pennsylvania
CDL Practice Test

Welcome to the Pennsylvania CDL practice test site. CDL rules and regulations covered on these practice tests come from the PA DMV CDL Manual. You can take these practice test questions as many times as you like as you attempt to obtain your PA CDL. You will be presented with 40 questions and you must answer 34 questions correctly to pass. There is a 50-minute time limit. You may not go back once you answer a question. Click the "Start Test" button below to begin.

1 / 40

What is the safest way to stop unruly behavior on the bus?

Have the unruly students move to the front of the bus.

Keep checking the rear view mirror so you can see what happened and report to the principal.

Yell loudly for the students to sit down and behave themselves.

Pull off the road in a safe location, secure the bus, stand up, and tell the students what behavior you expect of them.

2 / 40

Cargo tanks are:

Bulk packaging permanently attached to your vehicle.

Filled while they are off your vehicle, then attached for transportation.

Only made in one size.

Bulk packaging temporarily attached to your vehicle.

3 / 40

What action should you take before driving while drowsy?

drink a cup of coffee

pull off the road and get some sleep

drink energy drinks

open your vehicle windows for some fresh air

4 / 40

What is the safest way to stop unruly behavior on the bus?

keep checking the rear view mirror so you can see what happened and report to the principal

have the unruly students move to the front of the bus

pull off the road in a safe location, secure the bus, stand up, and tell the students what behavior you expect of them

yell loudly for the students to sit down and behave themselves

5 / 40

To transport cargo safely, which of these are you NOT responsible for?

recognizing possible overloads

making sure that cargo is properly secured

inspecting the cargo

ensuring the freshness of sealed cargo

6 / 40

Select the true statement in regards to large combination vehicles taking longer to stop.

they take longer to stop than bobtail tractors

they take longer to stop when they are empty

they take the same amount of time to stop when empty or loaded

they take longer to stop when loaded down

7 / 40

Of the following hazardous material classes, which is the most dangerous?

Division 63

Division 61

Division 64

Division 62

8 / 40

On a bus, you may sometimes haul small-arms ammunition, emergency shipments of drugs, or hospital supplies. The total weight of all such hazardous materials must not be greater than:

300 pounds

250 pounds

100 pounds

500 pounds

9 / 40

In what position should the converter dolly air tank drain valves and pintle hook be in?

closed and open

open and open

open and latched

closed and latched

10 / 40

Some hazardous materials may not be loaded together with other hazardous materials. The prohibited combinations are listed in the:

List of hazardous materials and reportable quantities.

Hazardous waste manifest.

Segregation and separation chart.

Hazardous materials table.

11 / 40

Select the true statement in regards to stopping distance and speed:

A wet road will double the stopping distance at any speed.

Larger / heavier vehicles generally take longer to stop.

You require 4 times as much stopping distance when driving at 40 mph compared to 20 mph.

All answers listed.

12 / 40

What are the liquid tight separations between compartments inside tanks called?

Layers

Bulkheads

Waffles

None of the answers listed

13 / 40

You are required to have a tank endorsement when transporting:

Materials that are hazardous

Passengers

Gas or liquid

Bulk fertilizer

14 / 40

For Division 1.1 or 1.2 Explosives A, should the floor liner required be stainless steel?

Yes

Never use a floor liner for any explosive class

Any type of floor liner is sufficient

15 / 40

When inspecting your bus, you must make sure that:

Rider signaling devices are working.

All of these answers are correct.

Every handhold and railing is secure.

Emergency exit handles are secure.

16 / 40

How many different hazard classes are there?

17 / 40

Is this statement true or false: You do not need to use the parking brake if are leaving your vehicle for a short amount of time.

only when the vehicle has over 25,000 miles on it

false

only when the vehicle has over 60,000 miles on it

true

18 / 40

What are spring brakes?

they do not function when the psi falls below 30 psi

they are powerful springs that hold back air pressure when driving

they are brakes that automatically come on for a truck or trailer when the psi drops too low

all of these answers are correct

19 / 40

After deciding the type of evacuation that is necessary, the next step you must take is:

Dangle the radio microphone out of the driver window for later use.

Securing the bus.

Opening the emergency exits.

Notifying the dispatch office of the evacuation.

20 / 40

Select the answer that is controlled by the foot brake.

the shut off valves

the engine brake

the emergency brake

the service air line

21 / 40

In what location must you keep your shipping papers which describe any hazardous materials?

On the driver's seat anytime you are outside of the vehicle.

In a locked glove compartment anytime you are outside of the vehicle.

In a fire-safe pouch under the passenger seat while you are driving.

In a fire-safe pouch under the driver's seat that you can reach while you are driving.

22 / 40

What might happen if a trailer is too high when you try to couple?

the queen pin may fall off

all answers listed

the trailer may tip to the side

it may not correctly couple

23 / 40

How should the shut off valves at the rear of the trailer be when inspecting doubles?

closed at the rear of the last trailer and open at the rear of the front trailer

none of the answers listed

closed at the rear of the last trailer and front trailer

open at the rear of the last trailer and front trailer

24 / 40

In the slide mechanism of the sliding fifth wheel, this object should have no missing pins or be loose when fully engaged.

Kingpin

Pintle hook

Locking pins

Rock jaw

25 / 40

Drivers placard their vehicle to _____ the risk.

minimize

communicate

elevate

take away

26 / 40

You should place the starter switch key into your pocket while you are performing the pre-trip inspection because:

someone could start and move the truck

someone could steal the truck

all of these answers are correct

it could damage the starting mechanism

27 / 40

What is always required before loading, driving, or unloading a tanker?

