) to help you understand the materials better and gain an understanding for how that knowledge will fit into the overall picture.
"My own experience with the course itself was nothing short of amazing. To come into
the course with absolutely no prior knowledge of the subject, and to be able to grasp
the information, understand it, and retain it, has taken quite a bit off stress off me.
Now I know that when I do enroll in a school, I can focus on the driving aspects, and not
have to worry about the classroom side of things.
Review Questions - Click On The Picture To Begin...
These Questions Come From The Illinois CDL Manual
- Before exiting the vehicle, if possible, take the shipping papers with you
- Keep the trailer doors closed
- Warn others of the danger and keep them away
- All of these answers are correct
Quote From Page 103 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
You might have to control minor truck fires on the road. However, unless you have the training and equipment to do so safely, do not fight hazardous material fires. Dealing with hazardous material fires requires special training and protective gear.
When you discover a fire, send someone for help. You may use the fire extinguisher to keep minor truck fires from spreading to cargo before firefighters arrive. Feel trailer doors to see if they are hot before opening them. If hot, you may have a cargo fire and should not open the doors. Opening doors lets air in and may make the fire flare up. Without air, many fires only smolder until firemen arrive, doing less damage. If your cargo is already on fire, it is not safe to fight the fire. Keep the shipping papers with you to give to emergency personnel as soon as they arrive. Warn other people of the danger and keep them away.
- Passing a school bus receiving or discharging passengers or displaying a warning not to pass
- Performing an illegal U-Turn
- Driving on a sidewalk
- Passing a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
Quote From Page 9 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
Reckless Driving Operating a CMV or non-CMV in a manner that exhibits a willful, wanton or reckless disregard of the safety of persons or property.
- Passing a vehicle stopped for a pedestrian in a crosswalk.
- Driving on a sidewalk.
- Passing a school bus receiving or discharging passengers or displaying a warning not to pass.
TruckingTruth's Advice:
Reckless driving is a serious traffic violation which carries additional consequences. Two serious traffic violations within a three-year period results in a two-month disqualification. Three serious traffic violations in the same period results in a four-month disqualification.
- Small-arms ammunition
- All of these can legally be carried on a commercial bus
- Hospital supplies
- Emergency shipments of medical drugs or chemicals
Quote From Page 56 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
Buses may carry small-arms ammunition, emergency shipments of drugs, chemicals and hospital supplies. You can carry small amounts of some other hazardous materials if the shipper cannot send them any other way.
TruckingTruth's Advice:
Even if you don't plan to obtain a passenger endorsement for your CDL, you will still be required to have a basic understanding of some general rules and regulations for transporting passengers.
- HZ
- UN
- HM
- DH
Quote From Page 92 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
The basic shipping description of a hazardous material on a shipping paper must include the (1) identification number (preceded by the letters UN or NA); (2) DOT proper shipping name; (3) hazardous class or division number of a product (must include subsidiary hazard class when required); and (4) packing group for a product in a roman numeric pattern (may precede with the letters PG).
TruckingTruth's Advice:
It is very rare for shippers to use anything other than the letters "UN" for hazardous materials identification numbers.
- Complete a medical examination, including chemical testing for drugs
- Successfully pass a driving exam
- All of these are true
- Be at at least 18 or older
Quote From Page 59 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
Requirements A driver must:
- Be age 21 or older.
- Possess a valid and properly classified driver's license issued by the Secretary if State.
- Submit to and successfully pass an Illinois specific criminal background check through an approved vendor.
- Complete a medical examination, including chemical testing for drugs. A current DOT medical card is acceptable.
- Successfully pass a written charter bus endorsement exam administered by the Secretary of State.
- Successfully pass a driving exam, if applicable, in a representative vehicle of the class of the driver's license for passenger and charter bus endorsements.
- Affirm under penalties of perjury that you have not made a false statement or knowingly concealed a material fact in any application for a charter bus endorsement.
- Leaks from the tank
- Placards (if required) are present and undamaged
- Grounding and bonding cables are working properly
- Baffles are not damaged
Quote From Page 84 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
On all tank vehicles, the most important item to check for is leaks. Check under and around the vehicle for signs of any leaking. Do not carry liquids or gases in a leaking tank.
