CLEP Marketing Practice Exam

Piggyback service in logistics refers specifically to the practice of loading trailers onto railcars for transportation. This method allows for the efficient movement of freight by combining the advantages of highway transport with the cost-effective and environmentally friendly aspects of rail transport. In this service, trucks deliver cargo to a rail terminal where the trailers are loaded onto flatcars. Upon reaching their destination, the trailers are then unloaded and transported by truck to the final delivery point. This system improves the overall efficiency of transportation, as it takes advantage of the lower costs associated with rail transport while maintaining the flexibility and convenience of trucking for shorter distances. The other options, while related to logistics and shipping methods, do not accurately capture the essence of piggyback service. Shipping goods by sea involves maritime transport, use of multiple shipping methods refers more generically to intermodal transport without specifying the trailer-on-rail component, and air freight consolidation typically concerns the bundling of shipments for air transport, which is distinct from piggyback services. Thus, the definition associated with loading trailers into railcars is key to understanding what piggyback service truly entails.