CDL Practice Tests: Flatbed Cargo Securement
Choose A Section:
Go!A stack of shortwood loaded lengthwise can be secured with one tiedown if:
- They are blocked in the back by the vehicle's end structure or another stack of logs.
- They are blocked in the front by a headboard or another stack of logs.
- All of these apply.
- All logs in the stack are less than 10 ft long.
One tiedown
A stack can be secured with one tiedown if all logs in the stack less than 3.04 m (10 ft) are:
- Blocked in the front by a headboard strong enough to restrain the load or by another stack of logs.
- Blocked in the rear by the vehicle's end structure or another stack of logs.
Methods of securing building materials against forward motion include:
- These are all valid methods.
- Placing bundles against the bulkhead or front end.
- Using tiedowns.
- Employing blocking equipment.
-
Option #1
Place bundles against bulkhead/front end structure.
-
Option #2
When different tiers need to be secured, use a combination of blocking equipment and tiedowns.
While driving, the freight must not:
- Prevent the exit of a person from the cab.
- Interfere with the free movement of the driver's arms or legs.
- Obscure the driver's view ahead, left, or right.
- All of these things should be avoided.
- Obscure the driver's view ahead or to the right or left sides (except for drivers of self-steer dollies).
- Interfere with the free movement of the driver's arms or legs.
- Prevent the driver's free and ready access to accessories required for emergencies. OR
- Prevent the free and ready exit of any person from the commercial motor vehicle's cab or driver's compartment.
The North American Cargo Securement Standard cover vehicles weighing:
- Less than 10,000 lbs
- Over 4,500 lbs
- 26,001 lbs
- Over 10,000 lbs
North American Cargo Securement Standard
What does the Standard cover? (Section 1.1)
- Commercial vehicles (including a combination of vehicles) that are operated on a highway and have a gross vehicle rating over 4,500 kg (10,000 lb.)
Vehicles
How much force is the securement system required to withstand in terms of cargo weight?
- 80% forward, 50% rearward, 80% sideways, 20% upwards.
- 50% forward, 20% rearward, 50% sideways, 20% upwards.
- 80% forward, 50% rearward, 50% sideways, 20% upwards.
- 50% forward, 50% rearward, 50% sideways, 80% upwards.
How strong must the vehicle structure and anchor points be?
All elements of the vehicle structure and anchor points must be strong enough to withstand the forces described on page 7.
- Forward force: 0.8 g (80%)
- Rearward force: 0.5.g (50%)
- Sideways force: 0.5 g (50%)
- Upward force: 0.2 g (20%)
Cargo securement for a load weighing 37,000 lbs must be able to withstand a minimum forward braking force of:
- 18,500 lbs
- 7,400 lbs
- 29,600 lbs
- 10,000 lbs
How well must the securement system work? (Section 1.3)
Each cargo securement system must be able to withstand a minimum amount of force in each direction.
- Forward Force = 80% of cargo weight when braking while driving straight ahead.
- Rearward Force = 50% of cargo weight when accelerating, shifting gears while climbing a hill, or braking in reverse.
- Sideways Force = 50% of cargo weight when turning, changing lanes, or braking while turning.
-
Upward Force = 20% of cargo weight when traveling over bumps in the road or cresting a hill.
- This requirement is satisfied when the cargo is "Fully Contained."
When securing building materials, spacer requirements include all of the following except:
- The length of spacers must provide support to all pieces in the bottom row of the bundle.
- Spacers must provide good interlayer friction.
- If spacers are comprised of layers of material, the layers must be unitized or fastened together to ensure that the spacer performs as a single piece of material.
- The height of each spacer must be equal or greater than the width.
Spacer Requirements
- The length of spacers must provide support to all pieces in the bottom row of the bundle.
- The width of each spacer must be equal or greater than the height.
- Spacers must provide good interlayer friction.
- If spacers are comprised of layers of material, the layers must be unitized or fastened together to ensure that the spacer performs as a single piece of material.
What is the minimum aggregate WLL of all tiedowns in a group of concrete pipe?
- 80% of the total weight of all pipes in the group.
- It depends on the size of the pipe.
- 5,000 lbs.
