Abbreviations

A Bill of Lading (BOL) is a document a client completes before their pick-up. It serves as both a receipt of goods and a contract between the shipper and carrier. It is a prerequisite for transportation services and must be in place before the cargo is loaded.

A BOL outlines a detailed account of items within the shipment, their dimensional specifications and the type of shipping service required. It also plays a vital role in determining the associated freight quote, ensuring a binding agreement between both parties.

Collect on Delivery (COL) is a term that can be found on a BOL that indicates the receiver or consignee of the cargo is responsible for paying the transportation fees of a shipment.

COLA means “Cost of Living Adjustment,” and refers to a rate review process where the carrier will adjust the cost of shipping rates due to economic circumstances.

DPO stands for “Delivery Purpose Only,” and is a designation that can appear on an invoice when cargo is being shipped.

Dangerous Goods (DG) may include hazardous items which may pose a threat to human health, safety, or the environment if the goods are not stored and transported according to specific regulations.

Direct Store Delivery (DSD) refers to the process of shipping products directly from a manufacturer or supplier facility to a retail location. Typically, DSD’s deliver between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

ECS refers to The Erb Group’s Cold Storage Facilities (ECS). ECS inventories product for retail distribution or further manufacturing. Our ECS facilities are located throughout Ontario and Quebec.

A Freight Bill (FB) is the term used to refer to the invoice sent to a client and signifies the transition from the initial order through the BOL to the final billing stage.

This transition occurs shortly after the order is entered into our system, assigned a PRO, and officially becomes a freight bill outlining the payment for the transportation and logistics services.

FCA refers to the “Freight Carriers Association of Canada Inc.” The FCA is Canada’s only independent organization to develop, publish, and maintain a weekly Fuel Index for the express purpose of providing valuable data regarding diesel fuel cost changes to its members.

Fuel Surcharge (FSC) is an additional fee added to your base shipping rate to account for fluctuating fuel prices.

Full Truckload (FTL), also commonly referred to as Truckload (TL), is a type of shipping mode where a truck carries one dedicated shipment to a specific location, with the option for additional stops. Typically, the load takes up the space or weight of an entire trailer.

Less-Than-Truckload (LTL) is a type of shipping mode where freight transported only takes up a partial trailer and typically makes multiple stops at various locations.

NOC stands for “No Charge” and is used in the context of shipping and billing, to indicate that a particular service or item was not billed to the consignee.

Over, Short, and Damaged (OS&D) refers to a shipment where the condition of the cargo is either over or short the amount of weight or quantity listed or has been damaged.

OTR stands for Over the Road, referring to the movement of commercially shipped goods via truck or trailer.

Proof of Delivery (POD) is a delivery receipt that can be a print or digital document confirming a shipment has been delivered to the recipient/consignee, verifying the delivery time and signature of the receipt who accepted the load.

Pre-Paid Delivery (PPD) is when the consignor or shipper has already paid the freight bill for the shipment.

Progressive Rotating Order’s (PRO) refer to a multi-digit tracking number or code that aligns with a customer’s shipment. A PRO can be found on the BOL and in the digital software system of The Erb Group, which can help give clients and customer service members visibility on the shipment.

Third Party Logistics (3PLs) are a third-party company which provides outsourced logistics and transportation services.