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CDL Exam Study Guide Questions and Answers 2024
Question 1: What is CDL? And CDL classifications
(A, B, and C).
CDL stands for commercial driver’s license. It is the requirement for driving commercial motor vehicles. For the drivers operating commercial diving equipment or any other heavy machinery, this license is a requirement. A commercial vehicle is defined as a motor vehicle that is used for transporting goods or passengers. The definition of a commercial motor vehicle in the United States is any self-propelled or towed vehicle that is running on the public highway in interstate commerce transporting passengers or property if: The gross weight rating of the vehicle is 4536 kg or more. The vehicle is either designed or transporting more than eight passengers, including the driver, for compensation. The vehicle is not transporting passengers for compensation or is designed to do so for more than fifteen passengers, including the driver. The vehicle is being used to transport the material, which is hazardous, according to the Secretary of Transportation. The European Union's definition of a commercial motor vehicle is a little different than the American one and considers any motorized vehicle as a commercial motor vehicle if it is capable of transportation by its design and construction, whether for payment or not. If the vehicle has the capacity for more than nine people, including the driver. If it is transporting goods or standard fuel tanks. A candidate for the CDL needs to pass the CDL training courses and a driving test. This driving test is similar to getting a regular driving license. It takes almost a month to graduate from a commercial driving license training school on average. The training includes a classroom training experience and a hands-on experience of truck driving. Someone who has zero experience in the field needs to complete an ELDT-compliant Truck Driving School. A class A CDL training course helps the students to get a class A CDL by providing them with the required skills and to become eligible for the entry-
level commercial driver positions. This training usually includes the following: Getting hands-on time to drive a truck at the proper practice facility or on the road while dealing with real-world conditions. To pass the test, a required pre-trip inspection training. Department of transportation laws compliance, map reading, and trip planning. Identifying the preventive maintenance problems on the tractor- trailer units. Backing, turning and hooking/unhooking an industry-standard 53ft trailer. In the year 1986, CDL was made mandatory when the Vehicle Motor and Safety Act was passed. It was the first year when carrying a CDL became a requirement. There were several road deaths and unnecessary accidents before this because each state had its own laws regarding heavy machinery driving. With the introduction of this law, it is now prohibited to drive a commercial vehicle without possessing a proper CDL license. This law has forced all commercial vehicles driver to possess a CDL; for example, even hot shot truckers are now required to possess a CDL while they are driving on the road. There are different types of commercial motor vehicles. These different types require the driver to have a valid driver's license. Employers are always looking for drivers who have a valid driver's license in one of the classes of CDL. If a person wants to drive specialized types of vehicles, he needs to apply for the proper endorsements. Specialized types of vehicles include tanks, buses, trucks, or any other hazardous material carrying vehicle. The types of endorsements are: Passenger (P) which allows carrying passengers. Tank (N) allows the drivers to drive trucks that contain liquid cargo. Hazardous material (H) allows the driver to drive hazardous material trucks. This hazardous material can include explosives, flammable liquids, or radioactive substances. A person is required to pass a specialized knowledge exam to get an
Class A
A class A CDL is required to operate a vehicle falling in the 26,001lbs range of the gross vehicle weight range. This is the requirement if the weight of the towed vehicle is more than 10,000 pounds. Having a class, A CDL allows you to operate the following vehicles: Truck Trailer Combination Tractor Trailer Livestock Carriers Flatbeds Tractor Trailer Bus
Class B
Anyone who is planning to operate a vehicle that has a total combined weight rating of 26,001lbs or more will need a Class B license, provided that a tow vehicle weighs no more than 10,000 pounds. Having a Class B CDL allows you to operate the following vehicles: Straight Trucks Large Passenger Buses Segmented Buses Box Trucks Dump Trucks with Small Trailers Tractor Trailer
What is a CDL permit?
If you plan on becoming a truck driver, you will require a CDL permit. It is a necessary requirement to become a truck driver. It is mandatory even if you are planning to work for a truck driving company that is small. A Commercial Learner's Permit allows the driver to operate a commercial vehicle while being supervised, and it is the written portion of the CDL testing. Any valid CDL holder can supervise the driver. The CLP has a validity of 180 days. After at least 14 days of getting the CLP, the driver is allowed to take the driving skills test. He cannot do it before fourteen days. After passing the general knowledge exam at the local motor vehicles department, you can receive your CLP. A CDL permit is required to get the training for the CDL. Getting a CDL permit gets you one step closer to maintaining the commercial vehicle that you own. Some of the most frequently asked questions for the CDL permit are given below with their answers. Why do I need a permit? A learner’s permit is a requirement to practice driving a commercial motor vehicle. It is similar to the learner acquired getting a regular driving license. For how long is the CDL permit valid? A CDL permit is valid for 180 days. Drivers are not allowed to take their driving skills test for at least 14 days after acquiring the CDL permit. Before testing for my CDL permit, do I need a DOT physical? It is a good idea to do it first as it is the requirement for accepting the application by a lot of schools and companies in many states. Can I operate a commercial vehicle alone with only a permit? No. the presence of a valid CDL holder is required for a CDL permit holder while driving a commercial vehicle. Are the CDL manuals the same for all the states? What knowledge must I have of the CDL manual of my state? Although all the CDL manuals of all the states are based on the FMCSA model manual, it depends on the state and how they are doing things there or if they have any different requirements.
