The transportation industry moves fast (pun intended) and with every change comes a fresh new set of technology, terms and jargon.

While every industry has their own shorthand that makes communicating complex topics faster and easier, the transportation industry is notably prolific in the generation and daily use of abbreviations and acronyms.

From government agencies and associations to technological innovations and international standards, it’s easy for even seasoned professionals to become bogged down trying to keep up

I recently studied for the National Private Truck Council’s test to become a Certified Transportation Professional (CTP). Doing so required delving into areas of transportation for which I’d had limited previous exposure. I found myself spending a lot of time asking more seasoned colleagues for guidance and searching online and in reference material for random definitions.

Every time I made this extra effort, I recorded the results of my research in a document for future reference. I referred to it frequently as I studied for the test, and I’m happy to report that in the end I did pass the CTP test.

Thinking that it might also be helpful to others, we took the effort to put some polish on it and publish a complete list of acronyms, abbreviations and associations.

Whether you’re new to the industry, or have been dispatching, driving and managing a fleet for years, I hope that you will find this comprehensive guide helpful.