Glossary
Logistics Coordinator Terms & Vocabulary
15 essential logistics coordinator terms with plain-English definitions: the vocabulary you’ll hear in training and on day one.
Key logistics coordinator vocabulary
These 15 terms come up constantly in logistics coordinator training, on the job and in interviews. Knowing them helps you follow instructions, document accurately and sound prepared.
- 3PL
- Third-party logistics provider: a company that handles warehousing or transportation for others.
- Accessorial charge
- Extra carrier fees such as detention, liftgate or inside delivery.
- Bill of lading
- The contract and receipt between shipper and carrier.
- Freight broker
- A company that matches shippers with carriers.
- Incoterms
- International rules defining buyer and seller responsibilities in shipping.
- KPI
- Key performance indicator used to measure performance.
- Landed cost
- The total cost of a product delivered, including freight, duties and fees.
- Lead time
- The time between ordering and receiving goods.
- OTIF
- On time, in full: a key delivery performance metric.
- Proof of delivery (POD)
- Documentation that a shipment was delivered.
- Reorder point
- The inventory level that triggers a new order.
- Safety stock
- Extra inventory held to prevent stockouts.
- Supply chain
- The network of suppliers, manufacturers, warehouses and carriers that delivers products.
- TMS
- Transportation management system: software to plan, book and track shipments.
- Truckload (FTL) vs. LTL
- A full trailer for one shipper versus shared space with other shippers.
Practice these terms
Test yourself with the free Logistics Coordinator practice test: it includes vocabulary questions built from this list. For a complete course, see Logistics Coordinator training.
Browse terms from every career in our career glossary.