CDL School

ATI's Commercial Driving programs are designed to get you ready for a new career in just 6 weeks.

Commercial Driver’s License are:

Single vehicles with a gross vehicle weight (GVWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more
A combination of vehicles with a gross combination weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 lbs. or more if the vehicle(s) being towed has a GVWR of more than 10,000 lbs.
A vehicle that carries 16 or more passengers, including the driver
Any size vehicle that transports hazardous materials and that requires federal placarding

Commercial Driver’s License requirements do not apply to:

operators of emergency vehicles, such as firefighters
Active-duty military personnel operating military vehicles
Operators of vehicles, such as recreational vehicles and rental moving vans, used only for personal use
Operators of Covered Farm Vehicles as defined in § 46.2-649.3
Operators of farm vehicles if:

The vehicle is used by farmers to move farm goods, supplies or machinery to or from their farm
The vehicle is used within 150 miles of the farm, and
The vehicle is not used as a common or contract motor carrier.

CDL (Commercial Driver's License) Practice Test

Getting your Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) is an essential step for a career in commercial driving. Whether you're aiming to drive a tractor-trailer, a bus, or a delivery truck, passing the CDL exam is crucial. This practice test is designed to help you prepare for the actual exam by covering key topics, including general knowledge, air brakes, and combination vehicles. By taking this practice test, you can assess your current knowledge, identify areas for improvement, and gain the confidence needed to succeed. Good luck with your preparation and on your journey to becoming a professional commercial driver!

To begin please provide First and Last name and email!

Results and answers will be email after completion.

1 / 50

Signs of distracted drivers include?

1. Vehicles constantly traveling above the speed limit.

2. Drivers having conversations with passengers

3. Vehicles exciting the roadway

4. Drivers listening to overly loud music

2 / 50

The road you are driving on becomes very slippery due to glare ice, which of these is a good thing to do in such a situation?

1. Stop driving and park where it is safe to do so

2. Downshift to stop

3. Apply the brakes often to keep the linings dry

3 / 50

If you're driving a long distance, you should

1. Stop often and take short breaks before you feel drowsy or tired

2. Take a short break once or twice during the trip when you are feeling tired or drowsy

3. Avoid short breaks but keep the window open

4 / 50

Which of the following is a key steering component?

1. Gear box

2. Bearing plate

3. Torque rod

4. Leaf spring

5 / 50

Which of these statements about managing space is true?

1. Many accidents are caused by drivers keeping too much space in front of their vehicles

2. Smaller vehicles require more space to stop than larger ones

3. When the road is slippery you should keep more space in front of your vehicle

6 / 50

For what three things related to cargo are drivers responsible?

1. Size of cargo, where cargo is placed, and unbalanced cargo

2. Inspection of cargo, balanced weight of cargo, secured cargo

3. Secured cargo inspection of sealed cargo, balanced weight of cargo

4. Inspection of a sealed container, balanced weight of cargo, where cargo is placed

7 / 50

To maintain alertness on your trips, you should

1. Avoid medications that cause drowsiness

2. Schedule your trips for the daytime hours

3. Get 8-9 hours of sleep beforehand

4. Do all of the above

8 / 50

What is the best way to figure out how many sections of following distance you have?

1. Wait until the vehicle ahead of you passes a shadow or landmark. Then count the seconds until you reach it.

2. Send a text message to a friend to text you back in ten seconds. See how far you have traveled in that time.

3. Use the stopwatch on your cell phone to determine how long it takes you to reach a mile marker after the vehicle in front of you passed it.

4. Get ¼ closer to the vehicle in front of you, then back off again. Multiply how long this took you by four to give the following distance.

9 / 50

What is the definition of a Hazard?

1. A road user or road condition that presents a possible danger

2. Something you can safely ignore

3. Something you can easily avoid

4. Something you must stop for

10 / 50

If your vehicle is 40 feet long and you are traveling at 50 MPH, what is the safe following distance?

1. 3 seconds

2. 4 seconds

3. 7 seconds

4. 5 seconds

11 / 50

The safety release valve is located on the air tanks and is used by?

