Transportation Mode Selection & Routing Flashcards
7 cards from real CPL practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Transportation Mode Selection & Routing flashcards as text
Which transportation mode offers the greatest flexibility for door-to-door delivery in rural areas with no rail or water access?
Answer: Truckload (TL) motor carrier
Truckload motor carriers provide the greatest geographic flexibility and can reach virtually any location with road access, making them ideal for rural door-to-door delivery.
A shipper needs to move 10,000 barrels of crude oil 800 miles at the lowest possible cost per unit. Which mode is most appropriate?
Answer: Pipeline
Pipelines have the lowest cost per ton-mile for liquid commodities like crude oil when moving large, continuous volumes over fixed routes.
What is the primary disadvantage of air freight compared to other transportation modes?
Answer: High cost per pound
Air freight's primary disadvantage is its significantly higher cost per pound compared to surface transportation modes.
In transportation routing, what does the term 'milk run' refer to?
Answer: A single vehicle making multiple pickups or deliveries along a route
A milk run is a routing strategy where a single vehicle makes multiple stops to pick up or deliver goods, consolidating loads from several suppliers or customers.
Which factor most directly increases the cost of Less-than-Truckload (LTL) shipping compared to Full Truckload (FTL)?
Answer: Terminal handling and consolidation costs
LTL shipments must pass through terminals where they are unloaded, sorted, and reloaded, adding significant handling costs not present in FTL direct shipments.
A company must ship temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals internationally with strict time constraints. Which mode combination is most appropriate?
Answer: Air freight + refrigerated truck
Air freight combined with refrigerated truck provides the fastest transit and maintains the cold chain required for temperature-sensitive pharmaceuticals.
What is 'deadhead' in the context of motor carrier routing?
Answer: Miles driven with an empty trailer
Deadhead refers to miles driven with an empty trailer, which represents unproductive cost for carriers and is a key metric in route optimization.