The freight industry loves acronyms. You’ve got FAKs (Freight of all kinds), BOLs (Bill of lading), and PODs (Proof of delivery), just to name a few. If you’re going to be a freight shipper, it’s best to recognize these terms. And though they are not technically acronyms, you’ll also find SCAC codes across documents and tracking systems from your first freight shipment to your last.
What are SCAC codes?
Standard Carrier Alpha Codes (SCAC) are unique codes assigned by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) to identify transportation companies. These two-to-four-letter codes were initially developed in the 1960s to help facilitate computerization in the freight industry.
Though SCAC codes are common with LTL or Truckload shipping, they are used all over the transportation industry. SCAC codes are used in the automobile, petroleum, forestry, railroad, and ocean container industries, among many others. Like freight class, they are created and regulated by the NMFTA.
In LTL shipping, SCAC codes identify a number of commonly used carriers. These SCAC codes can be found on the bill of lading, and other similar shipping documents. They are also used in the freight tracking process, as well as scheduling pickups using EDI (Electronic date interchange).
Complete SCAC Code List [2021]
Below is a list of carriers that most likely use Standard Carrier Alpha Codes (SCAC):| Carrier Name | SCAC |
| Cheng Lie Navigation Co.,Ltd | |
| Wan Hai Lines | |
| ABF Freight | |
| Atlantic Container Line | |
| Grieg Star Shipping | |
| Alaska Marine Lines | |
| Allied Van Lines | |
| Australia National Line | |
| Alianca | |
| Amino Transport | |
| American President Lines | |
| American Freightways | |
| Arkas Container Transport S.A. | |
| Atlantic Ro-Ro Carriers Inc | |
| AAFES Private Fleet | |
| BAX Global | |
| Bermuda Container Line | |
| Bulk FR8 (Liquid Bulk) | |
| Bridge Logistics | |
| BAX GLOBAL (air) | |
| BT Express Freight Systems | |
| Carbonite Logistics | |
| Celadon | |
| Central Gulf Lines, Inc | |
| Central Freight Lines | |
| Carolina Logistics Inc | |
| Compania Sud Americana de Vapores | |
| Chermak Cartage, LLC | |
| China Shipping Container Lines Co | |
| Cheema Transport Inc. | |
| Swire Shipping | |
| CJR Trucking, Inc. | |
| CJR Trucking, Inc. | |
| Cheeseman Transport | |
| Companhia Libra de Navegacao | |
| Crowley | |
| Compagnie Maritime / CMA CGM | |
| Compagnia Chilena de Navigacion Interoceanica SA | |
| Carolina Transportation Inc | |
| COSCO Container Lines / China Ocean Shipping Lines | |
| Country Transport | |
| Container Port Group | |
| Chinese-Polish Joint Stock Shipping Company | |
| CSX Transportation | |
| Central Transport | |
| Cowan systems, LLC | |
| CON-WAY Central Express | |
| CON-WAY Intermodal | |
| CON-WAY Southern Express | |
| CON-WAY Western Express | |
| Delmas | |
| DBO Bahnoperator | |
| Diamond Logistics | |
| Dole Ocean Cargo Express | |
| DOT-LINE TRANSPORTATION | |
| Daylight Transport LLC | |
| Evergreen Line | |
| Eimskip | |
| Ease Logistics | |
| Ecuadorian Line | |
| Emirates Shipping Line | |
| Eukor | |
| EMERY Worldwide | |
| Estes Express | |
| Expeditors International Ocean | |
| FedEx Custom Critical | |
| FedEx Express (AIR) | |
| FEDEX Ground | |
| Far Eastern Shipping Company | |
| First International courier sys. | |
| FLT Logistics LLC | |
| Fortune Transportation | |
| Fifth Wheel Freight LLC | |
| FedEx LTL Freight East | |
| FedEx LTL Freight West (formerly VIKN – Viking) | |
| FedEx Freight National (formerly Watkins) | |
| GILBERT EAST CORP | |
| GILBERT EXPRESS | |
| Great Eastern Shipping Inc. | |
| Galborg | |
| R and L Carriers | |
