---
title: Load Started Tracking
slug: fourkites-api-reference/load-started-tracking
description: Learn about load tracking updates and their JSON example with field definitions in this document. Understand how the update is triggered and discover the various information recorded, including load ID, distance, shipper, carrier, status, load mode, times
createdAt: 2023-04-14T06:06:38.000Z
---

The TRACKING\_NOW update is triggered as soon as the Load receives the first location update.

```json
{
   "MessageType" : "TRACKING_NOW",
    "FourKitesLoadId" : 1234,
    "LoadNumber" : "BOL12345",
    "TotalDistance" : "3763136",
    "Shipper" : "test-shipper",
    "Scac" : "ABCD",
    "NewCarrierId" : "test-carrier-id",
    "Status" : "At Pickup",
    "LoadMode" : "truck",
    "Timestamp" : "2015-10-01T16:00:00-05:00",
    "Timezone" : "America/New_York",
    "TimezoneShortName" : "UTC",
    "TimezoneOffset" : "-18000"
}
```

## Field Definitions

| **Field Name**      | **Description**                                                                                                                                                         | **Key Always Present?** | **Value Always Present?**                              | **Data Type**             | **Max Length**                                            |
| ------------------- | ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | ----------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------- | --------------------------------------------------------- |
| `FourKitesLoadId`   | Unique load identifier from FourKites system                                                                                                                            | Yes                     | Yes                                                    | Number                    | 20                                                        |
| `LoadNumber`        | Unique shipment identifier from shipper's system                                                                                                                        | Yes                     | Yes                                                    | String                    | 65535                                                     |
| `TotalDistance`     | The total distance (in meters) from the initial pickup stop to the final delivery stop. This is calculated after all the stops on the load are geocoded.                | Yes                     | No                                                     | Integer                   |                                                           |
| `Shipper`           | Unique shipper ID from FourKites                                                                                                                                        | Yes                     | Yes                                                    | String                    | No max, but realistically, not longer than 200 characters |
| `Scac`              | SCAC of the carrier assigned to the shipment/load                                                                                                                       | Yes                     | No                                                     | Alpha/Numeric             | 4                                                         |
| `NewCarrierId`      | Unique carrier identifier from FourKites system                                                                                                                         | Yes                     | Yes                                                    |                           |                                                           |
| `Status`            | Status of the load. Example: "Picked Up"                                                                                                                                | Yes                     | Yes                                                    | String                    | 100 max                                                   |
| `LoadMode`          | Mode of the load. Example: "Truck"                                                                                                                                      | Yes                     | Yes                                                    | String                    | 15 max                                                    |
| `Timestamp`         | The time (ISO 8601 format) when the Geofence was updated in UTC.                                                                                                        | Yes                     | Yes. It will contain the current time specific to UTC. | String in DateTime format |                                                           |
| `Timezone`          | The timezone in UTC.                                                                                                                                                    | Yes                     | Yes. The value will always be ETC/UTC                  | String                    | 50                                                        |
| `TimezoneShortName` | The shortname of the timezone. Example: UTC.                                                                                                                            | Yes                     | Yes. This will always be UTC.                          | String                    | 5                                                         |
| `TimezoneOffset`    | Number of seconds the time zone is ahead of UTC time. For western hemisphere, time zones will be represented in negative values indicating that the time is behind UTC. | Yes                     | Yes. This will always be "0"                           | \[+/-]Digits              | 10                                                        |