General Knowledge Test 11 Welcome to your General Knowledge Test 11 Name Email 1. When a DOT inspector pulls you over for a roadside inspection, which of these is the inspector likely to look at FIRST? Your truck's tires You Your truck's braking system Your logbook 2. You should take a break from driving whenever you become drowsy. every 7 hours. every 5 hours. 3. Which of these statements about using turn signals is true? You do not need to use your turn signal when changing lanes on a four-lane road. When turning, you should signal early. When turning, you should cancel the turn signal just before you make the turn. 4. In which of these situations should you consider turning off your vehicle's retarder? When the road is clear and dry Under wet or icy road conditions When driving through mountainous areas 5. You are driving a long vehicle that makes wide turns. You want to turn left from a two-way, four-lane street onto another two-way, four-lane street. What should you do? Start to turn your vehicle as soon as you enter the intersection. Turn slightly left before you enter the intersection. Start to turn your vehicle after you reach the center of the intersection. 6. Which of the following is true about hours of service regulations? A driver must take a break after every 3 cumulative hours of driving time. On-duty time must be balanced with time for rest. A driver can spend only 6 hours of an off-duty period in the vehicle's sleeper berth. 7. When loading the cargo compartment of a vehicle, you should place heavy items on the bottom and the light items on top. Impossible to determine without more information True False 8. You should use your mirrors to check the condition of your tires. traffic gaps when merging. both of the above. 9. According to the state CDL handbook, when you pass another vehicle, you should NOT do which of the following? At night, keep your high beams on as you pass the vehicle. Lightly tap your horn. Assume that the other driver does not see you. 10. In a four-stroke diesel engine, fuel is injected into the cylinder during the exhaust stroke. power stroke. compression stroke. intake stroke. 11. Which of these CDL tests can you fail and still be issued a CDL? Basic control skills test Vehicle inspection test Neither of the above 12. Which of these statements about a differential is FALSE? It lets each side of the axle turn at a different rate. It transfers power from the drive shaft to the axle. On a curve, it lets the outside wheels turn slower. On a curve, it lets the outside wheels turn faster. 13. Which of these statements about certain types of cargo is true? Unstable loads such as hanging meat or livestock can require extra caution on curves. Heavy loads that consist of liquids in bulk do not cause handling problems. When liquids are hauled, the tank should always be loaded totally full. 14. Your brakes fail while you are traveling down a long, steep downgrade. What should you do? Downshift. Look for an escape ramp or escape route. Do both of the above. 15. Which of these statements about drinking alcohol are true? Alcohol first affects a person's judgment and self-control. A driver can lose his or her license for driving while drunk. Both of the above are true. 16. Identify component F. Steering column Steering gear box Tie rod 17. If a tractor-trailer's cargo is loaded too far to the rear, the result may be damage to the steering axle. wheel lockup. poor traction on the drive wheels. 18. Identify component O. Frame reinforcement Spring shackle Neither of the above 19. Cargo that is not loaded or secured properly can cause vehicle damage by overloading. injure the driver or other road users. do both of the above. 20. Identify component J. Bearing plate Torque rod Vehicle frame 21. Underinflated tires can cause a tire fire. False True 22. When driving at night, you should adjust your speed to keep your stopping distance within your sight distance. look to the left side of the road when a vehicle is coming toward you. drive faster when your low beams are on. 23. To fight a fire in the engine compartment, you should open the hood to target the base of the fire. True False Impossible to determine without more information 24. What are the two main kinds of jackknifing for a tractor-trailer? Empty and fully loaded Tractor and trailer Slippery road and dry road 25. Communication means letting other road users know your intentions. talking with other truckers on the CB radio. talking with law enforcement officers. 26. Which of these statements about drinking alcohol is true? A few beers have the same effect on driving as a few shots of whiskey. Coffee and fresh air can sober a person up. Some people aren't affected by drinking. 