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    X12 transaction guide · Catalogs and pricing

    EDI 218 Motor Carrier Tariff Information

    The X12 document used to send processable rate information extracted from a motor carrier's tariff or pricing database.

    Sent by
    Motor carrier or tariff publisher
    Received by
    Shipper or other interested party
    Standard
    ANSI ASC X12

    What is an EDI 218?

    The EDI 218 Motor Carrier Tariff Information is the ANSI X12 transaction set for interchanging processable data extracted from a motor carrier's tariff or pricing database. Any producer of motor carrier tariffs or rates can use it to send rate information to shippers and others.

    The 218 is not intended to transmit a complete, legal tariff. It carries the rate information shippers need to rate shipments and audit invoices in their own systems, such as rates by class, weight break and origin-destination pair. In the X12 inventory it appears in release 004010 only.

    How the EDI 218 worksDiagram of the EDI 218 Motor Carrier Tariff Information. Motor carrier or tariff publisher sends it to shipper or other interested party. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 004010 requires, in the heading: TF (Tariff Information) and the required 2000 loop with TS (Tariff Section). 9 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 218 worksMotor Carrier Tariff Information: who sends it, where it fits and what the standard marks required1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 218SENDERMotor carrier or tariffpublisherRECEIVERShipper or otherinterested party997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partners agreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997FunctionalAcknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 004010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDsISA … IEAFunctional group, ID code FHGS … GETransaction set 218ST … SEHEADINGTFTariff InformationRequired loop 2000 · repeats up to 1TSTariff Section+ 1 optional loop, starting with:N1DETAIL+ 8 optional loops, starting with:SCLLXBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them; when a loop is used, that first segment is required. Optional segmentsoutside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12 004010 listing for the 218. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds its own requirements.
    How the EDI 218 worksDiagram of the EDI 218 Motor Carrier Tariff Information. Motor carrier or tariff publisher sends it to shipper or other interested party. It usually starts the exchange. It is usually followed by 997. Inside the ISA, GS and ST envelopes, X12 release 004010 requires, in the heading: TF (Tariff Information) and the required 2000 loop with TS (Tariff Section). 9 optional loops are listed by their first segment.How the EDI 218 worksMotor Carrier Tariff Information: who sends it,where it fits and what the standard marksrequired1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeEDI 218SENDERMotor carrier ortariff publisherRECEIVERShipper or otherinterested party997 or 999 acknowledgment back, if the partnersagreeUSUALLY FOLLOWED BY997Functional Acknowledgment2 WHAT X12 RELEASE 004010 REQUIRESInterchange: sender and receiver IDs (ISA… IEA)Functional group, ID code FH (GS … GE)Transaction set 218 (ST … SE)HEADINGTFTariff InformationRequired loop 2000 · repeats upto 1TSTariff Section+ 1 optional loop, starting with:N1DETAIL+ 8 optional loops, starting with:SCLLXBlue box: required loop. Optional loops are listedby the segment that starts them; when a loop isused, that first segment is required. Optionalsegments outside loops are not drawn.Structure: required segments and loops in the X12004010 listing for the 218. Your trading partner'simplementation guide adds its own requirements.

    How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends the 218, to whom, and which documents usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what X12 release 004010 itself requires: the envelopes around the 218 and the segments and loops the standard marks as required, area by area. Optional loops are listed by the segment that starts them rather than drawn in full. This is the standard's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: each partner's implementation guide usually makes some optional loops mandatory, restricts the codes and may use a different release.

    Expand diagram Download SVG

    When it is used

    • Sending a shipper the rates from a carrier's tariff
    • Distributing rate updates and general rate increases
    • Supplying data for freight rating and audit

    Where it fits in the document flow

    This document 218 Motor Carrier Tariff Information
    Usually followed by 997 Functional Acknowledgment

    Structure

    Mandatory segments in the 218 (X12 release 004010)

    The segments X12 release 004010 marks as mandatory at their level, in order. Segments inside optional loops are needed only when the loop is used. This is the standard's requirement, not your trading partner's: each partner's implementation guide names the release it uses, adds the optional segments it requires and restricts the values. The requirement status comes from one published X12 reference listing and has not been checked against a second source.

    • ST
    • TF
    • N1
    • TS
    • SCL
    • CL
    • LX
    • SE

    Practical example

    The 218 in practice

    A carrier announces a general rate increase effective in January. It sends its contract shippers a 218 with the new class rates by weight break for each origin and destination zone. A shipper's freight audit system loads the rates so January invoices (210) are audited against the new values.

    Implementation

    Implementation considerations for the 218

    • Remember that the 218 provides rate data, not the legal tariff.
    • Load rates with effective dates to audit invoices correctly over the changeover.
    • Agree on the rate structure, such as class rates, weight breaks and discounts.
    • Confirm the release; the 218 is not present in later X12 releases.

    How ECOM helps

    Automate the 218 with ECOM

    Industry

    Trucking and Transportation

    Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

    Solution

    Logistics Automation

    Automate tenders, status updates, freight invoices and warehouse orders with logistics partners.

    Solution

    Financial Document Automation

    Automate invoices, remittances, payment files and bank statements from capture to posting.

    More general questions about EDI are answered in the EDI FAQ.

    Related transactions

    Related catalogs and pricing documents

    All 23 catalogs and pricing documents

    From the guide to go-live

    Put this into practice with ECOM

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