CDL School

Use either the tachometer or the speedometer and upshift/downshift at the right rpm or road speed.

If an oncoming driver has drifted into your lane, a move to your right is best. If that driver realizes what has happened, the natural response will be to return to their own lane. No one is likely to be driving on the shoulder, but someone may be passing you on the left.

Accident statistics show that the chance of a crash is much greater for drivers who have been drinking than for drivers who have not.

To know how much space you have, wait until the vehicle ahead passes a shadow on the road, a pavement marking, or some other clear landmark. Then count off the seconds like this: "one thousand-and-one, one thousand-and-two" and so on, until you reach the same spot.

A stale green light is a traffic light that is green when you first see it, thus you do not know how long it has been green - so we have to assume it will change at any moment.

You need at least 4/32-inch tread depth in every major groove on front tires. No fabric should show through the tread or sidewall. There should be no cuts or other damage.

The Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR) is the value specified by the manufacturer as the loaded weight of a single vehicle.

 If possible, avoid using the brakes until your speed has dropped to about 20 mph, and gently return to the road.

Without ABS you still have normal brake functions. Drive and brake as you always have.

You must review the inspection report made by the previous driver. Only if defects reported earlier have been certified as repaired or not needed to be repaired, should you sign the previous driver's report.

Basic method for shifting up: release accelerator, push in clutch and shift to neutral at the same time. Release clutch. Let the engine and gears slow down to the rpm required for the next gear. Push in clutch and shift to the higher gear at the same time. Release clutch and press accelerator at the same time.

Driving too fast is a major cause of fatal crashes. You must adjust your speed depending on driving conditions. These include traction, curves, visibility, traffic, and hills.

Explanation: Don't roll back when you start. You may hit someone behind you. If you have a manual transmission vehicle, partly engage the clutch before you take your right foot off the brake. Put on the parking brake whenever necessary to keep it from rolling back. Release the parking brake only when you have applied enough engine power to keep from rolling back 

Protect the accident area: if your vehicle is involved in the accident, try to get it to the side of the road, if you're stopping to help, park away from the accident, put on your flashers, and set out reflective triangles to warn other traffic.

Cargo should have at least one tie-down for each ten feet of cargo. You will need two tie downs for a 20-foot load.

If for any reason you get stuck on the tracks, get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Check signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information. Call 911 and give the location of the crossing using all identifiable landmarks, especially the DOT number, if posted.

Too much weight on the steering axle can cause hard steering. It can damage the steering axle and tires.

Stopping is not always the safest thing to do in an emergency. When you don't have enough room to stop, you may have to steer away from what's ahead. Remember, you can almost always turn to miss an obstacle more quickly than you can stop.

A hazard is any road condition or other road user (driver, bicyclist, pedestrian) that is a possible danger.

Preventing drowsiness before a trip: Get adequate sleep (8 to 9 hours), prepare route, schedule trips for the hours you are normally awake, drive with a passenger, avoid medications that cause drowsiness.

Short breaks can keep your alert. But the time to take them is before you feel really drowsy or tired. Stop often. Walk around and inspect your vehicle. It may help to do some physical exercise.

No matter how small the cargo, it should have at least two tie-downs.

Strong winds make it difficult to stay in your lane. The problem is usually worse for lighter vehicles. This problem can be especially bad coming out of tunnels.

Braking when a tire has failed could cause loss of control. Unless you're about to run into something, stay off the brakes until the vehicle has slowed down. Then brake very gently, pull off the road, and stop.

Watch for: vehicles that may drift over the lane divider lines or within their own lane; vehicles traveling at inconsistent speeds; drivers who are preoccupied with maps, food, cigarettes, cell phones, or other objects; drivers who appear to be involved in conversations with their passengers.

Explanation: To drive a vehicle safely, you must be able to control its speed and direction. Safe operation of a commercial vehicle requires skill in accelerating, steering, stopping, and backing safely.

If the surface is icy, reduce speed to a crawl and stop driving as soon as you can safely do so.

Your CDL will be disqualified after two or more convictions of any state law on texting while operating a CMV. No motor carrier shall allow or require its drivers to engage in texting while driving.

¾ second to 1 second.

Slow down to a safe speed, and downshift to the right gear before entering the curve. This lets you use some power through the curve to help the vehicle be more stable while turning. It also allows you to speed up as soon as you are out of the curve.

All vehicles with air brakes have a pressure gauge connected to the air tank. If the vehicle has a dual air brake system, there will be a gauge for each half of the system.

Before you change lanes, you must first make sure that no vehicles are hiding in your blind spots.

The tire load is the maximum safe weight a tire can carry at a specified pressure. This rating is stated on the side of each tire.

Snub braking method is used for steep downhill grades, in this method apply the brakes just hard enough to feel a definite slowdown. When your speed has been reduced to approximately five mph below your "safe" speed, release the brakes. When your speed has increased to your "safe" speed, repeat.

Perception Distance + Reaction Distance + Brake Lag Distance + Braking Distance = Total Stopping Distance

Some vehicles have sight glasses, see-through coolant overflow containers, or coolant recovery containers. These permit you to check the coolant level while the engine is hot. If the container is not part of the pressurized system, the cap can be safely removed, and coolant added even when the engine is at operating temperature.

Explanation: ¾ second to 1 second. At 55 mph this accounts for 61 feet traveled.

The B:C type fire extinguisher is designed to work on electrical fires and burning liquids. These are usually the following types of fire extinguishers: Regular Dry Chemical, KCl Dry Chemical, Carbon Dioxide (Dry), Halogenated Agent (Gas).

The governor controls when the air compressor will pump air into the air storage tanks. When air tank pressure rises to the "cut-out" level around 125 psi, the governor stops the compressor from pumping air. When the tank pressure falls to the "cut-in" pressure around 100 psi, the governor allows the compressor to start pumping again.

Commercial vehicle must be equipped with 3 red reflective triangles, 6 fuses or 3 liquid burning flares.

With the stab braking method, you apply your brakes all the way and release brakes when wheels lock up. 

Shut off the engine and take the key with you so someone else won't move the truck while you are under it.

Explanation: A skid happens whenever the tires lose their grip on the road. Most serious skids result from driving too fast for road conditions. Drivers who adjust their driving to conditions don't over-accelerate and don't have to over-brake or oversteer from too much speed. 

You should brake in a way that will keep your vehicle in a straight line and allow you to turn if it becomes necessary. You can use the "controlled braking" method or the "stab braking" method. 

You will lose your CDL for at least one year for a first offense for: Driving a CMV if your blood alcohol concentration is .04% or higher or driving a CMV under the influence of alcohol.

What you should do is make a lane change or slow down to prevent a crash if the car suddenly cuts in front of you, and you should not honk or stay close behind the car.

If you find yourself being tailgated: avoid quick changes, signal early, reduce speed very gradually, increase your following distance, and don't speed up.

Do the following to correct a drive-wheel braking skid: stop braking letting the rear wheels roll again and keep the rear wheels from sliding; counter-steer as a vehicle turns back on course, it tends to keep on turning. Unless you turn the steering wheel quickly the other way, you may find yourself skidding in the opposite direction.

In some vehicles, a control handle on the dashboard may be used to apply the spring brakes gradually. This is called a modulating valve. It is spring loaded, so you have a feel for the braking action. The more you move the control lever, the harder the spring brakes become on. They work this way, so you can control the spring brakes if the service brakes fail.