Truck Dispatcher TruckDisp Equipment Specifications 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is a 'spread axle' trailer configuration primarily used for?
- Improving fuel economy on long hauls
- Distributing heavy loads across a wider area to reduce per-axle weight (Correct answer)
- Increasing speed rating of the trailer
- Allowing the trailer to turn in tighter spaces
Correct answer: Distributing heavy loads across a wider area to reduce per-axle weight
Spread axle trailers position rear axles farther apart to distribute weight more evenly and stay within legal axle weight limits.
Question 2: Which equipment specification is most critical for a dispatcher to verify when assigning a temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical load?
- Trailer length and number of axles
- Reefer unit model and temperature range capability (Correct answer)
- Trailer door type and locking mechanism
- Tire brand and tread depth
Correct answer: Reefer unit model and temperature range capability
The reefer unit must be capable of maintaining the required temperature range (often 35–46°F for pharmaceuticals) throughout the entire transit.
Question 3: What does 'tare weight' mean when evaluating a truck's load capacity?
- The weight of the cargo only
- The empty weight of the vehicle without cargo or fuel (Correct answer)
- The maximum allowable gross weight
- The weight including driver and fuel but not cargo
Correct answer: The empty weight of the vehicle without cargo or fuel
Tare weight is the weight of the empty vehicle, which is subtracted from the gross weight limit to determine available payload.
Question 4: A 'double-drop' (well) trailer is specifically designed to accommodate:
- Two separate dry van compartments stacked vertically
- Extremely tall cargo by using a lowered center deck section (Correct answer)
- Refrigerated goods requiring dual temperature zones
- Side-by-side containers on a single frame
Correct answer: Extremely tall cargo by using a lowered center deck section
Double-drop trailers have a recessed center section (well) that allows taller equipment to be transported within legal height limits.
Question 5: When dispatching a load that requires a 'step deck' (drop deck) trailer instead of a standard flatbed, it is usually because:
- The cargo is too light for a flatbed floor load rating
- The cargo is too tall to fit on a standard flatbed while staying under the 13'6" height limit (Correct answer)
- The cargo requires side curtains for weather protection
- The destination does not have a loading dock
Correct answer: The cargo is too tall to fit on a standard flatbed while staying under the 13'6" height limit
Step deck trailers have a lower deck height than standard flatbeds, allowing taller freight to stay within the legal 13'6" height limit.
Question 6: What is the purpose of the 'glad hands' on a semi-trailer?
- The handles used to open and secure trailer doors
- Coupling connectors that link the tractor's air brake lines to the trailer (Correct answer)
- Safety chains connecting tractor to trailer as backup
- The electrical connectors for trailer lights
Correct answer: Coupling connectors that link the tractor's air brake lines to the trailer
Glad hands are D-shaped coupling devices that connect the tractor's air supply and service brake lines to the trailer's brake system.
Question 7: Which of the following best describes the function of 'landing gear cranks' during a drop-and-hook operation?
- They adjust the fifth wheel height on the tractor
- They raise or lower the trailer's support legs when coupling or uncoupling from a tractor (Correct answer)
- They lock the trailer doors during transit
- They control the air pressure in the trailer's suspension bags
Correct answer: They raise or lower the trailer's support legs when coupling or uncoupling from a tractor
Landing gear cranks wind the support legs up before coupling and down before dropping the trailer so it rests safely on its own.
Truck Dispatcher TruckDisp Equipment Specifications 5
What is a 'spread axle' trailer configuration primarily used for?