| G & P Trucking, Inc. | |
| Grimaldi | |
| Gold Star Line Ltd. | |
| Heartland Express | |
| Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd. | |
| J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc. | |
| Hapag Lloyd Container Line/A> | |
| HOYER Deep Sea | |
| Hercules Forwarding Inc | |
| Horizon Lines | |
| Hoegh Autoliners | |
| Hub Group | |
| Hyde Shipping | |
| Industrial Maritime Carriers (Intermarine) | |
| Intelcom Express | |
| Independent Container Line | |
| INTERMODAL SERVICES | |
| Interocean Lines | |
| INTER TRANS FREIGHT | |
| KANE IS ABLE | |
| KUEHNE + NAGEL | |
| Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha, Ltd. | |
| Korea Marine Transport Co., Ltd. | |
| Knight Transportation | |
| King Ocean Sercies | |
| Logistic Dynamics, Inc. | |
| LDI Trucking, Inc. | |
| Liberty Global Logistics, LLC | |
| Linea Messina | |
| Maersk Line | |
| Matson | |
| MCC Transport Pte. Ltd. | |
| MCC Transport Singapore Pte Ltd. | |
| Marfret Compagnie Maritime | |
| MGM TRANSPORT | |
| Malaysia International Shipping Corporation Berhad | |
| Maruba | |
| Mediterranean Shipping Company S.A. | |
| Marten Transport LTD. | |
| NATIONAL FREIGHT | |
| North American Van Lines, Inc. | |
| Nile Dutch Africa Line | |
| Nordana Line | |
| Neptune Shipping Line | |
| Bahri / National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia | |
| CSAV Norasia | |
| National Xpress Logistics | |
| NYK | |
| OLD DOMINION FREIGHT LINE | |
| Ocean Network Express (ONE Line) | |
| Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. | |
| PAM Transport Inc | |
| PAYSTAR LOGISTICS | |
| Pacific International Lines | |
| PIEDMONT EXPRESS | |
| Peninsula Truck Lines | |
| Pacific Logistics Corp | |
| Precision Logistics Group | |
| Polynesia Line | |
| PM&O Lines | |
| Panalpina (Pantainer Express Line) | |
| Prime Inc. | |
| Prime Logistics & Intermodal | |
| Pasha Hawaii Transport Lines | |
| Performance Logistics | |
| A. Duie Pyle | |
| Rickmers Linie | |
| Rail Delivery Services, Inc. | |
| Radiant Global Logistics | |
| Rowl Trucking | |
| Russel Delivery Services, Inc. | |
| Route Transportation & Logistics | |
| Royal Oil | |
| Safmarine | |
| Saia LTL Freight | |
| The Shipping Coporation of India Ltd. | |
| Siem Car Carriers AS | |
| Same Day Air Logistics | |
| SeaFreight Line | |
| Seago Line | |
| Samskip, Inc. | |
| Sinokor Merchant Marine Co.,Ltd | |
| Sallaum Lines | |
| Seaboard Marine | |
| Schneider National | |
| Stevens Transport | |
| Hamburg Süd | |
| SWIFT Transportation | |
| Truckers America | |
| Thorco Shipping | |
| TOHO Shipping Co., Ltd | |
| TOTE Maritime | |
| Triple A Logistics | |
| Turkon Line Inc | |
| Universal Africa Lines | |
| Great White Fleet | |
| USAW – USA Logistics | |
| UPS FREIGHT (FKA Overnite Transportation Co / OVNT) | |
| United Parcel Service | |
| UNIQUE EXPRESS | |
| U.S. Government | |
| USA Truck | |
| US Lines | |
| U.S. Northwest Express or USNW Express | |
| United States Postal Service | |
| U.S. Xpress | |
| UNYSON | |
| Vocar Transportation Services, LLC. | |
| VANEDGE LOGISTICS | |
| Vistar Transportation Ltd. | |
| World Logistics Service (USA) Inc | |
| West European Container Lines | |
| Wallenius Wilhelmsen Logistics | |
| Westwood Shipping Lines | |
| XPO Logistics | |
| Xpress United Inc. | |
| Yang Ming Line | |
| ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd |
Though it’s not necessary (or even possible) to memorize all SCAC codes in the industry, it always helps to familiarize yourself with the codes for your commonly used carriers. As with most things shipping: the more you know, the better your freight experience is going to be.