Truck Dispatcher TruckDisp Load Planning and Optimization 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does 'freight density' mean in the context of load planning?
- The weight of freight per square foot of trailer floor space
- The weight of freight per cubic foot of space it occupies (Correct answer)
- The number of packages stacked per pallet layer
- The ratio of freight weight to total trailer capacity
Correct answer: The weight of freight per cubic foot of space it occupies
Freight density is calculated as weight divided by cubic volume (lbs per cubic foot), which is used to determine freight class and the appropriate trailer type.
Question 2: Which loading method places the heaviest freight toward the front of the trailer near the cab?
- Rear-loading method
- Floor-loading method
- Nose-loading method (Correct answer)
- Center-loading method
Correct answer: Nose-loading method
Nose-loading places the heaviest freight at the front (nose) of the trailer to properly distribute weight over the tractor's drive axles and prevent rear axle overloading.
Question 3: What is 'headhaul' in trucking terminology?
- The primary outbound load moving away from the carrier's home terminal in a profitable direction (Correct answer)
- A load requiring oversized or overweight permits
- A load that mandates team driving due to distance
- A load originating at the driver's home terminal
Correct answer: The primary outbound load moving away from the carrier's home terminal in a profitable direction
A headhaul is the primary, typically higher-paying outbound load moving away from the carrier's home base, as opposed to the backhaul which brings freight back.
Question 4: What is the maximum legal weight on a single axle under federal US highway law?
- 12,000 lbs
- 17,000 lbs
- 20,000 lbs (Correct answer)
- 34,000 lbs
Correct answer: 20,000 lbs
Federal law caps single-axle weight at 20,000 lbs; tandem axles have a combined limit of 34,000 lbs, and total GVW is capped at 80,000 lbs.
Question 5: What is the purpose of sliding the tandem axles on a semi-trailer?
- To improve fuel efficiency at highway speeds
- To redistribute cargo weight across axles and comply with legal axle weight limits (Correct answer)
- To lower the trailer height when approaching low clearances
- To improve traction on wet or icy road surfaces
Correct answer: To redistribute cargo weight across axles and comply with legal axle weight limits
Sliding the tandem axles repositions the trailer's rear axle group forward or backward to shift how weight is distributed across axles and bring individual axle weights within legal limits.
Question 6: What is a 'team load' in truck dispatching?
- A load split between two carriers under a co-brokerage agreement
- A load requiring two drivers so the truck can operate continuously without mandatory HOS rest stops (Correct answer)
- A load delivered to multiple consignees on a single trip
- A load that requires two trailers to transport
Correct answer: A load requiring two drivers so the truck can operate continuously without mandatory HOS rest stops
A team load uses two drivers who alternate driving and sleeping, allowing the truck to run nearly 24 hours a day and cover long distances far faster than a solo driver could.
Question 7: What factor primarily determines whether a load needs a step-deck (drop-deck) trailer rather than a standard flatbed?
- The freight weighs more than 40,000 lbs
- The freight is too tall for a dry van but does not require the extremely low deck of a full lowboy (Correct answer)
- The freight requires temperature control during transit
- The freight must be loaded from the side rather than from the ends
Correct answer: The freight is too tall for a dry van but does not require the extremely low deck of a full lowboy
A step-deck's lowered rear deck accommodates taller freight (up to about 10 feet) that exceeds a dry van's interior height (~8.5 feet) but doesn't need the ultra-low deck of a lowboy trailer.
Truck Dispatcher TruckDisp Load Planning and Optimization 2
What does 'freight density' mean in the context of load planning?