south dakota
CDL Practice Test

This is a practice test site for the CDL test in South Dakota. Use this site as a resource as you prepare to take your SD CDL test. You can take these practice tests and go through these questions as many times as you like, and the site is free to use. Questions on these practice tests cover areas such as driving weight requirements and passenger restrictions as covered in the South Dakota CDL Manual. 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

The trailer should be lowered so that _____.

the tractor comes in contact with the nose of the trailer

you are able to use the landing gear to make adjustments

the trailer is high above the fifth wheel

it is slightly raised when the tractor is backed under it

2 / 40

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

Drive at a speed below the posted speed limit.

Pump the brakes through the curve.

Ride the brakes through the curve.

Drive at a speed higher than the posted speed limit.

3 / 40

If you park the trailer at an angle to the tractor when uncoupling:

damage could occur to the landing gear

you will have more space to maneuver in the lot

the process will be faster and easier

you won't have to take as many steps around the vehicle

4 / 40

The golden rule for school buses when approaching and crossing railroad tracks is:

None of these answers are correct.

Stop, go, and stop.

Stop, look, and turn on the radio lights overhead.

Stop, look, and listen.

5 / 40

Tankers used to transport hazardous materials on vehicles must be marked with:

The un or na id number of the product.

The chemtrec phone number.

The date of manufacture.

The owner's puco or icc number.

6 / 40

This object is not checked at the rear of the trailer.

The mud flaps

The back doors

The header board

The bumper

7 / 40

Your bus is disabled. With riders aboard, the bus may be towed or pushed to a safe place only:

By another bus with its four-way flashers on.

If the distance is less than 500 yards.

By a 27,000 lbs gvwr or larger tow truck.

If getting off the bus would be more risky for the riders.

8 / 40

Placarded vehicles must carry which type of fire extinguisher?

B-C fire extinguisher

A-B fire extinguisher

C-D fire extinguisher

Hazmat extinguisher

9 / 40

Charter drivers should not:

Explain rules at the start of the trip.

Mention rules at the start of the trip.

Remind riders about rules once trip begins.

Allow riders on the bus until departure time.

10 / 40

What is NOT one of the four skill areas that operating a commercial vehicle requires?

first aid certification

steering

safely backing

accelerating

11 / 40

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

Small-arms ammunition.

Properly labeled poison gas canisters.

Materials labeled radioactive in the space occupied by people.

Properly secured tear gas canisters.

12 / 40

Which of the following is a recommended procedure when unloading the students?

Put the transmission in neutral gear and put on the brakes.

Position yourself outside of the bus in front of crossover mirror to supervise unloading.

Tell students to remain seated until they are told to exit.

Let the students begin moving to the front of the bus before it's fully stopped to maximize efficiency.

13 / 40

How much space should you see between the lower and upper fifth wheel when checking the coupling of a converter dolly?

1/2 to 1 inch

it depends on how heavy the load is

none

1 to 1 1/2 inches

14 / 40

On a drawbridge, you do not need to stop, but must slow down and make sure it's safe, when:

The bridge has an attendant or traffic officer who controls traffic whenever the bridge opens.

There is a traffic light showing green.

None of these answers are correct.

Both of these answers are correct.

15 / 40

When stopping for railroad tracks, you must stop no closer than how many feet before the nearest track?

16 / 40

Select the true statement about converter dollies:

they typically require a glad hand converter

they usually do not have spring brakes

all answers listed

because of their small size they have little braking power

17 / 40

The emergency air line is _____and the service air line is____.

yellow, white

red, green

red, blue

white, blue

18 / 40

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

Segregation and separation chart.

Hazardous waste manifest.

Hazardous materials table.

List of hazardous materials and reportable quantities.

19 / 40

What should the driver pay special attention to when driving smaller tanks?

The level of the fluid.

The distrubition of weight.

All answers listed.

The high center of gravity.

20 / 40

What does the amount of liquid allowed in the tank depend on?

The size of the tank.

The legally allowed weight limits.

Whether and how much the liquid will expand during the trip.

All answers listed.

21 / 40

With the controlled braking method, you _____?

apply the brakes all the way until the wheels lock up, release the brakes and apply them again when the wheels start to roll again

lightly apply braking pressure

apply the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels

repeatedly tap the brakes as fast as you can

22 / 40

What are the dividers that are inside tankers that have an opening at the bottom and top?

Layers

Taffles

Baffles

Bulkmets

23 / 40

Which of the following is a reason to evacuate the school bus?

A child set off a stink bomb inside the bus.

The bus is stalled on a rail road track, but there is no train in sight.

The bus abs warning light is on.

The bus is stalled on a shoulder of a 4-lane divided highway and it is getting hot inside.

24 / 40

Select the definition for outage:

It is the liquid that must be drained off to meet legal carry limit.

It is loss of power to the headlights.

It is how much power is lost to the hydraulics.

It is the process of liquid expansion as it becomes warm.

25 / 40

A commercial motor vehicle (CMV) is defined as:

a vehicle with a gross weight over 26,001 lbs

a vehicle transporting hazardous materials

all of these answers are correct

a vehicle transporting 16 or more passengers

26 / 40

Which of the following statements about downshifting is NOT true?

downshift before climbing a hill

downshift when you get to the bottom of a hill

downshift before entering a curve

downshift before starting down a hill

27 / 40

In what position should the shut off valves on a the rear of the front trailer be in on a set of double trailers?

in an open position

in a closed position

in a halfway open position

in a 1/3 way open position

28 / 40

What kind of surge can occur in a tank with baffles?

