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 is best suited for bulk shipments of grain moving from the Midwest to Gulf Coast export terminals?
Answer: Inland waterway barge
Inland waterway barges are ideal for bulk agricultural commodities like grain moving to Gulf Coast ports, offering the lowest cost per ton-mile for high-volume, non-time-sensitive cargo.
When evaluating transportation modes using the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) approach, which cost element is often overlooked?
Answer: Inventory carrying costs during transit
Inventory carrying costs during transit (in-transit inventory) are often overlooked but are significant, as slower modes tie up capital in goods while they move.
A logistics manager wants to reduce carbon emissions while maintaining reasonable transit times for cross-country shipments. Which mode shift is most impactful?
Answer: Switch from truckload to intermodal rail
Shifting from truckload to intermodal rail can reduce carbon emissions by 75% or more per ton-mile while maintaining acceptable transit times for most domestic freight.
What does 'freight equalization' mean in transportation pricing?
Answer: Absorbing freight costs to match a competitor's delivered price
Freight equalization is a pricing strategy where a seller absorbs some or all freight costs to offer buyers a delivered price equal to that of a competitor located closer to the buyer.
In multimodal transportation planning, what is a 'ramp-to-ramp' service?
Answer: An intermodal service measured between rail terminals, excluding drayage
Ramp-to-ramp service refers to the rail portion of an intermodal move, measured between origin and destination rail terminals, excluding the truck drayage segments.
Which routing strategy minimizes total distance traveled when a vehicle must visit multiple delivery points and return to its origin?
Answer: Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) optimization
The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) optimization finds the shortest route visiting all required stops and returning to the origin, minimizing total distance traveled.
What is the primary advantage of a 'hub-and-spoke' distribution network over a 'point-to-point' network?
Answer: Fewer total vehicle miles and lower cost through consolidation
Hub-and-spoke networks consolidate shipments at central hubs, enabling fuller loads on trunk routes and reducing total vehicle miles compared to direct point-to-point service for all pairs.