27. When transporting cargo, how often should you check the securement of the cargo? Within the first 50 miles of the trip and then every 150 miles or every 3 hours, whichever comes first Within the first 25 miles of the trip and then every 100 miles or every 2 hours, whichever comes first Within the first 50 miles of the trip and then every 100 miles or every 2 hours, whichever comes first 28. Lumpers are persons usually employed by _________ to unload cargo from the truck at the receiver. the receiver a third party the carrier the shipper 29. What kinds of things should you inspect during a trip? Gauges, exhaust, lights, cargo securement, and radio Gauges, brakes, lights, pumps, and hoses Gauges, brakes, lights, tires, and cargo securement 30. To fight a fire, you should aim the fire extinguisher at the top of the flames so that the chemicals will fall onto the fire. Impossible to determine without more information False True 31. The key point in balancing cargo weight is to keep the load centered to the front to the rear 32. Your brakes can get wet when you drive in heavy rain. Wet brakes can cause pulling to one side. wheel lockup. both of the above. 33. Which of these statements about using the steering wheel is true? Use both hands only when attempting a difficult turn. If you do not hold the steering wheel with both hands, it could pull out of your grasp. Once you reach a cruising speed on a highway, you can drive with one hand. 34. Cargo inspections are usually not your responsibility. are needed only if your vehicle is placarded for hazardous materials. should be performed after every break you take while driving. 35. Driving under the influence of a drug that causes you to drive unsafely is permitted if it is prescribed by a doctor. against the law. permitted if it is a diet or cold medication. 36. Identify component G. Steering knuckle Drag link Steering arm 37. Identify component C. Steering arm Pitman arm Steering knuckle 38. While you're driving, if your reaction time increases by _______, your chances of a crash will double. 1 second ¼ second ½ second 39. Blocking is used to keep the cargo from shifting. Impossible to determine without more information True False 40. Which of the following vehicles will have the longest stopping distance? Loaded tractor-trailer Bobtail tractor Unloaded tractor-trailer 41. A vehicle is loaded with very little weight on the drive axles. What may happen? Poor traction Damage to drive axle tires Better handling 42. Which of these statements about downshifting is true? When you downshift to descend a hill, you should do so after you start down the hill. When you downshift to descend a hill, speed up at the same time. When you downshift to take a curve, you should do so before you enter the curve. 43. Which of these is part of the steering system? Pitman arm Torque arm Bearing plate 44. When loading the cargo compartment of a vehicle, you should place heavy items on the bottom and the light items on top. True False Impossible to determine without more information 45. When backing and turning a large CMV, you should back and turn toward the driver’s side if possible. check your path before you start to back up. do both of the above. 46. An en route inspection should include checking the cargo securement. the tires. both of the above. 47. Which of these is true about driving in a tunnel? There may be strong winds when exiting. Headlights are required by law. Emergency flashers are required by law. 48. When you're driving in snowy weather, your tire tread depth should provide enough traction to drive through snow. be checked every 3 hours or 150 miles. be double the usual depth. 49. If a straight truck goes into a front-wheel skid, it will go straight ahead but turn if the steering wheel is turned. slide sideways and spin out. go straight ahead even if the steering wheel is turned. 50. One gallon of diesel fuel weighs approximately 8 pounds. 6 pounds. 9 pounds. 7 pounds. 51. In bad weather, car drivers are more likely to tailgate CMVs. If that happens to you, what should you do? Increase your speed. Flash your brake lights. Increase your following distance. 52. In the continental United States, the maximum width of any CMV operated on interstate highways is _______ unless a special permit is obtained. 