In freight handling, who is the person hired specifically to physically load or unload freight at the shipper or receiver?

• A. Dock Supervisor
• B. Warehouse Clerk
• C. Lumper
• D. Shipper's Assistant

Answer: (C)

The core idea here is identifying the person whose sole job is the physical task of moving freight at the dock. A lumper is the laborer hired specifically to load or unload freight at the shipper’s or receiver’s facility, using equipment like pallets, hand trucks, or forklifts as needed. This role is all about hands-on handling of goods, not about supervision or paperwork.

That’s why this choice fits best: lumpers are contracted to perform the actual loading and unloading work, which is distinct from a dock supervisor who directs operations, a warehouse clerk who handles receiving records and inventory, or a shipper’s assistant who may help with the shipper’s own tasks but not necessarily perform dock labor. In freight operations, lumpers are the familiar term for the on-the-dock labor responsible for moving freight on and off the loading areas.