All answers listed

Side to side

Bottom to top

Back to front

29 / 40

The CDL manual indicates the last step on picking up students at the bus stop is as follows:

Place transmission in park or neutral and set parking brake.

Open the service door just enough to activate the alternating red light when traffic is in a safe distance from the bus.

Activate the amber flashing caution lights to warn vehicles that the bus will stop to load passengers soon.

Make a final check to confirm all traffic stops before opening the bus door and signaling students to approach.

30 / 40

Which of the following is the proper definition of a cargo tank?

A bulk container not permanently attached to a vehicle.

A bulk container which can be securely affixed to a vehicle.

None of these answers are correct.

A bulk container permanently attached to a vehicle.

31 / 40

To inspect the______you should pump the pedal 3 times and hold it down for 5 seconds while making sure the pedal doesn't move during those 5 seconds.

air brakes

parking brakes

hydraulic brakes

engine brakes

32 / 40

Select the true statement in regards to quick steering movements and double trailers:

it is easier to tip doubles and triples from quick steering movements than other vehicles

nothing will occur

you should apply a firm pressure to the brake pedal at the same moment you do quick steering movements

it is easier to countersteer doubles/triples than other vehicles

33 / 40

It is important to know the outage required for the liquids you carry because:

Tank baffles may not always be permitted with outage.

Some liquids will expand more than others when warm.

None of these answers are correct.

Some of the denser liquids don't need any.

34 / 40

When backing, what is the best method to use to avoid blind spots?

use a helper

look at your path

back towards the driver's side, where you can see better

use mirrors on both sides

35 / 40

How should you inspect a converter dolly?

as if it is a trailer

as if it is an axle with a fifth wheel

as if it is an engine

as if it is cargo

36 / 40

How often should you check your cargo?

every 150 miles or every three hours

within the first 50 miles after beginning a trip

after every break you take during driving

all of these answers are correct

37 / 40

It is very important that you never smoke around which hazard classes?

All hazard classes.

It is ok to smoke anywhere.

Corrosive, radioactive, dangerous, slippery when wet, inhalation.

Explosives, flammable gas, oxidizers, flammable solids, flammable liquids.

38 / 40

To prevent a roll over a driver can 1) keep the cargo as low to the ground as possible and 2) _____.

have the brakes properly adjusted

take turns slowly

drive while intoxicated

have the fifth wheel's free play as tight as possible

39 / 40

Class A explosives must not be transported in a combination vehicle if the vehicle includes:

None of these answers are correct.

A placarded cargo tank.

Two or more trailers.

A 200 inch wheelbase trailer.

40 / 40

Select the two reasons as to why special care is needed when driving a tank vehicle:

The danger of surge and the low center of gravity.

None of the answers listed.

The chance of rollover and of spontaneous combustion.

The danger of surge and the high center of gravity.

Your score is

The average score is 0%

5/5 - (1 vote)

CDL Category Practice Tests

CDL Practice Test

How To Get A south dakota Commercial Drivers License

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

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

South Dakota CDL applicants must be medically certified that they are healthy enough to operate a commercial vehicle and pass a vision test. Applicants are required to submit the following documents.

(REV 2015) Medical Self-Certification Statement
(Form MCSA-5876) Medical Examiner’s Certificate (This document must be completed by an FMCSA-approved physician.)

Interstate non-excepted (drivers who do not work for the state or federal governments) must meet federal DOT requirements. Intrastate non-excepted drivers must meet the state requirements. Drivers who have had their licenses revoked, suspended, denied or canceled are not eligible for a CDL in South Dakota. Applicants can be disqualified for having multiple licenses.

South Dakota 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

south dakota CDL License Test Tips

All South Dakota CDL applicants must pass the general knowledge test prior to taking the skills test. This test consists of 50 questions. To pass the South Dakota test, applicants must score 80 percent or higher. Applicants who require additional endorsements must pass additional tests and pay the required fees. The South Dakota skills test can be taken 14 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 a South Dakota resident with a valid state driver’s license.
Be currently enlisted in the military.
Operate a commercial vehicle as part of their military duties for at least 2 years prior to submitting the CDL application. If applicants are in the military reserves or a veteran of the reserves, the vehicle operation requirement is 4 years.
Have been honorably discharged from the military within the past 12 months.
Submit (Form CDL-SK TST WVR) Application for Military Skills Test Waiver. The commanding officer must sign this document.

Additional Information

Information on the South Dakota Department of Public Safety

The South Dakota Division of Public Safety administers CDL license requirements in South Dakota. To get more information contact them via:

Website: https://dps.sd.gov/driver-licensing/commercial-drivers-license

Phone: 605.773.6883

Additional South Dakota CDL Helpful Links

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

south dakota CDL Practice Test

CDL Category Practice Tests

CDL Practice Test

How To Get A south dakota Commercial Drivers License

Hit the Open Road

south dakota CDL License Test Tips

Additional Information

Information on the South Dakota Department of Public Safety

Additional South Dakota CDL Helpful Links

south dakota
CDL Practice Test