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

A safe haven is ______.

an approved place for parking attended vehicles loaded with flammable materials

an approved place for parking unattended vehicles loaded with corrosive materials

an approved place for parking unattended vehicles loaded with explosive materials

an approved place for parking unattended vehicles loaded with radioactive materials

2 / 40

Which of the following should you do when driving the school bus in high wind?

Drive only head-in to the wind to avoid cross-wind buffeting.

Keep a strong grip on the steering wheel and try to anticipate gust.

Speed up to get away from the wind as quickly as possible.

Pull off the road to wait for the winds to die down.

3 / 40

If you are stopped on an incline, how can you start moving without rolling back?

fully engage the clutch

apply the parking brake

shift to neutral

aggressively pump the accelerator

4 / 40

It is important for driving safety to always be looking ahead. Which of the following is NOT a recommended time/distance that you should be looking ahead?

about 12-15 seconds

about 1 block for city driving

about 5 car lengths on the highway

about 1/4 mile for open highway driving

5 / 40

Which of the following is a key steering component?

bearing plate

leaf spring

torque rod

gear box

6 / 40

Select the first action to do when the low air pressure warning comes on:

adjust the engine brake

shift into a higher gear

come to a stop and safely park as soon as possible

release the supply control valve

7 / 40

Which trailer is most likely to turn over when you make a sudden turn while pulling doubles?

there is an even chance for either trailer

the front trailer is twice as likely

the rear trailer is twice as likely

trailers will never turn over

8 / 40

You are driving a 60 foot truck at 55 MPH, how much space (in seconds) should you keep in front of you?

7 seconds

8 seconds

6 seconds

5 seconds

9 / 40

The amount of liquid you can carry depends on:

All answers listed.

How much you can legally carry.

How much the liquid will expand during the trip.

The density or weight of the liquid.

10 / 40

What is the movement of the liquid called when the tanks are partially filled?

Crashing

Surging

Knocking

Framing

11 / 40

Cargo tanks are:

Bulk packaging temporarily attached to your vehicle.

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

Bulk packaging permanently attached to your vehicle.

Only made in one size.

12 / 40

This should be cleaned and then adjusted properly while inside the cab.

The headlights

The mirrors

The lug bolts

The windshield

13 / 40

The best way to have control on curves is:

to shift to a lower gear before entering the curve

to decrease to your safe speed before entering the curve and then accelerate through it

you do not need to do anything different

keep pressure on the brake pedal through the turn

14 / 40

When there is a hazardous materials emergency. You should:

Prevent smoking and keep open flames away.

All of these answers are correct.

Keep people away and warn them of the danger.

Contact emergency authorities.

15 / 40

In column 1, the "D" symbol means:

Detonators

Domestic transportation

Domestic restrictions

Devices

16 / 40

Which of the following will confirm that you are driving with anti-lock brakes?

Red indicator lamp on the brake cylinder.

The bus operators manual.

The certification on the driver side door.

Yellow abs malfunction lamp on the instrument panel will light when you start the engine.

17 / 40

When would a drive-wheel skid result in a jackknife when pulling doubles?

when the trailer pushes the towed vehicle sideways

when the tractor brakes lock up

when the trailer slides to the right into the shoulder

when the tractor spins around

18 / 40

The driver's manual advises you to disconnect the steering axle brake to keep the rig straight:

in ideal conditions

never

whever you feel like it

when it is raining

19 / 40

You should_____to uncouple the converter dolly.

chock the wheels, lower the landing gear, and disconnect the safey chains

lower the landing gear, disconnect the safety chain, and chock the wheels

disconnect the safey chains, lower the landing gear, and chock the wheels

chock the wheels, disconnect the safety chains, and then lower the landing gear

20 / 40

What handling effect should you expect when your tank has baffles?

The surge will be slower than a tank without baffles.

There is no difference in handling when you have baffles.

There will not be as much side to side surge compared to a tank without baffles.

There will not be as much front to back surge compared to a tank without baffles.

21 / 40

School buses are one of the safest means of transportation. What two key factors contribute to this impressive safety record?

