Glossary of Truck Accidents Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

- T -

Tag Axle: See Axle.

Tare Weight: See Chassis Weight.

Tandem Axle (Tandems): Pair of axles and associated suspension usually located close together. (see Spread Axle)

Team (Driver Team): Team of two drivers who alternative driving and resting.

TEU (Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit): Standardized unit for measuring container capacity on ships, railcars, etc.

TL (Truckload): The quantity of freight required to fill a trailer; usually more than 10,000 pounds. (see LTL)

TL Carrier: Trucking company which dedicates trailers to a single shipper's cargo, as opposed to an LTL (Less Than Truckload) carrier which transports the consolidated cargo of several shippers and makes multiple deliveries. (see LTL Carrier)

TOFC (Trailer On Flatcar): Method of moving cargo which involves transporting semitrailers on railroad flat cars. (see Piggyback)

Tractor: Truck designed primarily to pull a semitrailer by means of a fifth wheel mounted over the rear axle(s). Sometimes called a truck tractor or highway tractor to differentiate from it from a farm tractor.

Tractor Trailer: Tractor and semitrailer combination.

Tri-Axle: Truck, tractor or trailer with three axles grouped together at the rear. (see Tridem)

Tridem: Group of three axles on a truck, tractor or trailer. Tridems are most common on European semitrailers.

Trip Leasing: Leasing a company's vehicle to another transportation provider for a single trip.

Trip Recorder (On-Board Computer): Cab-mounted device which electronically or mechanically records data such as truck speed, engine rpm, idle time and other information useful to trucking management.

Truck: Vehicle which carries cargo in a body mounted to its chassis, rather than on a trailer towed by the vehicle.

Twins (Twin Trailers): See Doubles