Industry Terms 1 2 3 4 5

Asset Utilization - The level of output generated by a company's assets. Logistics management seeks to improve a company's asset utilization by improving the efficiency of its supply chain. Also refers to an asset-based transportation company's need to use its own equipment (assets) in the most efficient way possible.

Automatic Vendor Replenishment - A process by which store point-of-sale and inventory data is electronically or manually shared between a supplier and its customers. The supplier combines a customer's demand forecast and inventory capacity to design an optimal frequency, order projection and delivery system to keep the customer's inventory continuously replenished.

Back Haul - Return trip for a vehicle. Empty-back-haul means a payload was available for movement in one direction, but no load was available for the return trip.

Carrier - Short for "motor carrier." Refers to a company that provides motor carrier services, or to individual motor carrier units. Also sometimes used to refer to other types of transportation providers, such as rail carriers, ocean carriers and air cargo carriers.