Vermont DMV CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 1
Test 1 of 5. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 40 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real Vermont test.
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age18 years
-
1. How often must every commercial motor vehicle receive a periodic inspection?
Show answer
Answer C: At least once every twelve months
Federal rules require each commercial motor vehicle to pass a periodic inspection at least once in every twelve month period.
-
2. How long must a Vermont Commercial Learner's Permit be held before the CDL skills test may be taken?
Show answer
Answer A: A minimum of 14 days
Vermont requires the Commercial Learner's Permit to be held for a minimum of 14 days before the skills test can be taken.
-
3. Which of these vehicles does the Vermont CDL manual list as exempt from commercial driver's license requirements?
Show answer
Answer A: Motor homes and trailer coaches used for personal recreational purposes
Vermont does not treat motor homes and trailer coaches used for personal recreation as commercial motor vehicles, so their operators are exempt from CDL requirements.
-
4. You have backed into the same loading bay every week for a year. How often should you still get out and walk to the rear before backing?
Show answer
Answer D: Every time, since the area can change while you are away from it
A familiar space is no guarantee; vehicles, pallets, people and overhead obstructions appear between one visit and the next, so you check on every occasion.
-
5. How can a driver restart the 60 or 70 hour on-duty limit?
Show answer
Answer B: Take 34 or more consecutive hours off duty
A period of 34 or more consecutive hours off duty resets the 60 or 70 hour calculation so the driver can begin a new period.
-
6. You are asked to drive a truck loaded with enough hazardous materials to require placards. What must you have?
Show answer
Answer C: A hazardous materials endorsement on your commercial driver license
Driving a vehicle that must be placarded requires the H endorsement, which involves a separate knowledge test and a security background check.
-
7. Within what distance should high beams be lowered at night?
Show answer
Answer D: Within about 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and within about 500 feet of a vehicle you are following
High beams blind other drivers at close range, so they are lowered at roughly the same distance whether the other vehicle is coming toward you or is ahead of you.
-
8. What is required of the hooks, rails, rings and anchor points that tiedowns attach to?
Show answer
Answer A: They must be part of the vehicle and strong enough for the load being secured
A tiedown is only as strong as what it is hooked to, so anchor points must be proper vehicle fittings rated for the job.
-
9. Which vehicle is most likely to be pushed around by a strong crosswind?
Show answer
Answer B: An empty van trailer
A large flat side with very little weight behind it gives the wind the most surface and the least resistance, which is the empty van trailer.
-
10. Under federal rules, which commercial vehicles must stop at every railroad crossing before proceeding?
Show answer
Answer D: Passenger buses and placarded hazardous materials vehicles
Buses carrying passengers and vehicles required to display hazardous materials placards must stop at crossings, while other commercial vehicles slow and check.
-
11. What should be checked about the power steering system in the engine compartment?
Show answer
Answer D: That the fluid level is correct and the hoses and pump are not leaking
Losing power steering fluid means losing steering assistance, which can happen suddenly and makes a heavy vehicle very hard to turn.
-
12. Where are the OVERSIZE LOAD signs normally carried on a vehicle moving under such a permit?
Show answer
Answer A: On the front and the rear of the vehicle
The warning signs face the traffic that meets the load and the traffic that comes up behind it, so they go on the front and the rear.
-
13. May a commercial driver use a hand-held phone while stopped at a red light?
Show answer
Answer B: No, a stop in traffic still counts as driving
Hand-held use is allowed only when the vehicle has been moved to the side of or off the highway and halted where it can safely remain stopped.
-
14. As a long vehicle goes around a corner, how do the rear wheels travel compared with the front wheels?
Show answer
Answer A: They follow a tighter path, closer to the inside of the turn
The rear wheels off-track toward the inside of the turn, and the longer the vehicle the bigger the difference, which is why the front must swing wide enough to keep the rear off the curb.
-
15. What color must the clearance and side marker lamps and reflectors at the front of a trailer be?
Show answer
Answer A: Amber
Amber marks the front and the forward part of the sides of a vehicle, while red marks the rear, so another driver can tell which way the vehicle is facing.
-
16. A 60 foot combination traveling above 40 mph should hold how many seconds of following distance?
Show answer
Answer D: Seven seconds
Six seconds cover the 60 feet of vehicle length, and one extra second is added because the speed is above 40 mph.
