Freight & Logistics Guides

Trucking and Freight Guides

Plain-language guides built from primary sources such as the Code of Federal Regulations, with worked examples and a source list at the end.

Truck Dispatcher: What the Role Is and What the Federal Rules Say About DispatchingFreight Terms Glossary: Trucking and Shipping Definitions From Federal SourcesFreight Factoring Explained: How Selling Invoices Works
Truck Dispatcher: What the Role Is and What the Federal Rules Say About Dispatching
October 13, 2026

Truck Dispatcher: What the Role Is and What the Federal Rules Say About Dispatching

A truck dispatcher is not a defined legal category, but dispatching decisions are covered by hours-of-service, fatigue and coercion rules. A worked check shows when a plan cannot be driven legally.

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Freight Terms Glossary: Trucking and Shipping Definitions From Federal Sources
October 11, 2026

Freight Terms Glossary: Trucking and Shipping Definitions From Federal Sources

Common freight and trucking terms sorted into those defined in federal law, those defined by the NMFTA classification system, and those with no federal definition.

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Freight Factoring Explained: How Selling Invoices Works
October 11, 2026

Freight Factoring Explained: How Selling Invoices Works

What freight factoring is in legal terms, how the notice of assignment works under UCC 9-406, a worked cost example, and questions to ask before signing.

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Load Boards: How to Vet a Load Before You Book It
October 11, 2026

Load Boards: How to Vet a Load Before You Book It

Who posts on a load board, which federal rules apply to brokers and carriers, a checklist before booking, and how loaded miles and total miles change the rate.

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Shipper, Carrier and Consignee: Who Does What in a Freight Shipment
October 11, 2026

Shipper, Carrier and Consignee: Who Does What in a Freight Shipment

The difference between shippers and carriers, what the federal rules require on a bill of lading and a freight bill, and who can claim when freight is lost or damaged.

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How to Check a Trucking Company Before You Hire It
October 11, 2026

How to Check a Trucking Company Before You Hire It

A six-point check of a trucking company's registration, insurance, safety rating and claims terms, what each federal rule says, and a hypothetical walkthrough.

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LTL Shipping Explained: How It Differs From Parcel and Full Truckload
October 11, 2026

LTL Shipping Explained: How It Differs From Parcel and Full Truckload

What less-than-truckload shipping is, the size ranges NMFTA gives for parcel, LTL and full truckload, how LTL is priced, and what to check before choosing a carrier.

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What Is a Freight Broker? The Legal Definition and Requirements
October 11, 2026

What Is a Freight Broker? The Legal Definition and Requirements

How U.S. law defines a freight broker, how a broker differs from a carrier, forwarder and dispatcher, and what registration, financial security and conduct rules apply.

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Box Trucks, Cargo Vans and Pickups: Which Federal Rules Apply by Weight
October 11, 2026

Box Trucks, Cargo Vans and Pickups: Which Federal Rules Apply by Weight

The 10,001 and 26,001 pound lines in the federal trucking rules, four example vehicles worked through, and what FMCSA says about operating authority.

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LTL Shipping: How Freight Class and Density Are Calculated
October 11, 2026

LTL Shipping: How Freight Class and Density Are Calculated

What freight class is, the density calculation NMFTA publishes with two worked examples, how multiple handling units are treated, and a checklist to avoid LTL reclassification.

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Truck Driver Pay: What the Federal Data Shows and How Drivers Are Paid
October 11, 2026

Truck Driver Pay: What the Federal Data Shows and How Drivers Are Paid

Federal wage data for heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers, how mileage and revenue-share pay work, and the lease rules that protect owner-operator compensation.

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Freight Claims: Loss and Damage Deadlines and Carrier Duties
October 11, 2026

Freight Claims: Loss and Damage Deadlines and Carrier Duties

What counts as a freight claim, the carrier's 30-day and 120-day response clock under 49 CFR 370, and the 9-month and 2-year minimum periods in 49 U.S.C. 14706.

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Cargo Securement: How Many Tiedowns and How Strong
October 11, 2026

Cargo Securement: How Many Tiedowns and How Strong

The two separate tests in 49 CFR 393 for securing cargo, the minimum number of tiedowns and the aggregate working load limit, with a worked example and the driver's inspection duty.

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Truck Insurance Requirements: The Federal Minimum Liability Levels
October 11, 2026

Truck Insurance Requirements: The Federal Minimum Liability Levels

The public liability minimums in 49 CFR 387.9, how the categories are chosen, the proof a carrier must keep, and what the rule does not cover.

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Hazmat Placarding: Table 1, Table 2 and the 1,001-Pound Rule
October 11, 2026

Hazmat Placarding: Table 1, Table 2 and the 1,001-Pound Rule

How 49 CFR 172.504 decides when a vehicle must be placarded: which materials need placards in any quantity, how the 1,001-pound exception works, and four loads worked through.

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Freight Broker Bond and Trust Fund Rules, Explained
October 11, 2026

Freight Broker Bond and Trust Fund Rules, Explained

What 49 CFR 387.307 requires of a freight broker's financial security, how a drawdown can lead to suspension, and the record and advertising rules in 49 CFR 371.

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CDL Classes and Endorsements: What Each One Covers
October 11, 2026

CDL Classes and Endorsements: What Each One Covers

How a vehicle is sorted into CDL Class A, B or C, which endorsements require which tests, what the restriction codes mean, and the training and age rules.

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Federal Truck Weight Limits: Axle Limits and the Bridge Formula
October 11, 2026

Federal Truck Weight Limits: Axle Limits and the Bridge Formula

The 80,000, 20,000 and 34,000 pound limits in 23 CFR 658.17, how the Bridge Formula works, and a worked check of a five-axle combination.

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Hours of Service for Truck Drivers: The Limits and Their Exceptions
October 11, 2026

Hours of Service for Truck Drivers: The Limits and Their Exceptions

The federal hours-of-service limits for property-carrying drivers, one schedule worked through hour by hour, and the exceptions that 49 CFR 395.1 actually allows.

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Commercial Vehicle Roadside Inspections: What Each Level Covers
October 1, 2026

Commercial Vehicle Roadside Inspections: What Each Level Covers

What the eight CVSA inspection levels cover, which records a US driver must be able to show, how the driver vehicle inspection report works, and what an out-of-service order requires of the carrier.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Freight & Logistics

What is a freight load board?

A load board is an online listing service where shippers post freight that needs moving and carriers search for loads to haul.

Why do carriers try to avoid empty backhauls?

A truck returning without cargo earns nothing on the return leg while still burning fuel, so finding a load for the way back directly improves the carrier margin.

What does Loadly publish?

Loadly publishes sourced guides on US trucking and freight rules, plus free calculators, for shippers, carriers, brokers and drivers.