What Information Should I Know From The CDL Handbook To Pass A Permit Test?
Topic 9703 | Page 1
Welcome Keith!
Here's how our High Road Training Program breaks down:
To Get Your CDL Permit:
- Rules & Regulations
- Driving Safely
- Transporting Cargo Safely
- Air Brakes
- Combination Vehicles
- Pre-Trip Inspection
- Driving Exam
To get your CDL endorsements which are optional but highly recommend:
- Transporting Passengers
- Doubles And Triples
- Tankers
- Hazardous Materials
Two sections we've built ourselves with info you'll need for everyday life on the road:
- Logbook
- Weight & Balance
Two sections for anyone considering flatbed:
- Cargo Securement
- New York State Coil Endorsement
Pre-trip Inspection:
A pre-trip inspection is a thorough inspection of the truck completed before driving for the first time each day.
Federal and state laws require that drivers inspect their vehicles. Federal and state inspectors also may inspect your vehicles. If they judge a vehicle to be unsafe, they will put it “out of service” until it is repaired.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
Logbook:
A written or electronic record of a driver's duty status which must be maintained at all times. The driver records the amount of time spent driving, on-duty not driving, in the sleeper berth, or off duty. The enforcement of the Hours Of Service Rules (HOS) are based upon the entries put in a driver's logbook.
Combination Vehicle:
A vehicle with two separate parts - the power unit (tractor) and the trailer. Tractor-trailers are considered combination vehicles.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
Can I get the extra endorsements while going for my permit?
Yes, you absolutely can. When I got mine, I got the endorsements my company required, and then I tried doubles/triples for the heck of it even though it wasn't needed, and I got that one too.
Doubles:
Refers to pulling two trailers at the same time, otherwise known as "pups" or "pup trailers" because they're only about 28 feet long. However there are some states that allow doubles that are each 48 feet in length.
I think when you say "permit" you are asking about a CDL learners permit....I may be misunderstanding you. I studied the general knowledge, air brake and combinations section for my personal recent trip to the testing station. This was in Mississippi and I relied almost exclusively on the training materials on this site. I passed though a few questions showed up during testing that I hadn't seen before. The lady asked me at completion of the above 3 mentioned sections if I wanted to add anything further so I'd imagine the answer to your question, at least in this state, would be yes.
CDL:
Commercial Driver's License (CDL)
A CDL is required to drive any of the following vehicles:
- Any combination of vehicles with a gross combined weight rating (GCWR) of 26,001 or more pounds, providing the gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of the vehicle being towed is in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any single vehicle with a GVWR of 26,001 or more pounds, or any such vehicle towing another not in excess of 10,000 pounds.
- Any vehicle, regardless of size, designed to transport 16 or more persons, including the driver.
- Any vehicle required by federal regulations to be placarded while transporting hazardous materials.
I'm sure it varies by state but should all be close to the same for the most part. Illinois had about 30 questions of general knowledge, 20 for combination, and 20 for air brakes. No time limit and you can skip questions and come back to it if need be. It is on a computer, now most of it was common sense. Just be careful of combination some of the questions can be misleading.
Look over what Brett has on this website as well. It cuts out alot of the stuff you don't really need. For example one question on the test was going down A slope your going to A. speed up B. slowdown etc.
Yeah I'm getting mine out of MA. I would like to get the extra endorsements because it will look good I'm sure when going for jobs. Plus it's something I plan on doing anyways. So maybe I will just stick to my original plan and finish all of High Road and get multiple endorsements.
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I've been doing the High Road Training Program and I'm wondering which sections will be on the permit test. I would like to get my permit and start talking to recruiters for company paid training. I will finish the High Road program but for now would like to know what I need to focus on so I can get my permit and get the ball rolling. Thanks.