-
17. Why is driving much slower than the rest of the traffic dangerous?
Show answer
Answer B: Other drivers must keep passing you, which creates conflicts
Traffic that has to work its way around you produces lane changes and closing speeds, which is why a large speed difference is itself a hazard.
-
18. How are the extra gears of a multi-speed rear axle or auxiliary transmission usually controlled?
Show answer
Answer D: With a selector knob or switch on the gearshift lever of the main transmission
A range selector on the shift lever lets the driver choose the extra gear range while shifting the main transmission.
-
19. Your windshield washer reservoir is empty and rain and road spray are expected. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer D: Fill it before the trip, because you need the washers to keep the windshield clear
Wipers alone smear the film of oil and grit thrown up by traffic, so the washers are part of keeping a usable view of the road.
-
20. You must leave the vehicle parked on a slight grade. What adds security beyond setting the parking brake?
Show answer
Answer D: Chocking the wheels so the vehicle cannot roll if the brake bleeds off
Chocks hold the vehicle mechanically and are the standard backup whenever a parked vehicle could roll.
-
21. Which lights should be used in fog, by day or by night?
Show answer
Answer A: Low beams and fog lights, together with the four-way flashers
High beam light bounces back off the water droplets and makes seeing worse, while low beams, fog lights and flashers help you see and help others see you.
-
22. During the vehicle overview, what should the driver look for on the ground under the vehicle?
Show answer
Answer B: Fresh puddles of oil, coolant, grease or fuel
New stains on the ground are the earliest sign of a leak, so the overview includes a look underneath before anything is opened or started.
-
23. You have a part load that fills only a third of a long trailer. How should it be placed?
Show answer
Answer C: Spread out and centerd side to side, so the weight sits over the axles
A part load is spread over as much of the floor as possible and kept centerd, so no axle is overloaded and the vehicle stays balanced from side to side.
-
24. A chain rated at 6,600 pounds is fitted with a hook rated at 4,700 pounds. What is the working load limit of that assembly?
Show answer
Answer A: 4,700 pounds, the rating of the weakest part
An assembly is only as strong as its weakest component, so hooks, binders and links all count and the lowest rating governs.
-
25. Why must exhaust components be checked for contact with other parts of the vehicle?
Show answer
Answer B: Hot exhaust parts touching fuel lines, tires or wiring can start a fire
Exhaust pipes run hot enough to ignite fuel and melt insulation, so they must be kept clear of the fuel system, the tires and the electrical harness.
-
26. Where do you find the maximum weight a tire can safely carry?
Show answer
Answer D: Stamped on the sidewall of the tire itself
Each tire is marked with the greatest weight it can carry at a stated inflation pressure, and the load on an axle must stay within the total for its tires.
-
27. What happens to braking distance when speed is doubled?
Show answer
Answer C: It becomes about four times longer
Braking distance grows with the square of speed, so doubling the speed multiplies both the braking distance and the force of an impact by about four.
-
28. Why does a cracked frame rail or cross member make a vehicle unsafe?
Show answer
Answer B: The frame carries the whole load, and a crack can spread until the structure fails
The frame is the backbone that supports the body, the load and the running gear, so a crack in it is a structural failure that grows with every mile.
-
29. Why should high beams not be used in fog?
Show answer
Answer A: The light reflects back off the droplets and blinds you
Fog is made of water droplets that scatter light straight back at the driver, so a stronger beam makes the wall of glare worse rather than better.
-
30. How does a load carried high in the trailer affect safe speed through a curve?
Show answer
Answer B: It raises the rollover risk, so the speed must be lower
A high center of gravity lets the vehicle tip long before the tires lose their grip, so height of the load directly limits curve speed.
-
31. Why must the downshift be finished before you reach a steep downgrade or a sharp curve rather than during it?
Show answer
Answer D: Because once your speed is too high you may not get into any gear at all
If you wait until speed has built up, the lower gear may refuse to engage and you can be left in neutral with no engine braking at all.
-
32. A driver snores heavily, stops breathing briefly during the night and is tired all day despite long hours in bed. What should be suspected?
Show answer
Answer B: Sleep apnea
Sleep apnea repeatedly interrupts breathing during sleep, so the driver never gets true rest and stays dangerously drowsy during the day.
-
33. Which of these is NOT on the federal list of parts and accessories the driver must be satisfied are in good working order before driving?
Show answer
Answer D: The seat cushion upholstery
The federal pre-trip rule names brakes, steering, lights and reflectors, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment; seat upholstery is not on that list.