1. Pulling a hand valve

2. Self-operated when the air pressure is above 150 psi

3. Must be pulled after every working day

12 / 50

Cargo that can shift should have at least __ tie-down(s)

1. 4

2. 3

3. 2

4. 1

13 / 50

Which of these statements about tires and hot weather driving is true?

1. You should inspect your tires more often because they are more likely to fail

2. If a tire it is too hot to touch you should drive on it to cool it off

3. Recapped tires are less likely to fail in hot weather than new tires

14 / 50

Which of the following is NOT something you should check during a trip?

1. Mirrors

2. Cargo and cargo covers

3. Tires

4. Text messages

15 / 50

Name a suspension system defect

1. Leaking shock absorbers

2. Under-inflated tires

3. Loose lug nuts

4. Cracked brake cylinder

16 / 50

Empty trucks have the best braking

1. True

2. False

17 / 50

What kind of fire is a B:C extinguisher good for?

1. Electrical, fuel

2. Meat, cheese

3. Wood, paper, cloth

4. Metal, rubber

18 / 50

What is the average reaction distance?

1. 32 feet

2. 61 feet

3. 93 feet

19 / 50

How many reflective triangles should you carry?

1. 1

2. 2

3. 3

4. 4

20 / 50

Is it safe to add coolant to a coolant recovery tank or coolant overflow tank while the engine is at operating temperature?

1. Yes, but only if the coolant recovery container is part of the pressurized system

2. No, never

3. Yes, as long as the engine isn’t overheated

21 / 50

To prevent skidding, you should

1. Turn the wheel sharply for all turns

2. Adjust to conditions while driving

3. Brake hard at all stops

22 / 50

Which of these statements about cold weather driving is true?

1. There is no need to worry about engine overheating when the weather is very cold

2. Windshield washer antifreeze should be added to the washer reservoir

3. Exhaust system leaks are less dangerous in cold weather

4. In snowstorms, wiper blades should be adjusted so that they do not make direct contact with the windshield

23 / 50

How can you determine if your vehicle is equipped with an antilock braking system (ABS)?

1. Check if your vehicle was manufactured after March 1, 1998 (such as vehicles are required to have the panel light).

2. Check for a yellow ABS malfunction lamp on the instrument panel.

3. Look for wheel speed sensor wires that are coming from the rear of your brakes.

4. All the above can work

24 / 50

High Beams Should be

1. Used whenever it is safe and legal to do so

2. Turned On when an oncoming driver does not dim his or her lights

3. Dimmed when you are 100 feet of another vehicle

25 / 50

Which of these statements about double clutching and shifting is true?

1. Double clutching should not be used when the road is slippery

2. Double clutching should only be used with a heavy load

3. You can use the tachometer to tell you when to shift

26 / 50

If you must make an emergency stop, you should brake so that you:

1. Can steer hard while braking hard

2. Use the full power of the brakes and lock them

3. Stay in a straight line and can steer

27 / 50

Which is not one of the four basic skills that operating a commercial motor vehicle requires?

1. Accelerating

2. Steering

3. First-aid certification

4. Backing safely

28 / 50

How often should you check your mirrors?

1. Every ¼ mile

2. Every 8 to 10 seconds

3. When turning or changing lanes

29 / 50

You must drive on a slippery road. Which of these is a good thing to do in such a situation?

1. Use a smaller following distance

2. Apply the brakes during turns

3. Slow down gradually

4. All of the above

30 / 50

What is the minimum number of tie downs for a 20-foot load?

1. At least one tie down for every 20 feet

2. At least two tie downs for every 10 feet

3. At least one tie down for every 5 feet

4. At least one tie down for every 10 feet

31 / 50

A stale green light means?

1. The light ahead just turned green

2. The light ahead has been green for quite a while

3. The light ahead has just turned red

32 / 50

Which of these is a proper use of vehicle lights and flashers?

1. Turning on your headlights during the day when visibility is reduced due to rain or snow

2. Flashing your brake lights to warn someone behind you of a hazard that will require slowing down

3. Flashing your brake lights to warn someone behind you that you're going to stop on the road

4. All answers are correct

33 / 50

If a tire blows out, you should put the brakes on hard to stop quickly

1. True

2. False

34 / 50

The air compressor governor controls:

1. The speed of the air compressor

2. Air pressure applied to the brakes

3. When air is pumped into the air tanks

35 / 50

If you are convicted for driving under the influence while driving a commercial vehicle, and this is your first offense, you will most likely get:

1. A warning

2. At least one-year suspension of your CDL

3. A fine of $500

36 / 50

What should you do if you get stuck on the railroad tracks?

