Essential Terminology for the Auto Transport Industry

What is Pro Number?

A Pro Number, which is the short form for Progressive Number, is a reference number provided to a shipment by a carrier. It remains a unique label throughout the transportation chain so that the shipment can be easily located and controlled at any time it is in transit.

The Role of the Pro Number

The Pro Number plays a vital role in the logistics industry by:

• Shipment Identification: It is an identifier of a particular shipment differentiating it from other shipments managed by a particular carrier.
• Tracking and Visibility: The Pro Number allows the shippers, carriers, and consignees to monitor the progression of the shipment in real-time with the help of the carrier’s tracking system.
• Documentation: Additional information that might be written on the shipping document, such as bills of Lading, PO Delivery, etc., is the Pro Number.
• Communication: It creates a link between the players in the shipment process and enables party to party information sharing and identification of issues.
• Billing and Invoicing: To help with specific identification of the shipment and to ensure precise billing the Pro Number is employed.

How the Pro Number Works

When a shipment is tendered to a carrier tenders it a Pro Number is assigned to it. This number usually consists of numbers and letters, and the format may be different depending on the carrier. It is also common to find the Pro Number within the shipping label, the bill of lading, and other similar documents.

Thus, by entering the Pro Number in the carrier tracking system, shippers, consignees, or any vying party may monitor a shipment’s status. This affordances information about the shipment's location and its condition along with the estimated time of arrival.

Importance of the Pro Number

Thus, the Pro Number is essential for proper organization of freight transportation, as well as for transparency of actions carried out in the process. Through this formulation, it becomes easy to track the aspects being compared, there are fewer chances of making errors, and it fosters the exchange of information between all the parties. It is therefore the responsibility of every shipment to generate a Pro Number thus increasing overall supply chain efficiency.

Thus, the Pro Number is the essential identifier in the freight shipping process that allows managing and tracking shipments and communicating key information during transportation.

Do you want to know more about Pro Numbers’ application in various transportation types or compare them with innovative tracking numbers of other industries?