-
34. When a helper guides you while backing, what should be agreed on before you start?
Show answer
Answer D: A set of hand signals, especially the signal that means stop
The driver and helper must agree on signals in advance, above all the stop signal, because they usually cannot hear each other.
-
35. What frame defects are you looking for during the walkaround?
Show answer
Answer A: Cracks, bends or broken cross members
The frame carries the whole load, so cracked or bent rails and broken cross members are serious structural defects.
-
36. Where is the yellow antilock brake malfunction lamp on a trailer, and what does it mean if it stays lit?
Show answer
Answer D: On the left side, at the front or rear corner, and it means the antilock function may not be working
Trailers carry the yellow lamp on the left side, and a lamp that stays on after the bulb check means the antilock function may be lost even though the normal brakes still work.
-
37. On a wet road, a commercial driver should reduce speed by roughly how much?
Show answer
Answer C: By about one third
Cutting speed by roughly a third, for example from 55 to about 35 mph, restores a margin for the traction lost on a wet surface.
-
38. Why is it harder to judge speed and distance at night?
Show answer
Answer C: You see much less detail and have fewer reference points
Darkness removes the visual references that the brain uses to estimate distance and closing speed, so drivers routinely misjudge both.
-
39. Your vehicle stalls on a railroad crossing and a train is coming. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer C: Get out at once and move toward the train, well off to one side
Leave the vehicle immediately and move at an angle toward the oncoming train, so that wreckage thrown forward by the impact travels away from you.
-
40. Why should a large vehicle be accelerated smoothly and gradually?
Show answer
Answer A: Rough acceleration can damage the drivetrain and, on a combination, the coupling
Jerky throttle inputs put shock loads through the driveline and the coupling, which causes mechanical damage over time.
-
41. What is normally required in order to move an over-width or over-length load?
Show answer
Answer B: A special permit along with warning devices such as flags and signs
Oversize movements need a permit plus marking devices, and travel is often limited to certain hours or routes.
-
42. Why is a leak in the exhaust system especially dangerous in cold weather?
Show answer
Answer A: Carbon monoxide can build up inside a closed cab
In winter the windows are shut and the heater is running, so exhaust gas that escapes early can reach the driver and cause drowsiness or worse.
-
43. How do objects appear in a convex mirror compared with a flat mirror?
Show answer
Answer B: Smaller and farther away than they really are, while a wider area is shown
A convex mirror shows a wider field but shrinks everything in it, so the driver must remember that vehicles are closer than they look.
-
44. What does Vermont require of an applicant for a Commercial Learner's Permit?
Show answer
Answer A: Be at least 18 years old and hold a valid Vermont Class D Operator's License
Vermont requires a Commercial Learner's Permit applicant to be at least 18 years old and to already hold a valid Vermont Class D Operator's License.
-
45. You have finished a lane change in a vehicle whose turn signal does not cancel by itself. What must you do?
Show answer
Answer D: Turn the signal off yourself
A signal left running tells other drivers you are about to move again, and they may act on that false information.
-
46. You have countersteered to correct a rear-wheel skid and the vehicle straightens out. What must you be ready for next?
Show answer
Answer D: The vehicle may swing back the other way, so you must steer again to correct it
A vehicle coming out of a skid tends to overshoot and swing in the opposite direction, and the driver must be ready to countersteer a second time.
-
47. Two tires in a dual set have noticeably different diameters. Why is that a problem?
Show answer
Answer C: The larger tire carries more than its share of the load and can be overloaded
The taller tire touches the road first and takes most of the weight, so it runs overloaded and hot while the smaller one does little work.
-
48. Why should you never shift gears while crossing railroad tracks?
Show answer
Answer A: You could miss the gear or stall and be stuck on the tracks
A stalled or coasting vehicle on the tracks has no way to clear quickly, so choose the gear before the crossing and do not shift until you are across.
-
49. An unblocked crate 4 feet long and weighing 900 pounds needs at least how many tiedowns?
Show answer
Answer D: One
An article 5 feet or less in length and 1,100 pounds or less in weight is covered by a minimum of one tiedown.
-
50. What extinguisher rating is required on a vehicle carrying hazardous materials in amounts that need placards?
Show answer
Answer B: 10 B:C or more
Placarded loads carry a much higher fire risk, so the required extinguisher rating rises to at least 10 B:C.