RATE

Established shipping charge for movement of goods.  

RATE BASIS

Formula of specific factors/elements that control making of rate.

RATE WAR

When carriers cut rates in an effort to capture more sales.  Can occur in all commodities.

REBATE

The practice of giving a portion of a payment back to a buyer after a seller makes a sale.

RECEIVING PAPERS

Documents submitted with the delivery of cargo.  It gives details of the shipment so that outbound documentation matches the bill of lading.  It also acts as a receipt for the carrier to show that goods have been delivered.

RECIPROCITY

An exchange of rights, benefits, commitments, or obligations.

RECONCILIATION

The process of determining if proper accounting has taken place, and making efforts to resolve any discrepancies. 

RECONSIGNMENT

Any change, including a change in the route, made in a consignment before the arrival of the goods at their billed destination.

RED LABEL FREIGHT

Dangerous, flammable freight.

REEFER

A container, with a self-contained refrigeration unit, used for the transport or perishable cargo.  Abbreviation for refrigerated container.  Slang term for refrigerated trailer that hauls perishables.

REFRIGERATED CONTAINER

A container that is insulated and equipped with temperature control equipment.

REFUSED FREIGHT

Freight which the consignee or owner refuses to accept.

REGIONAL STABILITY

A term used to describe lack of severe political and economical threat in a given region; and therefore a relatively safe environment in which one can conduct business.

REGIONAL VALUE CONTENT

A determination of the value of goods for Customs purposes, based on where the goods where acquired, produced, or transformed.

RESELLER

A consignee that receives items for the purpose of resale to other parties.  This includes reselling items in the form received, making modifications or adding value (e.g., software or peripheral devices) before reselling or re-exporting items.

RESTRICTED ARTICLES

Commodities that can be handled or shipped only under certain specific conditions.

RETURN WITHOUT ACTION

Return of an export application to the applicant because of ineligibility or incompleteness.

REVENUE TO FOLLOW

A statement on a freight manifest for shipment billed without revenue stated, in order to move it, and billed again with charges upon receipt of the Bill of Lading.

REVISION

Changes made, as a result of an audit, to state correct information, rates, and charges.

RIDER

An attachment to a document to supplement information, and one that becomes part of  the original document.

ROLL-ON/ROLL-OFF

1)  A system of handling cargo in trailers and ships in which the trailers are driven on and off the vessel.  loading/discharging ports. 2) A term applied to ships that are outfitted so that vehicles or heavy machinery can be driven on or off without the use of special cranes.

ROLLINGSTOCK

Freight/passenger cars owned by rail carriers, and  buses, trucks and trailers owned by motor carriers.

ROUTE

1) Course/direction that shipment moves. 2) To designate course/direction shipment shall move. 3) Carrier(s) with junction points over which shipment moves.  A multi-modal collection of one or more serial scheduled legs connecting a depart origin to a target destination.

ROUTING

1) Process of determining how shipment will move between origin and destination.  Routing information includes designation of carrier(s) involved, actual route of carrier, and estimated time enroute. 2) Right of shipper to determine carriers, routes and points for transfer on TL and CL shipments.

RULES OF ORIGIN

Rules that guide the determination of country of origin for duty calculations, necessary permits, quotas, etc.

RULING

A decision rendered by the Customs Service on an issue or issues surrounding a particular importation of merchandise. Rulings are published and can usually be appealed to a higher administrative body or to a court of law.

RULINGS ON IMPORT

An exporter, importer, or other interested party may get advance information on any matter affecting the dutiable status of merchandise by writing the District Director of Customs where merchandise will be entered, or to the Regional Commissioner of Customs. (USA)