While reading my issue of Truck magazine, I come across occasional terms and abbreviations that I don’t understand. Here are a few of them. I appreciate any answers.
What does HGV stand for?
What do the initials “TiR” seen on the backs of trailers stand for?
Does “tip” refer to unloading any trailer? Here in the states, you only “tip” dumpbodies.
What is an O-licence?
Thanks.
HGV = Heavy Goods Vehicle. The Licence to drive one used to be called an HGV licence but now the official term is LGV = Large Goods Vehicle.
TIR = Transports Internationaux Routiers. It’s a customs convention and you can find out more about it here.
Tip does indeed mean to unload.
An O Licence, or Operators Licence is what every body who operates trucks requires. There are different categories for those who transport their own goods, for those who do just national work and another for those who do international work.
Along with the licence comes a paper disc which is mounted in the windscreen, these are different colours depending on the type of licence, mine is green for international. Blue is for national and I can’t remember the colour for own account, maybe orange. 
The licence runs for five years and then needs renewing and it can also be curtailed for a variety of offences.
There are quite strict requirements to getting an O Licence and you can read more here.
Hiya Alex, Neils covered it all mate, but i’ll enlighten you that in certain circles “tip” can be referring to a sit down job on the toilet! 
welcome alex…wot you mean dumb question 
…on trucknetuk…perish the thought…this is the intelligent side of trucknet.
if you want dumb and answers visit trucknet usa.
Succinctly put, Coffeeholic !!!
OK, what does “PDA” mean over there? I just read a couple rather urgent-sounding posts mentioning a “PDA”, and I don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. Over here, PDA meand “Personal Desk Assistant”, another name for a PalmPilot.
professional driver association 
On here it usually means “Trouble Ahead.”
AlexxInNY:
OK, what does “PDA” mean over there? I just read a couple rather urgent-sounding posts mentioning a “PDA”, and I don’t have a clue what they’re talking about. Over here, PDA meand “Personal Desk Assistant”, another name for a PalmPilot.
Over here, I think they are classed as ‘Digital Personal Assistants’, but yeah, as you say, they are palmtops or hand-held PC’s…
But PDA can also stand for Professional Drivers Association… and goes hand in hand with exactly what coffee said… Trouble 
Isn’t it time we built a data base under a “sticky” thread of trucking abbreviations?
I’m sure a member did this on a personal site linked to from the old forums?
Recently another member has interestingly been enquiring about STGO.
Then there’s Dunnage, not to mention Demurrage (sp?)
…and having been involved to a greater or lesser extent with road haulage since 1986, i’m ashamed to admit i’m STILL not clear on exactly what a CMR is??
As i understand it, is similar to a POD, but for international jobs, yet so many people seem to refer to insurance when CMR is mentioned■■?
Maybe many of us are confused on this one■■?
Feel free to throw in any comments/suggestions on the above, but PLEASE DO NOT post on CMR’s unless YOU KNOW for sure!! (Coffee, Vince■■?)
A CMR is indeed just a delivery note for international consignments, carried under The Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road. Bit of a mouthful but there it is. It is an official document laid out to an agreed format and the penalties for not having one can be severe. Most firms in the UK carry goods under the terms and conditions of the RHA which sets an amount of liability per tonne. Goods carried under CMR rules have a much higher liability, approx five times as much as the RHA, conditions hence the need for extra CMR insurance to take account of this extra liability. Hauliers who never leave the UK may also need CMR Insurance if they pull unaccompnied trailers from the docks or containers as these will likely be shipped under CMR rules.
The other thing I forgot to mention is that when you arrive at the delivery point and they ask you to assist with the unloading you have to point out to them, with some regret of course, that legally you are unable to because CMR also stands for Chauffeur Must Rest
if you dont ask…you wont get an answer…
1…T.I.R…this is ridiculous
just joking…the answers are already on this page
have a nice day
I bet you wish you had never asked now
lettre de voiture (CMR)
which means: contrat de transport international de marchandise par route
and you can find out what it means here: