Transportation Mode Selection & Routing Flashcards

Which document serves as the contract of carriage between a shipper and a motor carrier?

Answer: Bill of lading

The bill of lading is the legal contract of carriage between the shipper and carrier, serving as a receipt for goods, a shipping contract, and a document of title.

A shipper has freight with a high value-to-weight ratio and requires extremely fast delivery. Which mode is most appropriate?

Answer: Air express

Air express is most appropriate for high-value, weight-light shipments requiring the fastest possible delivery, as the high per-pound cost is justified by the value and time urgency.

What is 'zone skipping' in parcel transportation?

Answer: Consolidating shipments and injecting them closer to the destination to reduce zone-based rates

Zone skipping involves consolidating multiple parcel shipments and transporting them in bulk (often by truck or air) closer to their destinations, then injecting them into the carrier network at a lower zone rate.

Under the Carmack Amendment, which party bears the burden of proof when cargo is damaged during transit?

Answer: The carrier must disprove liability once the shipper shows delivery in damaged condition

Under the Carmack Amendment, once the shipper proves goods were delivered to the carrier in good condition and arrived damaged, the burden shifts to the carrier to prove it was not liable.

Which transportation mode selection criterion is most important for Just-in-Time (JIT) manufacturing operations?

Answer: Transit time reliability and predictability

JIT manufacturing depends on precise delivery timing, making transit time reliability the most critical mode selection criterion to prevent production line stoppages.

What is the 'continuous move' strategy in truckload transportation?

Answer: Linking multiple loads so a driver moves from one load directly to another without deadheading

Continuous move strategies link sequential truckload shipments so drivers move from one loaded delivery directly to the next pickup, minimizing empty miles between loads.

In transportation management, what is a 'capacity constraint' in routing?

Answer: A restriction on how much weight or volume a vehicle can carry on a route

A capacity constraint in routing refers to the physical limit on weight or volume that a vehicle can carry, which must be respected when assigning loads to vehicles in route optimization.