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Diesel Mechanic and Technician, and Truck Driver Training

Glossary of Terms

Air Brakes - Brakes that utilize compressed air to activate brakes.

Black Ice - A very dangerous, nearly invisible patch of ice on a clear road formed when temperatures drop very rapidly when the road surface is wet.

Bobtail - Slang term for a tractor driven without its trailer, can also refer to a straight truck or a truck or a truck with a short rear overhang.

Cab - Driver compartment of a truck or tractor-trailer.

Carrier - Individual, partnership or corporation engaged in the business of transporting goods or passengers.

Department of Transportation (DOT) - A cabinet level executive department of the United States Government consisting of the Office of the Secretary and even individual Operating Administrations, including the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Diesel Technician and Mechanic - Skilled in the mechanical and technical procedures necessary both traditional and computerized (Dieseltronics) diagnostic, maintenance and repair techniques for tractor trailer trucks and related diesel powered equipment.

Dispatching - The scheduling and control of freight distribution.

Federal Motor Carriers Safety Administration (FMCSA) - Federal regulations that establish safe operation requirements for commercial vehicle drivers, carriers, vehicles, and vehicle equipment.

Fifth Wheel - The coupling device located on the tractor's rear frame that is used to join the front end of the trailer to the tractor.

Flatbed - Trailer with level bed and no sides or top.

Hazardous Materials - Substance/material determined and designated by Secretary of Transportation to be capable of posing unreasonable risk to health, safety and property when transported in commerce.

Heavy Duty Truck - A truck that has a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) of 26,001 pounds or more.

Hours of Service - The number of hours CDL tractor-trailer drivers may drive and be on duty after meeting off-duty requirements, according to Part 395 of the FMCSR.

Owner-Operator - Driver who owns and operates his own truck who may lease vehicle and driver to another carrier.

Rig - Slang for truck, tractor-semi-trailer, truck and full trailer, or other combination vehicle.

Semi-Trailer - A trailer that has only rear axles. The front of a semi-trailer either rests on the tractor or is supported by its landing gear when coupled.

Tractor - Power unit designed primarily for pulling other vehicles and not constructed to carry load other than part of weight of vehicle and load being drawn.

Truck Driver - Licensed CDL Class A or Class B Commercial Truck Driver with the knowledge and skills necessary for the safe operation of a Tractor Trailer unit.