Punjab PSEB Matric NSQF Logistics (Land Transportation Associate) key terms

The planning and control of how goods move and are stored, from where they are made to where they are used, so they arrive in the right condition, place and time.

The whole network of suppliers, transporters, warehouses, distributors and retailers that work together to convert raw materials into goods delivered to the final buyer.

A business that arranges transport on behalf of a shipper by booking space with carriers, preparing paperwork and coordinating pickup and delivery without usually owning the vehicles.

The party that hands over goods to a transporter for carriage; usually the seller or sender named on the transport document as the person dispatching the shipment.

The person or firm named on the transport document as the party entitled to receive the goods at the destination address.

A single batch of goods sent by one consignor to one consignee under one transport document, even if it is carried in several packages or on more than one vehicle.

The transport document listing sender, receiver, goods description, weight and charges that acts as evidence of the contract of carriage for a road shipment.

A document that travels with a shipment showing route, contents and charges, and which is used to identify and track the goods until they reach the destination.

A receipt issued by a road transporter confirming that goods have been accepted for carriage, often used by the sender as evidence when claiming against the carrier.

An electronic document required in India for the movement of goods above a notified value, generated on the government portal and carried with the vehicle during transit.

A commercial document from the seller to the buyer listing goods supplied, quantities, prices and tax, and used as the basis for payment and for calculating freight charges.

A signed record, on paper or electronically, confirming that the consignee received the shipment in the stated condition, used to close the trip and settle billing.

A document issued by a carrier that acts as a receipt for goods, evidence of the carriage contract and sometimes a document of title, mainly used in sea transport.

Carriage of a single consignment under one contract using two or more transport modes, such as road plus rail or sea, with one operator responsible for the whole journey.

The final stage of a shipment, moving goods from a local hub or terminal to the customer's door, usually the costliest part of the journey per unit delivered.

The maximum weight of goods a vehicle is legally and technically allowed to carry, calculated as gross vehicle weight minus the vehicle's own kerb weight.

The total permitted weight of a loaded vehicle including chassis, body, fuel, driver and cargo, specified by the manufacturer and enforced at weighbridges.

The share of a vehicle's total weight carried by one axle, which must stay within legal limits to protect roads and avoid overloading penalties.

A measure of how fully a vehicle's carrying capacity is used, expressed as the ratio of actual load carried to the maximum load possible for that trip.

The practice of tying, strapping or blocking cargo so it cannot shift, roll or fall during braking, turning or rough roads, protecting the driver and other road users.

Software that records and directs warehouse activities such as receiving, put-away, picking, packing and dispatch, and keeps stock balances accurate in real time.

A unique code given to each distinct item, size or variant held in stock so that quantities, locations and movements can be tracked separately.

The number of times stock is sold or used up during a period, found by dividing cost of goods sold by average stock value; a low figure signals slow-moving stock.

Extra inventory kept beyond normal expected demand to cover delays, sudden orders or supply interruptions, so that service to customers is not broken.

The total time from placing an order or booking a pickup until the goods are received, including processing, transit and handling at both ends.

A terminal practice where incoming goods are transferred straight to outgoing vehicles with little or no storage, cutting handling time and warehouse space needs.

Machines such as forklifts, pallet trucks, conveyors and cranes used to lift, move and store goods inside a warehouse or terminal safely and efficiently.

A machine-readable pattern of bars encoding an item or shipment number, scanned at receiving, picking and dispatch to record movement without manual typing errors.

A technology using tags and radio waves to identify and track goods or vehicles automatically, often without direct line of sight or manual scanning.

On-vehicle devices and software that transmit location, speed, fuel use and driving behaviour data to a control room for tracking and performance monitoring.

Deciding the most suitable sequence of stops and roads for a trip, balancing distance, time, traffic, delivery windows and vehicle limits to reduce cost.

The charge paid for carrying goods, or the goods themselves when in transit; it may be fixed per trip, per tonne-kilometre or per package.

A unit of transport work equal to moving one tonne of goods over one kilometre, used to compare efficiency and calculate freight charges across trips.

A charge levied when a vehicle or container is held beyond the agreed free time for loading or unloading, compensating the operator for lost use.

A fee billed when a carrier's vehicle is kept waiting at a shipper's or receiver's premises longer than the allowed period, separate from the freight rate.

The total time a vehicle spends at a dock from arrival to departure, including waiting, loading, paperwork and checks; shorter times raise fleet productivity.

The materials and method used to enclose goods for protection, handling and identification during storage and transport, ranging from primary packs to shipping cartons.

Stacking goods on a standard pallet so a forklift can lift the whole unit at once, speeding handling and reducing manual lifting and damage.

A document supplied with hazardous materials listing their hazards, safe handling, storage, protective equipment and first-aid measures, which handlers must read before work.

Goods classified as dangerous for transport, such as flammables, corrosives or toxics, which need special packing, marking, documents and trained drivers.

Wearable safety gear such as helmets, gloves, high-visibility vests and safety shoes that reduces a worker's exposure to injury on the dock or road.

A clearly marked, stocked kit of dressings, bandages and basic medicines kept at the workplace and vehicle to give immediate help after a minor injury.

Written procedures telling staff what to do, who to call and where to assemble during fires, spills, accidents or other emergencies at a warehouse or terminal.

The distance a vehicle travels per unit of fuel, usually kilometres per litre; it falls with overloading, poor tyre pressure, harsh driving and long idling.

The total greenhouse gas emissions caused by an activity, such as a shipment, expressed in carbon dioxide equivalent and used to compare greener transport options.

A measure of how well delivery promises are met, commonly the percentage of orders delivered complete and on time against the total orders handled.

The process of following a consignment's progress through checkpoints and sharing current status and expected arrival with the customer on request.

Starting and running one's own transport or logistics business, which involves spotting a market need, arranging finance, meeting licences and managing risk and customers.