FTL, LTL, POD, COD, FCL, LCL… logistics is full of acronyms. Here is what the common ones mean in practice.
Logistics has its own vocabulary, and quotes, contracts and tracking pages assume you know it. This glossary explains the terms shippers in Saudi Arabia meet most often, in plain language.
Road freight
- FTL (Full Truck Load): one shipper books the whole truck; direct, fast, priced per trip.
- LTL (Less-than-Truckload): several shippers share a trailer; priced per pallet or cubic metre; moves through hubs.
- Dedicated fleet: vehicles and drivers assigned exclusively to one customer on contract.
- Reefer: a refrigerated truck or trailer for chilled or frozen cargo.
- Flatbed, curtain-side, box: open, soft-sided and closed trailer types.
- Lowbed: a low trailer for tall or heavy machinery.
- Detention: charge for time a truck waits at a site beyond the free period.
- Backhaul: a return load that offsets the cost of the outbound trip.
Parcels and courier
- Courier: door-to-door service for envelopes and boxes, typically up to 30 kg per piece.
- Volumetric weight: length × width × height ÷ divisor; charged when higher than actual weight.
- COD (Cash on Delivery): payment collected by the courier at hand-over.
- POD (Proof of Delivery): signed or photographed confirmation that goods were received.
- First-attempt success: share of deliveries completed on the first visit.
- Reverse pickup: collection of a return from the customer.
Sea and air
- FCL / LCL: full container load / less-than-container load.
- Air waybill (AWB): the transport document for air cargo.
- Chargeable weight: the greater of actual and volumetric weight.
Warehousing and supply chain
- Cross-docking: transferring goods from inbound to outbound vehicles without storage.
- Pick and pack: selecting items and packing them for an order.
- WMS: warehouse management system.
- Last mile: the final delivery leg to the customer.
- 3PL: a third-party logistics provider that runs transport and warehousing for you.
Customs
- HS code: the international product classification used for duties.
- Certificate of origin: proof of where goods were made; GCC-origin goods move duty-free within the GCC.
- Customs broker: a licensed agent who files declarations on your behalf.
TQM International's team is happy to explain any term on your quote or contract — just ask.
