission takes place.
Capacity and Operational Schedule The dock capacity, and the hours of operation when the dock is open for shipping.
