Freight glossaryTruckingCargo HandlingFreight Pricing
Lumper
Definition
A lumper is a third-party worker hired to load or unload a truck, usually at a receiving warehouse; the charge for that labor is the lumper fee.
What it means
The FHWA glossary describes lumpers as "individuals that assist a motor carrier owner operator in the unloading of property; quite commonly used in the food industry."[1]
Federal law decides who pays when the help is required. If a shipper or receiver requires that a carrier be assisted in loading or unloading, "the shipper or receiver shall be responsible for providing such assistance or shall compensate the owner or operator for all costs associated" with it. It is also unlawful to coerce a carrier into hiring or paying people to load or unload.[2]
Example
A grocery DC requires third-party unloaders for all inbound trucks. The driver's load is unloaded by the lumper service, and under 49 U.S.C. 14103 the cost of help the receiver requires falls on the receiver or shipper, not the driver.
Related
Related terms
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Related questions
- Live Unload vs. Drop Trailer: What Is the Difference?In a live unload the driver and truck wait at the dock while the trailer is unloaded. In a drop, the driver...Answer
- Who Pays When a Truck Driver Waits at a Shipper or Receiver?Usually the carrier bills detention to the party it contracted with, under the rate confirmation, contract or...Answer
Sources
- Federal Highway Administration, Office of Freight Management and Operations, “Freight Glossary,” Government glossary. Accessed September 30, 2026.
- Legal Information Institute, Cornell Law School, “49 U.S. Code § 14103, Loading and unloading motor vehicles,” Federal statute. Accessed September 30, 2026.
General operational information, not legal, customs or regulatory advice. Rules and rates change; confirm current requirements with the agency, carrier or contract that governs your shipment.