TAT (Turnaround Time) is the total time a shipment takes to move from one point in the process to another — most commonly, from dispatch to delivery.
Every lane, transporter and shipment type usually has an expected TAT based on distance and historical performance. Comparing actual transit time against this expectation is how teams distinguish a shipment that is "on track" from one that is falling behind.
A shipment that has exceeded its expected TAT without being delivered is typically flagged as "out of TAT" — one of the clearest operational signals that a shipment needs attention before a customer has to ask about it.