Truck Dispatcher TruckDisp Load Planning and Optimization 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A shipper wants to send 26 pallets on a standard 53-foot dry van trailer. Standard pallets are 48" × 40". How many pallets can fit in a single row across the trailer width of 98 inches?
- One pallet per row
- Two pallets per row turned to 40" side (Correct answer)
- Three pallets per row
- Four pallets per row
Correct answer: Two pallets per row turned to 40" side
Two 48" pallets placed side-by-side require 96", which fits within the 98" trailer interior width with 2" clearance.
Question 2: What does the term 'cubing out' mean in freight load planning?
- The load reaches the trailer's maximum weight limit before filling the space
- The load fills the trailer's cubic volume before reaching its weight limit (Correct answer)
- The freight requires cubic measurement for accurate pricing
- The dispatcher calculates cube roots to optimize stacking height
Correct answer: The load fills the trailer's cubic volume before reaching its weight limit
Cubing out means the trailer's physical space is completely filled before the legal weight limit is reached, limiting additional freight by volume rather than weight.
Question 3: A temperature-controlled load requires the trailer to maintain 34°F. The driver must pick up a second shipment that needs 55°F. What is the best dispatcher action?
- Accept both loads since the temperatures are close enough
- Arrange a dual-temperature trailer or assign separate trucks for each load (Correct answer)
- Set the reefer to 44°F as a compromise
- Load both and allow the driver to adjust temperature at each stop
Correct answer: Arrange a dual-temperature trailer or assign separate trucks for each load
Mixing incompatible temperature requirements risks spoiling freight; the correct solution is a multi-compartment reefer or separate vehicles for each load.
Question 4: Which scenario would most likely trigger an overheight permit requirement?
- A load standing 12 feet tall on a standard flatbed trailer
- A load standing 13.5 feet tall on a standard flatbed trailer (Correct answer)
- A load standing 12 feet tall on a step-deck trailer
- A load standing 8 feet tall on a standard flatbed trailer
Correct answer: A load standing 13.5 feet tall on a standard flatbed trailer
The standard legal height limit in most U.S. states is 13.5 to 14 feet; a load at 13.5 feet on a standard flatbed (which adds roughly 5 feet of trailer height) would likely exceed limits.
Question 5: A dispatcher is optimizing a driver's week to maximize loaded miles. The driver is currently in Chicago after a delivery. Two backhaul options exist: Option A goes to Atlanta (700 miles), Option B goes to Dallas (920 miles). Both pay equal rates per mile. Which option should the dispatcher consider beyond gross mileage?
- Option B only because it pays more total revenue
- Option A only because it is closer and saves fuel
- Reloading opportunities from each destination to maximize the next load (Correct answer)
- Neither, because the dispatcher should always send drivers home first
Correct answer: Reloading opportunities from each destination to maximize the next load
Beyond gross mileage, the dispatcher should evaluate freight availability and lane demand from each destination to ensure the driver can secure another load efficiently.
Question 6: When a broker provides a rate confirmation with a TONU (Truck Order Not Used) clause, what does this protect?
- The carrier from fuel surcharge discrepancies
- The carrier from losing compensation if the shipper cancels after the truck is dispatched (Correct answer)
- The broker from liability if the cargo is damaged
- The driver from detention fees at the delivery location
Correct answer: The carrier from losing compensation if the shipper cancels after the truck is dispatched
A TONU clause entitles the carrier to a partial payment if the shipper cancels or does not tender the freight after the truck has already been committed and dispatched.
Question 7: A dispatcher receives a load with a 'drop and hook' instruction. What does this mean for load planning?
- The driver drops the load at a weigh station for inspection before delivery
- The driver hooks a pre-loaded trailer and drops the empty trailer, eliminating live-load wait time (Correct answer)
- The driver drops freight at multiple stops before returning to the origin
- The driver hooks the load only if the broker confirms the rate first
Correct answer: The driver hooks a pre-loaded trailer and drops the empty trailer, eliminating live-load wait time
Drop and hook means the driver exchanges trailers — dropping an empty or loaded trailer and hooking a pre-staged trailer — eliminating detention time from live loading or unloading.
Truck Dispatcher TruckDisp Load Planning and Optimization 5
A shipper wants to send 26 pallets on a standard 53-foot dry van trailer.
Standard pallets are 48" × 40".
How many pallets can fit in a single row across the trailer width of 98 inches?