Dump truck glossary

The 25 terms every dump truck owner-operator hits in year one — CDL classes, DOT compliance, cycle-time math, and back-office jargon.

BASIC

Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Categories — the seven areas FMCSA uses to score carriers (Unsafe Driving, HOS, Vehicle Maintenance, etc.). Feeds your CSA score.

BOL (Bill of Lading)

The document that follows every load — shipper, consignee, material, tonnage. Your proof of delivery and your invoice backup.

CDL-A

Class A commercial driver's license — required to pull a trailer over 10,000 lbs. Needed for tractor-trailer end dumps and belly dumps.

CDL-B

Class B commercial driver's license — covers straight trucks like standard tandem and tri-axle dump trucks. The most common CDL for dump work.

COI (Certificate of Insurance)

One-page proof of insurance you send GCs before your first load. Must list the GC as an additional insured.

CSA

Compliance, Safety, Accountability — FMCSA's carrier scoring program. GCs pull your CSA score before adding you to their subcontractor list.

Cycle time

The total minutes from load to load: load + haul + dump + return + wait. The single most important number in per-load pricing.

Deadhead

Miles driven empty — usually the return trip after a dump. Every deadhead mile is a fuel-and-wear cost you don't get paid for.

DOT number

Your USDOT registration number — required for any commercial vehicle over 10,001 lbs crossing state lines or hauling for hire. Painted on both cab doors.

ELD

Electronic Logging Device — records hours of service. Most dump truck operators are exempt under the short-haul rule (150 air-mile radius, 14-hour day).

End dump

The most common dump body — tips backward on a hydraulic hoist. Default choice for site work and aggregate hauling.

Factoring

Selling your invoices at a 2–4% discount for immediate payment. Used when Net-30 GCs create a cash gap you can't cover.

GVWR

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating — the max total weight the truck is legally rated for. Typical tandem is 60,000 lb; tri-axle 74,000 lb; quad 82,000 lb.

HOS

Hours of Service — federal driving-time limits. Short-haul operators track on a time card; long-haul use an ELD.

IFTA

International Fuel Tax Agreement — quarterly fuel-tax filing for vehicles over 26,000 lb crossing state lines. Intrastate operators are exempt.

MC authority

Motor Carrier operating authority from FMCSA — required to haul for hire across state lines. Not needed for intrastate work in most states.

Net-30

Payment terms giving the customer 30 days to pay after invoice date. Standard for GC work; the reason factoring exists.

Payload

The weight of cargo you can legally carry — GVWR minus tare weight. A tandem with 25,000 lb tare has 35,000 lb payload.

Per diem

IRS-approved daily meals & incidentals deduction ($80/day for 2026 for transportation workers, 80% deductible). No receipts needed.

PM (Preventive Maintenance)

Scheduled service — oil, filters, greasing, brake checks. Skipping PM turns a $500 service into a $12,000 engine job.

Roll-off

A dump truck body style that hauls detachable dumpsters (10, 20, 30, 40-yard boxes). Dominant in urban C&D and demo work.

Section 179

IRS deduction letting you write off the full cost of a used dump truck in year one (up to $1.16M for 2026).

Tandem

A dump truck with two rear axles. The most common configuration in the US — good balance of payload and maneuverability.

Tare weight

The empty weight of the truck. Every pound of tare is a pound you can't legally haul. Aluminum bodies save 800–1,500 lb over steel.

USDOT

US Department of Transportation — the federal agency that issues your DOT number and regulates commercial motor carriers.