Bus drivers and driver training.

Vehicles and drivers.

School district policies and police involvement.

Vehicles and road conditions.

22 / 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 60,000 miles on it

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

true

false

23 / 40

What do you need to do to supply air to the air tanks of the second trailer?

open up the shutt off valves on the rear of the first trailer and close the shut off valve at the back of the second trailer

none of the answers listed

close the shut off valves at the back of each trailer

open the shut off valve at the back of both trailers

24 / 40

You should check that the _____are secure, caps are on tight, and is not leaking.

none of the answers listed

fuel tanks

cb radio

coolant system

25 / 40

Select the statement of what you should not do if you are required to drive through flowing water or deep puddles.

quickly turn the steering wheel side to side

drive at a high speed

shift into a lower gear

increase engine rpm

26 / 40

While driving on a clear night with low beam headlights, you should be able to stop within:

2 lengths of your vehicle.

Half of a football field.

The distance you will travel in the next 20 seconds.

The distance you can see ahead of you.

27 / 40

What will probably happen if the converter dolly is still under the second trailer and the pintle hook is unhooked?

the dolly tow bar could fly up

the engine brakes will unlock

the air lines will explode

nothing will happen

28 / 40

To avoid rollover when going through a curve, the best thing to do is:

Pump the brakes through the curve.

Ride the brakes through the curve.

Drive at a speed below the posted speed limit.

Drive at a speed higher than the posted speed limit.

29 / 40

How many seats may be placed in the aisle if the bus is a charter and is carrying agricultural (farm) workers?

30 / 40

Select the true statement about converter dollies:

they typically require a glad hand converter

because of their small size they have little braking power

all answers listed

they usually do not have spring brakes

31 / 40

The two main things to look ahead for while driving are _____.

truck stops and police

fire and flooding

traffic and road conditions

bridges and tunnels

32 / 40

Your engine runs a pump when you are delivering compressed gas. Should you turn off your engine before or after you unhook the hoses after finishing that delivery?

Turn it off before unhooking.

Leave it on the entire time.

Turn if off after unhooking.

Turn it off on arrival—use other power to run the pump.

33 / 40

An "A/W" the first column of the hazardous materials table means:

There is no restrictions with this material if shipped by water only.

It is ok to ship this material by air only.

This material has no restrictions when shipped by air and/or water.

This material is only restricted when shipped by air and/or water.

34 / 40

The main reason you should pull the dolly out from under a trailer before disconnecting it from the trailer in front is:

so the rear-trailer's air brake system will stay charged and keep the trailer wheels locked to prevent rolling

to provide additional lateral stabilization to the front trailer

it is possible that the dolly tow bar could fly up making it difficult to re-couple

removing the dolly before uncoupling is not the correct procedure

35 / 40

What is the purpose of a baffle?

It stops side to side surging.

It makes it easier to clean the tanker out.

It allows you to haul loads that are mixed.

It controls the surge of liquid forward and backwards.

36 / 40

You should decrease to a safe speed before entering a curve and then_____through it.

accelerate

pump the brakes

shift down 2 gears

ride the brakes

37 / 40

A battery box check is important. The battery must be secure, connection must be tight, and cell caps must be present. In addition these items should be checked:

Battery connections should not show signs of excessive corrosion, but the battery box and cover or door is unimportant.

The fluid level inside the battery.

Battery connection should show signs of excessive wear.

Battery connections should not show signs of excessive corrosion, and the battery box and cover or door should not be damaged and should be secure.

38 / 40

Check that the parking brake will hold by____when the parking brake is engaged and the trailer brakes released if not a combination vehicle.

shift up into a high gear and let off the clutch quickly

all answers listed

while in neutral increase the rpm to 1500

shifting down to a low gear and trying to pull forward gently

39 / 40

Upon what does the amount of liquid you can carry in a load depend?

The amount of expansion that will occur.

All of the answers listed.

The legal weight limits.

The weight of it.

40 / 40

What color are all school buses painted?

National school bus yellow.

Orange yellow.

The individual district decides the exact color.

Florescent yellow.

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