Truck Dispatcher Core Responsibilities 3 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'deadhead miles' mean in trucking dispatch?
- Miles driven with an overweight load
- Miles driven without a paying load (empty) (Correct answer)
- Miles driven past the legal speed limit
- Miles driven in a restricted zone
Correct answer: Miles driven without a paying load (empty)
Deadhead miles are unpaid empty miles driven to pick up the next load, which reduce a carrier's profitability.
Question 2: A dispatcher receives two load offers simultaneously. Which factor is LEAST important when deciding which to accept?
- Driver availability and HOS compliance
- The color of the customer's logo (Correct answer)
- Load profitability and deadhead cost
- Delivery timeline feasibility
Correct answer: The color of the customer's logo
Branding elements like logo color have no operational relevance; dispatchers prioritize profitability, feasibility, and driver availability.
Question 3: Which federal agency's regulations most directly govern the hours a truck driver can work, directly affecting dispatcher planning?
- EPA
- FMCSA (Correct answer)
- OSHA
- FTC
Correct answer: FMCSA
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) sets Hours of Service (HOS) rules that dispatchers must plan around.
Question 4: A driver calls to say the receiver is closed and refuses the delivery. What is the dispatcher's responsibility?
- Tell the driver to leave the freight at the dock
- Contact the receiver to resolve the issue, arrange re-delivery or alternate drop, and notify the shipper (Correct answer)
- Immediately file a freight claim
- Instruct the driver to return the load to origin without authorization
Correct answer: Contact the receiver to resolve the issue, arrange re-delivery or alternate drop, and notify the shipper
The dispatcher must coordinate between driver, receiver, and shipper to find an authorized resolution to the refused delivery.
Question 5: What is the dispatcher's role regarding a driver's pre-trip inspection?
- Dispatchers perform the inspection themselves
- Dispatchers ensure the driver completes the inspection and is aware of any vehicle defects before dispatch (Correct answer)
- Dispatchers report inspection results to the EPA
- Pre-trip inspections are the sole responsibility of the maintenance department
Correct answer: Dispatchers ensure the driver completes the inspection and is aware of any vehicle defects before dispatch
While drivers perform the physical inspection, dispatchers are responsible for confirming completion and ensuring unsafe vehicles aren't dispatched.
Question 6: Which of the following is a dispatcher's responsibility regarding freight claims?
- Paying the claim directly from dispatch funds
- Documenting incidents, gathering evidence, and reporting claims to management and insurance (Correct answer)
- Denying all claims to protect company profit
- Ignoring minor damage reports
Correct answer: Documenting incidents, gathering evidence, and reporting claims to management and insurance
Dispatchers must properly document and escalate freight damage or loss incidents to initiate the claims process.
Question 7: A driver is stuck in unexpected severe weather. How should a dispatcher respond?
- Demand the driver continue driving to meet the delivery window
- Contact the customer with updated ETA, advise driver on safe stopping locations, and monitor conditions (Correct answer)
- Ignore the situation until the weather clears
- Rebook the load with a different carrier without telling the original driver
Correct answer: Contact the customer with updated ETA, advise driver on safe stopping locations, and monitor conditions
Safety during weather events requires dispatcher intervention: communicating delays, supporting the driver, and updating stakeholders.
Truck Dispatcher Core Responsibilities 3
What does 'deadhead miles' mean in trucking dispatch?