An inspection

Clean the vehicle

Registration of driving plan

Shift into park

28 / 40

When you have a major leak in the service line and put on the brake, the service air pressure will escape and cause the:

the trailer tank pressure to decrease

the trailer emergency brakes to activate

the tractor spring brakes to activate

none of the ansers listed

29 / 40

Buses are prohibited from carrying all of the following hazardous materials except:

Materials labeled radioactive in the space occupied by people.

Small-arms ammunition.

Properly secured tear gas canisters.

Properly labeled poison gas canisters.

30 / 40

What should you hear when you have the hand valve on and are testing the trailer brakes by opening the service air line at the back of the trailer?

air leaving the open valve

the engine brake to kick on

the service brakes more to a fully applied position

the emergency line valve to release air

31 / 40

The crack-the-whip effect is more likely to cause the front trailer to tip over.

there is an equal chance for trailers to tip

false

true

trailers never tip

32 / 40

Make sure____when the front trailer supports are up and the trailer is sitting on the tractor.

there is enough space for clearance between the nose of the trailer and the tops of the tractor tires

neither of the answers listed

both of the answers listed

there is enough space for clearance between the landing gear and the tractor frame

33 / 40

Which of the following is a clue another driver is impaired:

Exiting the interstate when there's no gas station visible.

Stopping at a green light, or waiting too long at a stop.

Open window in warm weather.

All of these answers are correct.

34 / 40

When accelerating:

do not engage the clutch before you take your foot off the brake

"hammer down" when your wheels start to spin

speed up smoothly and gradually and avoid jerking

always use the parking brake to slow down

35 / 40

Which of the following statements about special danger of loading and unloading is true?

Students should be told not to use the handrails when exiting the bus due to the possibility of causing a clothing hang up.

Students should be told to leave any dropped objects and move to the point of safety out of danger and get the driver's attention to retrieve the object.

Students should be told to pick up any dropped objects as long as it is not under the bus.

Students should be told to remain seated while the bus is in motion.

36 / 40

If you are already carrying 100 pounds of silver cyanide, what precautions must you take if you are given papers at a dock to carry 100 cartons of battery acid?

Make sure the battery acid is loaded on top of the silver cyanide.

Make sure the silver cyanide is loaded on top of the battery acid.

Inform someone and not load the battery acid.

Make sure there is plenty of space between the two.

37 / 40

______is a device that connects the service and emergency air lines between the tractor and trailer.

Top off valves

Relay knife

Service lines

Glad hands

38 / 40

Puddles or dripping fluids from the underside of the transmission and engine may indicate:

A leaking line or hose

All of these answers are correct

Problems with the water pump

A leak from the engine

39 / 40

How far before a railroad crossing should you stop your bus?

10 to 35 feet

15 to 50 feet

50 to 75 feet

100 feet exactly

40 / 40

You must control how far packages labeled "Radioactive II" or "Radioactive III" are located from people and cargo space walls by referring to:

The table of hazardous materials.

The list of hazardous materials and reportable quantities.

The segregation and separation chart.

The transport index and the separation distances table.

Your score is

The average score is 0%

5/5 - (1 vote)

CDL Category Practice Tests

CDL Practice Test

How To Get A pennsylvania Commercial Drivers License

To be eligible for a CDL in Pennsylvania, applicants must meet the following age eligibility requirements.

Be at least 18 years old to operate a commercial vehicle intrastate (within Pennsylvania only).
Be at least 21 years old to operate a commercial vehicle interstate (outside of Pennsylvania).

Pennsylvania CDL applicants must be medically certified that they are physically fit enough to operate a commercial vehicle and pass a vision test. Pennsylvania applicants must get assistance with the forms from a qualified CDL physician and submit the following documents:

(Form MCSA-5875) Medical Examination Report Form
(Form MCSA-5876) Medical Examiner’s Certificate

Applicants who receive a CDL must keep their Medical Examiner’s Certificate with them at all times while they are operating a commercial vehicle.

Drivers who have had their licenses revoked, suspended, denied or canceled are not eligible for a CDL in Pennsylvania. Applicants can be disqualified for having multiple licenses.

Pennsylvania CDL Endorsements

H – Hazmat Vehicles
N – Tank Vehicles
P – Passenger Vehicles
S – School Bus
T – Double or Triple Trailer
X – Combination Tank Vehicles and Hazmat Vehicles

Hit the Open Road

pennsylvania CDL License Test Tips

All Pennsylvania CDL applicants must pass the general knowledge test prior to taking the skills test. To pass the Pennsylvania test, applicants must score 80 percent or higher. Applicants who require additional endorsements must pass additional tests and pay the required fees. The Pennsylvania skills test can be taken 15 days after applicants pass the knowledge test. It includes a pre-trip vehicle inspection, basic control skills and on-road driving. Applicants must pass each section.

Military veterans and current military members can apply to have the skills exam waived if they meet the requirements.

To qualify for a waiver, applicants must:

Be active duty military personnel.
Operate a commercial vehicle as part of their military duties.
Have been discharged from the military within the past 12 months.
Submit an Application for CDL Skills Test Waiver.

Additional Information

Information on the Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles

The Pennsylvania Department of Motor Vehicles administers CDL license regulations in Pennsylvania. To get more information contact them via:

Website: https://www.dmv.pa.gov/Driver-Services/Commercial-Driver/Pages/default.aspx

Phone: 717.412.5300

Additional Pennsylvania CDL Helpful Links

Please use the links below to access Pennsylvania CDL testing resources and to learn more about practice driving tests for the state of Pennsylvania.

pennsylvania CDL Practice Test