Estes Express Lines Transportation Glossary

Transportation Glossary (PDF)

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Accessorial Charges: Extra charges applied for services performed above what is considered standard.
Accessorial Services: Service performed in addition to the normal transportation service (e.g., COD service, inside delivery).
Airbill: Shipping document used by carriers and indirect carriers for airfreight. This contains shipping instructions, a description of the commodity and applicable transportation charges. Airbills are not negotiable.
Air Brakes: Heavy trucks use air brakes exclusively to stop the rig. When the brakes are applied, air enters the brake chamber. The air forces a push rod out, turning a slack adjuster that rotates an "S" cam. This in turn forces the brake shoes against the drum, applying the friction required to slow down or stop the truck.
Airfreight Forwarding: All the activities required to organize the time-definite delivery of goods entrusted to an airfreight forwarder. The freight forwarder has the appropriate knowledge and contracts with all major airlines (commercial and cargo) and expedited ground providers. Representing the owner of the goods and protecting the owner’s interests, the airfreight forwarder recommends the best possible way to deliver the goods and tracks them up until the time of arrival. See non-asset-based provider.
Airport Mail Facility (AMF): A U.S. Postal Service facility located at an airport.
All-Cargo Air Service: The carriage of only cargo in an aircraft, rather than the combination of passengers and cargo.
AMF: See Airport Mail Facility.
Assembly: Also known as kitting, assembly is the process of packaging bulk components into finished goods at a warehouse or an outsource facility. The product's components are picked and inserted into end-use packaging.
Asset-Based Provider: A carrier that actually has the assets (e.g., trucks, terminals, warehouses, etc.) to provide physical pickup, line-haul and delivery service. See also non-asset-based provider and airfreight forwarding.
Astray Freight: When part or all of a shipment moves on a route different from the standard route shown in the computer.
AS400: Estes’ old computer file server used to run computer applications for tasks such as billing, tracing, invoicing and collections. It was replaced in 2004 with a powerful, state-of-the-art IBM iSeries server.
ATA Carnet: A customs document enabling one to carry or send goods temporarily into certain foreign countries without paying duties or posting bonds.
Authorized Party: The entity that can legally provide instructions that override those contained in the BOL; usually the shipper, occasionally the third party or the consignee.
Automated Broker Interface: Permits transmission of data pertaining to merchandise being imported into the U.S. directly to U.S. customs.
Automatic Store Replenishment: Technology and processes that automate the management of store shelves (keeping them stocked in the right amount) and retail store orders. It includes demand forecasting, inventory count, ordering algorithms and order execution and receiving. Sometimes called pull deployment.

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