CPC Road Haulage Exam flashcards

38 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Offer and acceptance

A contract is concluded when an offer is met by unqualified acceptance. A reply that changes terms is a counter-offer and operates as a rejection of the original offer.

Carrier liability presumption

Once goods are received for carriage, the carrier is presumed liable for loss or damage. The carrier must prove a recognised exempting ground such as force majeure, inherent vice or consignor fault.

Carrier's lien

The carrier may retain the goods until freight and related charges are paid. The lien secures payment but does not cancel the underlying debt, which survives the release of goods.

Consignment note function

The consignment note evidences the carriage contract and receipt of goods. Its absence does not invalidate the contract, but it weakens proof of the goods' condition at handover.

Liability limit per kilogram

Compensation for lost or damaged goods is normally capped per kilogram of gross weight of the affected goods. A declared value above the cap raises the limit on payment of a supplement.

Damage notice deadline

The consignee must notify damage within a short statutory period after delivery. Late notice reverses the evidentiary burden, so the claimant must then prove the damage occurred in transit.

Cost per kilometre

Total operating costs divided by total kilometres run. Fixed costs such as insurance, depreciation and licences are separated from variable costs such as fuel, tyres and tolls.

Break-even distance

Fixed costs divided by the difference between revenue per kilometre and variable cost per kilometre. Below this distance a contract does not cover its fixed cost contribution.

Marginal versus absorption costing

Marginal costing counts only variable costs and suits accept-or-reject decisions on additional traffic. Absorption costing allocates fixed overheads and is used for pricing and statutory accounts.

Return on capital employed

Operating profit divided by capital employed. A haulier earning less than its cost of borrowing destroys value even while reporting an accounting profit on the fleet.

Fuel efficiency metric

Litres consumed per 100 kilometres is the standard fleet efficiency measure. Fuel is usually the largest single cost line, so small per-vehicle gains compound across the fleet.

Vehicle replacement decision

Compare the new unit's depreciation, maintenance and downtime cost against the cost of capital tied up in it. Retain the old vehicle while its total cost per kilometre stays lower.

Four access conditions

To enter the occupation of road transport operator a haulier must satisfy good repute, appropriate financial standing, professional competence, and an effective and stable establishment, all cumulatively.

Good repute test

Repute is assessed on convictions and infringements, including serious criminal offences and grave breaches of commercial law. Repeated minor infringements can also compromise repute.

Financial standing proof

Available capital and reserves must be verified annually by accounts or a bank guarantee. The required amount is set per authorised vehicle plus an amount per additional vehicle.

Professional competence

Demonstrated by passing the written examination on the access-regime subjects, or by recognition of an equivalent qualification. The transport manager must hold this competence continuously.

Community licence

Issued by the competent authority of a Member State and valid for international carriage between Member States. It is non-transferable, and certified true copies must be carried on vehicles.

Cabotage rule

After an international journey, a non-resident haulier may perform a limited number of temporary domestic operations in the host state. Operation count and duration are capped by regulation.

Maximum vehicle width

The international maximum width is 2.55 metres, raised to 2.60 metres for refrigerated bodies. Height is capped at 4.00 metres and articulated combinations at 16.50 metres.

Maximum combination weight

International traffic permits 40 tonnes for a five- or six-axle articulated combination. National limits may be lower or higher, so each country's rule must be checked before routing.

Periodic technical inspection

Vehicles undergo inspection at intervals set by category and age. A valid certificate must be carried on the vehicle and produced on demand to enforcement officers.

Digital tachograph card

The driver card identifies the driver and stores activity records. Card misuse, withdrawal or manipulation destroys the evidentiary value of the record and is an infringement.

Load securing principle

Lashings must resist forces arising from braking, acceleration and cornering. The number of lashings follows from the load weight and each lashing's rated capacity.

ADR thresholds

Dangerous goods carriage above set quantity thresholds requires orange plates, placards, transport documents and an ADR-trained driver for the classes carried.

Two-second rule

In dry conditions a driver should stay at least two seconds behind the vehicle ahead. In rain or on poor surfaces the gap should be doubled to preserve the same safety margin.

Stopping distance growth

Total stopping distance is reaction distance plus braking distance. Braking distance rises with the square of speed, so a 20 percent speed increase adds roughly 44 percent.

Lorry speed limits

Heavy goods vehicles are subject to lower limits than cars. In built-up areas the general limit for lorries is 50 km/h unless signs state otherwise.

Turning and blind spots

Turning manoeuvres and blind spots cause many cyclist and pedestrian fatalities. Correct mirror adjustment and turn-assist systems are the primary countermeasures for the driver.

Daily driving limit

Daily driving is capped at 9 hours, extendable to 10 hours twice per week. The weekly maximum is 56 hours and the two-week maximum is 90 hours.

Break after 4.5 hours

After at most four and a half hours of driving the driver takes a 45-minute break. It may be split into a 15-minute period followed by a 30-minute period.

Reduced daily rest

Daily rest is normally 11 hours, reducible to 9 hours at most three times between weekly rests. A split daily rest of 3 hours plus 9 hours is also permitted.

Reduced weekly rest

Weekly rest is 45 hours, reducible to 24 hours. A reduced rest must be compensated en bloc by an equivalent period before the end of the third following week.

Records to produce

On roadside inspection the driver produces tachograph records for the current day and the previous 28 days, together with manual entries for any period not recorded automatically.

Working time caps

Average weekly working time is capped at 48 hours, with a maximum of 60 hours in any single week and 10 hours of night work per 24-hour period.

Load factor metric

Payload actually carried divided by payload capacity. Combined with empty running percentage, it drives cost per tonne-kilometre and reveals unused fleet capacity.

Freight rate build-up

Rate equals distance times cost per kilometre, plus handling and waiting time, plus a risk margin. The result is checked against prevailing market rates before quoting.

Defect reporting duty

Drivers report defects before departure and after the journey. Safety-critical defects require documented rectification before the vehicle is used again on the road.

Subcontractor verification

Before subcontracting, verify the operator's licence, insurance cover and good repute. The principal retains contractual and reputational exposure for the subcontractor's performance.