8 feet 8½ feet 9 feet 9½ feet 53. Identify component K. Vehicle frame Front axle hanger Leaf spring 54. Which of these statements about double clutching and shifting are true? You can use the sound of the engine to tell you when to shift. Double clutching should not be done with an unsynchronized manual transmission. Both of the above are true. 55. How do you correct a drive-wheel acceleration skid on a slippery road? Stop accelerating and push in the clutch. Apply the brakes. Increase power to the drive wheels. 56. At highway speeds, how far ahead should you be looking? 1/8 mile. 1/2 mile. 1/4 mile. 57. As a driver's blood alcohol concentration (BAC) rises, what happens? The driver's chances of an accident increase. The effects of the alcohol subside. The person remains aware of the increased effects. 58. Which of these statements about double clutching is true? You use the clutch to shift into the next gear but not to shift out of the current gear. When you upshift, the engine speed should decrease to the rpm required for the next gear. When you upshift, the engine speed should increase to the rpm required for the next gear. You use the clutch to shift out of the current gear but not to shift into the next gear. 59. What is a power take-off (PTO)? Downshifting to pass another vehicle Applying additional power to decouple a trailer Applying additional power to accelerate from a stopped position Using engine power to run a secondary application 60. Escape ramps can prevent damage to the vehicle. prevent injury to the driver and passengers. do both of the above. 61. You're driving a tractor-trailer on a slick road surface. Suddenly, excessive braking locks your drive wheels. Your tractor starts to skid, and the trailer starts to push the tractor sideways. You must act to correct the skid before the trailer swings out approximately 50 degrees. 30 degrees. 45 degrees. 15 degrees. 62. What are the three rules for using your turn signals 1. Signal when changing lanes. 2. Signal when turning corners. 3. Make sure the signal turns off after the turn is completed. 1. Signal early. 2. Signal continuously. 3. Make sure the signal turns off after the turn is completed. 1. Signal early. 2. Signal continuously. 3. Use hand-and-arm signals only when it’s raining. 63. Why can a damaged exhaust system be hazardous to you? The exhaust can pollute the environment. Poisonous fumes can enter the cab or sleeping compartment. Excessive noise can damage your hearing. 64. Identify component E. Drag link Steering knuckle Pitman arm 65. In which of these situations should you flash your brake lights? You are about to exit the road and need to slow down. You're being tailgated. A police car is approaching you from the opposite direction. 66. Each lane on an interstate highway is at least _______ wide. 12 feet 10 feet 14 feet 11 feet 67. What do the letters "GVW" stand for? Gross vehicle weight Government vehicle weight Gross variable weight 68. Federal regulations do NOT require every CMV to have a fire extinguisher. a first-aid kit. warning devices when stopped on the road. 69. Should your vehicle catch fire, pull into a service station because it has plenty of firefighting equipment. True False Impossible to determine without more information 70. To help prevent a rollover, you should do two things: keep the cargo as close to the floor as possible, and keep both hands firmly on the wheel. make sure the brakes are adjusted. drive slowly around turns. 71. You are cited for speeding in your personal car, and you pay the speeding ticket rather than go to court. You must report this to your employer within 30 days. 3 days. 14 days. 72. Most trucks on the road today have a _______ electrical system. 18-volt 6-volt 12-volt 24-volt 73. Which of these is a sign of tire failure? Vibration Heavy steering Both of the above 74. Identify component R. Main spring Auxiliary spring Torque rod 75. Which of these is good thing to remember about using mirrors? There are “blind spots” that your mirrors cannot show. You should look in a mirror for several seconds at a time. Convex mirrors make things look larger and closer than they really are. 76. Identify component A. Steering arm Spindle Tie rod 77. Identify component P. Spring shackle Spring hanger Bearing plate 78. Which of these is part of your vehicle's suspension? Drag link Pitman arm Neither of the above 79. You should turn on your four-way flashers whenever you cross railway tracks. drive through the mountains. stop on the roadway. 80. A combination vehicle's stopping distance is longest when it is empty. almost fully loaded. fully loaded. 81. If you're driving a tractor-trailer down a long, steep downgrade, you should use only your trailer brakes. use controlled braking. use the braking effect of the engine. 1 out of 81 Time is Up! Time's up
