Truck Dispatcher TruckDisp Fleet Performance Metrics and KPIs 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A dispatcher notices the fleet's empty miles percentage has climbed to 28%. What does this metric indicate?
- Trucks are running without cargo 28% of total miles driven (Correct answer)
- 28% of loads were delivered late
- Fuel efficiency dropped by 28%
- Drivers spent 28% of their time idling
Correct answer: Trucks are running without cargo 28% of total miles driven
Empty miles percentage measures the proportion of total miles driven without a paying load, directly impacting revenue per mile.
Question 2: Which KPI best measures how efficiently a fleet uses its available truck capacity on a per-load basis?
- On-time delivery rate
- Load factor (payload utilization) (Correct answer)
- Driver turnover rate
- Cost per dispatched mile
Correct answer: Load factor (payload utilization)
Load factor, or payload utilization, compares actual weight or volume hauled to the truck's maximum capacity for each load.
Question 3: A fleet's revenue per truck per week dropped from $4,200 to $3,600. Which factor would a dispatcher investigate FIRST?
- Driver's personal mileage logs
- Increased dwell time at shipper and receiver locations (Correct answer)
- Number of DOT inspections passed
- Office staff headcount
Correct answer: Increased dwell time at shipper and receiver locations
Increased dwell time means trucks sit idle longer at facilities, reducing billable miles and revenue per truck per week.
Question 4: What does a Driver Vehicle Inspection Report (DVIR) completion rate KPI help a dispatcher monitor?
- Average speed on highways
- Compliance with pre-trip and post-trip inspection requirements (Correct answer)
- Percentage of loads delivered under weight
- Number of customer complaints per driver
Correct answer: Compliance with pre-trip and post-trip inspection requirements
DVIR completion rate tracks whether drivers are completing mandatory pre-trip and post-trip inspections as required by FMCSA regulations.
Question 5: How is the 'fleet utilization rate' typically calculated?
- Total revenue divided by total miles
- Available trucks divided by trucks with active loads times 100
- Trucks with active loads divided by total available trucks times 100 (Correct answer)
- Total loads divided by total drivers
Correct answer: Trucks with active loads divided by total available trucks times 100
Fleet utilization rate is calculated by dividing the number of trucks actively hauling loads by the total number of available trucks, expressed as a percentage.
Question 6: A carrier's CSA (Compliance, Safety, Accountability) score has increased sharply. What impact does this have on dispatcher operations?
- Drivers earn higher bonuses automatically
- The fleet may face increased roadside inspections and potential shipper restrictions (Correct answer)
- Fuel surcharges are automatically reduced
- Hours of service limits are extended for all drivers
Correct answer: The fleet may face increased roadside inspections and potential shipper restrictions
A high CSA score signals safety deficiencies to regulators and shippers, leading to more roadside inspections and some shippers refusing to use that carrier.
Question 7: Which metric would a dispatcher use to evaluate the financial cost of vehicle breakdowns on the fleet?
- Maintenance cost per mile (Correct answer)
- Gross revenue per driver
- Average fuel price per gallon
- On-time pickup percentage
Correct answer: Maintenance cost per mile
Maintenance cost per mile tracks total repair and upkeep expenses divided by miles driven, revealing the true cost impact of breakdowns and preventive maintenance.
Truck Dispatcher TruckDisp Fleet Performance Metrics and KPIs 2
A dispatcher notices the fleet's empty miles percentage has climbed to 28%.
What does this metric indicate?