Fleet management and trucking industry glossary
From "Accessorial service" to "Yard mule" and everything in-between, make sense of the technical terms and colorful slang frequently used within the trucking industry.
S corporation
A corporation that passes corporate income and losses through to its shareholders for federal tax purposes.
SAAS
Software as a Service; access to remotely-hosted software, typically via a monthly subscription fee. This option is often less costly than licensing the software.
SEA
Safety Evaluation Areas; four carrier safety categories assessed under CSA 2010's precursor, SafeStat, which included accidents, driver safety, vehicle safety, and safety management.
SECA
Self-Employment Contributions Act; a law requiring small business owners to contribute 15.3 percent of their net income to Social Security, Medicare, and Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance costs.
Semi-trailer
A trailer equipped with at least one axle and designed so the front end of the trailer rests on the tractor.
Shipper's load and count
Freight that has been counted and loaded by the shipper, but hasn’t been verified by the carrier.
Shipper's order
A written authorization releasing a shipment; also bill of lading.
SmartCheck
Alerts that provide adminstrators with real-time visibility into events and driver behaviors that impact safety and profitability, including HOS alerts, unscheduled stops, and excessive drive time.
Smartphone
A sophisticated mobile phone that incorporates PDA and mobile phone functionality; many offer cameras, media players, web browsers, GPS navigation, and WiFi.
SMS
Short message service; more commonly known as text messaging available through phone, web, and mobile communications systems.
Split pickup or delivery
A secondary service offered by carriers, entailing volume shipment pick-up and delivery at multiple locations between the origin and destination point boundaries.
Spread tandem
A two-axle assembly in which the distance between axles spans a greater distance than conventional assemblies.
Stake body
A truck or trailer platform body design with easily removable stakes, which may be tethered by chains, slats or panels.
Standard rate
An established delivery rate for direct routes between two points.
Standard route
A direct route between two points, determined by the carrier.