What are CDL endorsements?
CDL endorsements are the certification that is achieved by passing a knowledge-based test by commercial vehicle drivers. Some of these endorsements require skills tests. Examples of these endorsements can include passenger (P) or School Bus (S). Earning endorsements comes in handy while hauling combinations of trailer types and different materials. There are better pay and other benefits that operators can enjoy for the jobs that require endorsements. These jobs are usually strenuous and can be dangerous sometimes as well. Everyone cannot haul tankers up the steep mountains, so operating with different endorsements must be researched properly before getting them. It must be looked at in detail for whatever company one might end up at.
What type of CDL endorsements are there?
Generally, there are five basic types of endorsements that can vary state by state. Truckers can get the following types of endorsements for their CDL: Hazardous Materials Endorsement (HAZMAT) Passenger Endorsement Double/ Triples Endorsements Tanker Endorsement School Bus Endorsement Truckers are allowed by these endorsements to do something different. The meaning of this varies from state to state. For example, there is a specific endorsement in New York for the transportation of metal coils. It is called Metal Coil Endorsement (M) and is only used in New York. HAZMAT has more or less federalized standards for which the background check is done. This is due to the worries about terrorism.
How can one get CDL endorsements?
A trucker can set his career on the success path by getting the proper endorsements. A written test is the requirement for all endorsements. Some endorsements may require practical skills portions that drivers are required to pass to get the certification. Some of the most popular endorsements for truckers are Tanker, HAZMAT, and double/ triple endorsements.
Steps for getting endorsements
HAZMAT
Hazmat endorsement is required for the truckers to move any material that affects public safety or is a threat during the transport. HAZMAT endorsements are a little trickier to be obtained due to the nature of the contents it allows for hauling. The truckers will have to undergo a stringent background check to haul hazardous materials due to the legislation that was passed after the September 11 terrorist attacks. This is the only endorsement that requires a background check of the haulers. Drivers need to fill out an online application unless they are from the states of Florida, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Pennsylvania, Texas, Virginia, or Wisconsin. The next step is to schedule an appointment at the application center. The drivers provide a passport, birth certificate, or other documents at this appointment and get their fingerprints taken. There is a non-refundable fee of $86.50 for registration, and it is valid for five years. There is a reduced rate of $67 for the operators with a valid TWIC card. Tank Vehicles (N) Drivers are allowed to haul the tanker trailers with the endorsement of tank vehicles. They can transport 1,000 gallons of the liquid regardless of the container. An N on the CDL indicates a tanker endorsement. The requirement of Tank endorsement is to pass a written test. This test asks questions from the driver like "When pumping or unloading liquids from a tanker, how far back must a helper stand? The answer to this question is a minimum of 25ft. there is no skill test requirement for this endorsement. Double, Triple, Combo (T) Overhauling a long combination vehicle (LCV) requires an endorsement. LCVs are defined as the vehicles forming a combination of a truck pulling a trailer that is further connected to a second trailer. There could also be any other equipment other than the second trailer as well. As LCVs are arranged in combinations of two or three, they are also called doubles or triples. A written exam is taken for this endorsement, and the driver is required to pass it. There is no skill test for this endorsement as well. The written test usually includes questions on coupling and decoupling of multiple trailers and proper
N (^) Tank endorsement. A CLP holder is allowed to operate an empty tank vehicle with a tank endorsement. He is not allowed to operate a tank vehicle that is carrying a tank used for transporting hazardous material in the past.
When can Truckers Get CDL Endorsements?
There is no minimum experience requirement for the drivers to earn the endorsement on their CDL. However, there is a restriction of only three endorsements on the CDL permit. Some drivers are smart, and while still in the trucking training school, they try to add additional endorsements to their future commercial driving licenses. This is helpful as once they start working on the road, they usually do not have enough time and energy to add the endorsements. Adding endorsements to the CDL has many advantages. It helps new truckers to stand out in the industry, which is usually crowded. Endorsements that require a background check (for example, HAZMAT) add the extra time in getting the endorsement.
When do the CDL endorsements expire?
Truckers should keep track of their endorsements to make sure that they don’t reach their expiration. Endorsements like HAZMAT usually do not expire for five years. The period counts down starts after the security clearance is issued to the trucker. Recertifying the endorsements takes plenty of time. In some states like Illinois, it can take up to 60 days to recertify the hazardous material endorsement.
What are the codes for an endorsement?
The CDL has single letters like S, P, N, or X. These letters are standardized codes for the type of endorsement the trucker has. These codes signify the type of trailer or materials the trucker can haul. If the driver is caught transporting something he is not endorsed to, there are severe consequences for the driver.