- More than 50% of the total weight of all pipes in the group.
General tiedown requirements
The aggregate working load limit of all tiedowns on any group of pipe must be more than half the total weight of all pipes in the group.
When securing concrete pipe with a diameter up to 45 inches loaded crosswise as a group, a crosswise tiedown should be used every how many feet?
- 10
- 3
- 15
- 6
As a group
Place lengthwise tiedowns over the group of pipes:
Either one 13 mm (1/2 in) chain or wire rope,
Or two 10 mm (3/8 in) diameter chain or wire rope
Place one crosswise tiedown for every 3.0 m (10 ft) of load length.
Either attach the side-to-side tiedown through a pipe
Or pass the tiedown over both front-to-back tiedowns between two pipes on the top tier.
A chock is defined as:
- A short piece of material, usually wood, nailed to the deck to reinforce blocking.
- A tapered or wedge-shaped piece used to secure round articles against rolling.
- A crosswise load bearing structural component, particularly a part of a log bunk.
- A structure, device, or another substantial article placed against or around an article to prevent horizontal movement of the article.
Chock:
A tapered or wedge-shaped piece used to secure round articles against rolling.
About The Flatbed Cargo Securement CDL Manual
Studying the flatbed cargo securement CDL manual is not a requirement for getting your CDL permit or license. It is required knowledge for flatbed drivers.
Some questions you should be able to answer for flatbed cargo securement:
- What is the minimum Working Load Limit of a tiedown used to secure logs?
- What is the minimum weight of a shipment of paper rolls that would require specific securement requirements?
- When securing concrete pipe over 45 inches loaded crosswise, which direction must the tiedowns on the front half of the load run?
- What is a cab shield?
- When securing concrete pipe over 45 inches loaded crosswise, which direction must the tiedowns on the rear half of the load run?
- What is a dunnage bag?
- Who is responsible for inspecting securing devices and cargo within the first 50 miles?
- How many tiedowns are required on a stack of shortwood loaded crosswise?
- What is the minimum working load limit of each tiedown used to secure crushed or flattened vehicles?
- Define 'bolster'
- What is a hook-lift container?
- When a tiedown is attached directly to the cargo, what is the ideal angle where it attached to the vehicle?
What is a securing device?
Any device specifically manufactured to attach or secure cargo to a vehicle or trailer:
- Synthetic Webbing
- Chain
- Wire rope
- Manila rope
- Synthetic rope
- Steel strapping
- Clamps and latches
- Blocking
- Front-end structure
- Grab hooks
- Binders
- Shackles
- Winches
- Stake pockets
- D-rings
- Webbing ratchet
- Bracing
- Friction mat
What is a tiedown?
A combination of securing devices that forms an assembly that:
- Attaches cargo to, or restrains cargo on a vehicle.
- Is attached to anchor point(s).
Some tiedowns are attached to the cargo and provide direct resistance to restrain the cargo from movement.
Some tie-downs pass over or through the cargo. They create a downward force that increases the effect of friction between the cargo and the deck. This friction restrains the cargo.
Related Cargo Securement Terms That Every Driver Should Know:
-
Tiedown:
A combination of securing devices which form an assembly that attaches cargo to, or restrains cargo on, a vehicle or trailer, and is attached to anchor point(s).
-
Contained:
Cargo is contained if it fills a sided vehicle, and every article is in contact with or sufficiently close to a wall or other articles so that it cannot shift or tip if those other articles are also unable to shift or tip.
-
Blocking:
A structure, device, or another substantial article placed against or around an article to prevent horizontal movement of the article.
How should tiedowns be attached?
Tiedowns can be used in two ways:
-
Attached to the cargo:
- Tiedowns attached to the vehicle and attached to the cargo.
- Tiedowns attached to the vehicle, pass through or aroundan article of cargo, and then are attached to the vehicle again.
-
Pass over the cargo:
- Tiedowns attached to the vehicle, passed over the cargo, and then attached to the vehicle again.
Tiedown placement:
Place the tiedown as close as possible to the spacer.
Position the tiedowns as symetrically as possible over the length of the article.
Position the tiedowns to preserve the integrity of the article.
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