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ABS (Antilock Braking System)
Computer, sensors and solenoid valves which
together monitor wheel speed and modulate braking
force if wheel lockup is sensed during braking.
Helps the driver retain control of the vehicle
during heavy braking on slippery roads.
AFV (Alternative Fueled Vehicle)
Vehicle powered by a fuel other than gasoline or
diesel.
Air Ride Suspension
Suspension which supports the load on air-filled
rubber bags rather than steel springs. Compressed
air is supplied by the same engine-driven air
compressor and reservoir tanks which provide air
to the air brake system.
ATC (Automatic Traction Control)
Usually an optional feature based on ABS, it
prevents spinning of the drive wheels under power
on slippery surfaces by braking individual wheels
and/or reducing engine throttle. Also called ASR,
an acronym sometimes loosely translated from the
German as anti-spin regulation.
ATV (All Terrain Vehicle)
Vehicle designed for any type of terrain.
AVI (Automatic Vehicle Identification)
System combining an on-board transponder with
roadside receivers to automate identification of
vehicles. Uses include electronic toll collection
and stolen vehicle detection.
AVL (Automated Vehicle Location)
Class of technologies designed to locate vehicles
for fleet management purposes and for stolen
vehicle recovery. Infrastructure can be land-based
radio towers or satellites.
Axle
Structural component to which wheels, brakes and
suspension are attached.
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Drive axles are those with powered wheels.
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Front axle is usually called the steer axle.
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Pusher axles are unpowered and go ahead of drive axles.
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Rear axles may be drive, tag or pusher types.
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Tag axles are unpowered and go behind drive axles.
- B -
BBC
Distance from a truck's front bumper to the back
of its cab.
Bill of Lading
Itemized list of goods contained in a shipment.
Blind Spot
Areas around a commercial vehicle that are not
visible to the driver either through the
windshield, side windows or mirrors.
Bobtail
Tractor operating without a trailer. Also refers
to straight truck.
Bogie (also spelled bogey)
Assembly of two or more axles, usually a pair in
tandem.
Brake Horsepower (bhp)
Engine horsepower rating as determined by brake
dynamometer testing. (see Horsepower)
Bridge Formula
A bridge protection formula used by federal and
state governments to regulate the amount of weight
that can be put on each of a vehicle's axles, and
how far apart the axles (or groups of axles) must
be to legally carry a given weight.
- C -
Cabover (Cab-Over-Engine, COE)
Truck or tractor design in which the cab sits
over the engine on the chassis.
Cargo Weight
Combined weight of all loads, gear and supplies
on a vehicle.
Cartage Company
Company that provides local (within a town, city
or municipality) pick-up and delivery.
Cast Spoke Wheel
Wheel with five or six spokes originating from a
center hub. The spoked portion, usually made of
cast steel, is bolted to a multiple-piece steel
rim (see Demountable Rim; Disc Wheel).
CB (Citizens Band Radio)
Two-way radio for which no license is required by
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). Long
beyond its heyday in the '70s, CB is still used by
truckers and motorists for everything from traffic
condition reports to emergency calls to idle
chatter.
CDL (Commercial Driver's License)
License which authorizes an individual to operate
commercial motor vehicles and buses over 26,000
pounds gross vehicle weight. For operators of
freight-hauling trucks, the maximum size which may
be driven without a CDL is Class 6 (maximum 26,000
pounds gross vehicle weight).
CE (CF, LP)
Distance from back of a truck's cab to the end of
its frame.
CFC
Chlorofluorocarbon.
CG (Center of Gravity)
Weight center or balance point of an object, such
as a truck body. Calculated to help determine
optimum placement of truck bodies on chassis.
Chassis Weight (Curb Weight, Tare Weight)
Weight of the empty truck, without occupants or
load.
CNG
Compressed natural gas.
COFC (Container On Flat Car)
Method of moving shipping containers which
involves transporting them on railroad flat cars.
Common Carrier
Freight transportation company which serves the
general public. May be regular route service (over
designated highways on a regular basis) or
irregular route (between various points on an
unscheduled basis).
Compensated Intracorporate Hauling
Freight transportation service provided by one
company for a sister company.
Container (Shipping Container)
Standard-sized rectangular box used to transport
freight by ship, rail and highway. International
shipping containers are 20 or 40 feet long,
conform to International Standards Organization
(ISO) standards and are designed to fit in ships'
holds. Containers are transported on public roads
atop a container chassis towed by a tractor.
Domestic containers, up to 53 feet long and of
lighter construction, are designed for rail and
highway use only.
Container Chassis
Single-purpose semitrailer designed to carry a
shipping container.
Contract Carrier
Company that transports freight under contract
with one or a limited number of shippers.
Converter Dolly (Dolly)
Auxiliary axle assembly equipped with a fifth
wheel (coupling device), towed by a semitrailer
and supporting the front of, and towing, another
semitrailer.
Cube (Cubic Capacity)
Interior volume of a truck body, semitrailer or
trailer, measured in cubic feet.
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Information provided by TWNA - Trucking Resource
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