Less than truckload carriers collect freight from various shippers and consolidate that freight onto enclosed trailers for linehaul to the delivering terminal or to a hub terminal where the freight will be further sorted and consolidated for additional linehauls.

A trip that involves more than two destinations; multiple stops running in a line or circle. Linehauls are often short runs for intra-city drivers (i.e. UPS). When the route is both intercity and involves dead-heading, over short portions, it's also know as dump-n-go routes. Often the drivers of linehaul routes will switch trailers at various points, delivering in actuality the trailer itself, as opposed to merchandise and materials inside. Such hauls are known as drop-n-hook lines. If multiple trailers are involved in any combination of other listed linehaul routes, it's known as a Chain Haul, or less often, chain train. A linehaul almost always ends at the originating terminal or yard prior to the end of the maximum 14 hour day.

A Lowboy is a Semi-trailer that has two drops in deck height one drop right after the goose neck and one drop right before the tires. This allows the deck to be extremely low versus normal trailers. It offers the ability to carry legal loads up to 12' tall that other trailers could not.