1. Stay in your vehicles

2. Call for help

3. Get out of your vehicle and away from the tracks

37 / 50

The most common type of foundation brakes found on heavy vehicles is the:

1. Disc Brakes

2. Wedge drum

3. S-cam brake

38 / 50

Name some things you should check on the front of your vehicle during the walk around inspection?

1. Fuel tank, engine, tires

2. Brakes, air lines, suspension

3. Signal and clearance lights, headlights

4. Cab area, coupling system, rims

39 / 50

You must park on the side of a level, straight, two lane road. Where should you place the three reflective triangles?

1. One within 10 feet of the rear of the vehicle, one about 100 feet to the rear, and one about 200 feet to the rear.

2. One within 10 feet of the rear of the vehicle, one about 100 feet to the rear, and one about 100 feet from the front of the vehicle.

3. One about 50 feet from the rear of the vehicle, one about 100 feet to the rear, and one about 100 feet from the front of the vehicle.

4. One within 10 feet of the front of the vehicle, one about 200 feet from the front, and one about 100 feet to the rear

40 / 50

Which statement is true about rear drive-wheel braking skids?

1. When pulling a trailer, the trailer can push the towing vehicle sideways

2. The locked wheels have more traction than the ones that are rolling

3. It is not a cause of jackknifing

4. The vehicles front wheels will slide sideways

41 / 50

What is the “gross combination weight” (GCW)?

1. Weight of cargo, plus weight of drivers and passengers

2. The maximum weight specified by the manufacturer that a vehicle can hold

3. Weight of trailer plus weight of cargo

4. Weight of power unit, plus trailer, plus cargo

42 / 50

Stab braking

1. Involves steady pressure on the brake pedal without locking the wheels

2. Involves releasing the brakes only after the wheels lock up

3. Should never be used

43 / 50

Which of these is NOT part of the basic method for shifting up?

1. Releasing the clutch and pressing the accelerator at the same time

2. Releasing the clutch

3. Pushing in the clutch and shifting into a higher gear at the same time

4. Accelerating while pressing the clutch and turning toward the driver's side

44 / 50

Letting hot air out of tires:

1. Is a good idea because the extra pressure will be relieved

2. Will have no effect at all

3. Will cool them down. You will be able to continue your trip sooner

4. Is a bad idea because when the tires cool off, the pressure will be too low

45 / 50

To correct a rear wheel or drive wheel braking skid, you should:

1. Apply more braking pressure to the brake pedal

2. Apply more pressure to the brake pedal and steer, counter steer

3. Release brakes and counter steer

46 / 50

A car suddenly cuts in front of you, creating a hazard. What should you not do?

1. Slow down to prevent a crash

2. Signal and change lanes to avoid the car if possible

3. Honk and stay close behind the car

4. Both A and B

47 / 50

In your mirror, you see a car approaching from the rear. The next time you should check your mirror, you don’t see the car. To change lanes, you should

1. Assume the car left the roadway and change lanes as usual.

2. Ease into the other lane slowly so the other car can get out of the way.

3. Wait until you are sure the car is not in your blind spot.

48 / 50

When driving through roadway work zones, you should

1. Turn on your parking lights

2. Watch for sharp pavement drop-offs

3. Reduce speed only if workers are close to the roadway

49 / 50

The reaction distance is the best distance traveled from the time

1. The eyes see a hazard to the time the brain knows that it is a hazard.

2. The eyes see a hazard to the time the foot pushes the brake pedal.

3. The brain tells the foot to push the brake pedal to the time the foot pushes the pedal.

50 / 50

Which of the following will be true about brake function if your antilock braking system (ABS) fails?

1. You will still have normal brake function and will just need to get the ABS repaired soon

2. It may cause problems with other mechanical systems and possibly pose a huge fire risk

3. It will slow your truck to a halt and force you to pull over

4. You will have no brake function and your truck will be out of control

The average score is 67%

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