TruckingTruth's Advice:
While there are many other items which can be considered the "most important", most state manuals specifically state that checking for leaks is the most important inspection.
- Steer jackknife and drive jackknife
- Drive wheel jackknife and trailer wheel jackknife
- Front jackknife and rear jackknife
- Tractor jackknife and trailer jackknife
Quote From Page 71 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
Tractor Jackknife: Rear tractor wheels locked up or spinning.
Trailer Jackknife: Trailer wheels locked and sliding
What violations occurred in this example?
Day 1
Day 2
- There are no violations
- There is a 14 hour rule violation as well as a 30 minute break violation
- There is a 30 minute break violation
- There is a 14 hour rule violation
Quote From Page 0 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
Day 1
Day 2
Violations: There is a 14 hour rule violation from 5:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m. on Day 2.
Explanation - 11 Hour Limit: After 10 consecutive hours off duty, the driver was eligible to drive for up to 11 hours at 5:00 a.m. on Day 1. Before obtaining another 10 consecutive hour break (beginning at 9:00 a.m. on Day 2), he or she drove for only 7 hours, well within the limit.
Explanation - 30 Minute Break: All requirements for the 30 minute break provision were met. The driver never drove after being on duty for longer than 8 consecutive hours without at least 30 consecutive minutes spent off duty.
Explanation - 14 Hour Limit: After 10 consecutive hours off duty, the driver had 14 hours available at 5:00 a.m. on Day 1.
The 14 hour calculation includes:
- All off duty time of less than 10 consecutive hours;
- All sleeper-berth time of less than 8 hours; and
- All on duty and driving time.
Therefore, the driver reached the 14 hour limit at 7:00 p.m. on Day 1, and the violation began when the driver drove a CMV at 5:00 a.m. on Day 2.
NOTE: Although this driver had 15½ hours off duty between 9:00 a.m. on Day 1 and 1:00 a.m. on Day 2, that off duty time was interrupted by a period of 30 minutes on duty (3:00 p.m. on Day 1). Therefore, both the 6-hour sleeper-berth period and the 9½-hour off duty period are included in the 14 hour calculation (the calculation point does not change from 5:00 a.m. on Day 1). In addition, note that the driver can legally work after reaching the 14 hour limit, but cannot drive a commercial motor vehicle.
To remain in compliance, the driver should not have gone on duty from 3:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. on Day 1, or should have remained off duty from 1:00 a.m. - 1:30 a.m. on Day 2, in order to get 10 consecutive hours of off duty time.
- The Bridge Formula and the maximum allowed length from Kingpin to trailer tandems.
- The overall gross weight of the vehicle and the maximum percentage of weight on trailer tandems
- The maximum width of 8' 6" on Interstate Highways and the maximum trailer length law
- The tire load rating of the drive axle tires and the minimum clearance law
Quote From Page 0 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
At what time does a violation occur on this log?
- 10:00 p.m.
- 8:00 p.m.
- 9:00 p.m.
- 7:00 p.m.
Quote From Page 0 Of The Illinois CDL Manual:
Violations: There is a 14 hour rule violation from 10:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m.
Explanation - 11 Hour Limit: After 10 consecutive hours off duty, the driver had 11 hours of driving time available starting at midnight. The driver completed 9 hours of driving by 11:00 p.m. and went off duty, so there are no violations of the 11 hour rule.
Explanation - 30 Minute Break: Since the driver was never on duty longer than 8 consecutive hours, the 30 minute break provision was never a factor.
Explanation - 14 Hour Limit: After 10 consecutive hours off duty, the driver had 14 hours available at midnight. The driver used 10 of those hours by 10:00 a.m. before entering the sleeper berth for 8 consecutive hours. The 8 consecutive hour sleeper berth period is excluded from the 14 hour limit, but the 1 hour off duty period connected to that sleeper berth period is not. So the 14 hour limit was reached at 10:00 p.m., 4 hours after the end of the sleeper berth period, and the driver violated the rule by continuing to drive for another hour. To remain in compliance, the driver should have either stopped driving at 10:00 p.m., or remained in the sleeper berth from 6:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.
