Massachusetts RMV CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 2
Test 2 of 5. Pick an answer for each question to see if it is right and why; your score appears at the end. You need 40 correct answers to pass, the same ratio as the real Massachusetts test.
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age18 years
-
1. On a one way street or a divided highway, where are the warning devices placed?
Show answer
Answer B: About 10 feet, 100 feet and 200 feet back toward the approaching traffic
When traffic can only come from one side, all three devices are spread out behind the vehicle to give approaching drivers a longer warning.
-
2. A chain rated at 6,600 pounds is fitted with a hook rated at 4,700 pounds. What is the working load limit of that assembly?
Show answer
Answer A: 4,700 pounds, the rating of the weakest part
An assembly is only as strong as its weakest component, so hooks, binders and links all count and the lowest rating governs.
-
3. What is required of the hooks, rails, rings and anchor points that tiedowns attach to?
Show answer
Answer A: They must be part of the vehicle and strong enough for the load being secured
A tiedown is only as strong as what it is hooked to, so anchor points must be proper vehicle fittings rated for the job.
-
4. You are loading a flatbed that has no sides or bulkheads. How must the cargo be held?
Show answer
Answer D: By tiedowns, blocking or bracing, since there are no walls to keep it from shifting or falling off
Open decks depend entirely on securement devices; every article must be tied down or otherwise immobilized so it cannot move, spill or fall.
-
5. What is checked about the engine cooling system during the engine compartment inspection?
Show answer
Answer C: That the coolant level is adequate and the radiator and hoses are not leaking
A low coolant level or a leaking hose leads to overheating, which can stop the vehicle in a place where stopping is dangerous.
-
6. What tells a driver when to shift up in a vehicle with a manual transmission?
Show answer
Answer C: Engine speed in rpm together with road speed
Shift points are judged from engine rpm and road speed, using the operating range the manufacturer specifies for that engine.
-
7. Besides slowing down, which technique most reduces the risk of a skid on a snow covered road?
Show answer
Answer B: Make every steering, braking and speed change gradual
Traction is limited on snow, and sudden inputs demand more grip than the surface can supply, so smoothness is what keeps the tires attached to the road.
-
8. When speed doubles, what happens to braking distance?
Show answer
Answer D: It becomes roughly four times as long
Braking distance rises with the square of speed, so twice the speed needs about four times the distance to stop.
-
9. What does the gross combination weight rating cover?
Show answer
Answer B: The maximum loaded weight of the power unit together with the trailer or trailers it tows
The combination rating takes in the power unit and everything behind it, loaded, as specified by the manufacturer.
-
10. What is the minimum tread depth required in every major groove of a steering axle tire?
Show answer
Answer D: 4/32 inch
Federal rules set a higher tread minimum for front steering tires than for other positions because a steering tire failure is far harder to control.
-
11. What is the purpose of the torque rods or radius rods you check on the suspension?
Show answer
Answer A: They hold the axle in alignment with the frame under braking and acceleration
Torque rods resist the twisting and fore and aft forces on the axle, so a cracked or missing rod lets the axle move out of alignment.
-
12. A strap is a little too long, so a driver ties a knot in it to take up the slack. Is that acceptable?
Show answer
Answer C: No, tiedowns must not contain knots
A knot destroys the rated strength of a tiedown, so the rules do not allow knotted securement devices; the excess is taken up by the winch or ratchet instead.
-
13. At what time of day do drowsy driving crashes occur most often?
Show answer
Answer A: Between midnight and 6 a.m.
The body clock makes people sleepiest in the early morning hours, which is when most fatigue-related crashes happen.
-
14. Which of these is a major cause of skids in heavy vehicles?
Show answer
Answer C: Over-braking, over-steering, over-acceleration or driving too fast for conditions
Skids happen when the tires are asked for more grip than the road can give, which happens through braking, steering or accelerating too hard or simply too much speed.
-
15. You drop your phone on the floor of the cab while driving. What do federal rules require?
Show answer
Answer A: Leave it, because reaching for it while driving is banned
Federal rules forbid reaching for a mobile device in any way that takes the driver out of a seated, belted driving position.
-
16. Below 40 mph, what following distance does the standard commercial rule of thumb call for?
Show answer
Answer C: One second for every 10 feet of vehicle length
The base rule allows one second of space for each 10 feet of vehicle length while speed stays under 40 mph.
-
17. At a stop on a hot day you find a tire that is too hot to touch. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer C: Wait until the tire cools before driving on, and do not let air out of it
A tire that is too hot to touch may be about to fail or catch fire; releasing air only leaves it underinflated once it cools, which makes things worse.
-
18. What are you checking when you look at the batteries during the engine compartment inspection?
Show answer
Answer D: That they are securely mounted, the connections are tight and free of corrosion, and the caps are in place
Loose or corroded batteries can fail or short out, so the mount, cables, terminals and vent caps are all part of the check.
-
19. At 55 mph on dry pavement with good brakes, total stopping distance for a loaded heavy vehicle is roughly what?
Show answer
Answer B: About 400 feet or more
Perception, reaction, and braking together add up to roughly 400 feet or more, farther than the length of a football field.
-
20. A car is following you far too closely. What is the safest response?
Show answer
Answer A: Open up more space ahead so you can slow gradually, avoid sudden changes, and do not speed up
Extra room in front lets you slow smoothly instead of braking hard, which is exactly what the driver behind cannot cope with.
-
21. The rear wheels of your vehicle lock during braking and the rear starts to slide sideways. What should you do first?
Show answer
Answer A: Stop braking so the rear wheels can roll again, then steer quickly in the direction you want to go
Locked wheels have no side grip; releasing the brakes restores traction and then countersteering brings the vehicle back into line.
-
22. How does a typical escape ramp stop a runaway vehicle?
Show answer
Answer B: With a bed of loose gravel or sand, often on an upgrade
Escape ramps use deep loose material, usually combined with a rising grade, so the vehicle is slowed gradually instead of being stopped by impact.
-
23. A commercial vehicle stops on the shoulder of an undivided two-lane road that carries traffic in both directions. Where do the warning devices go?
Show answer
Answer B: Within 10 feet of the vehicle, plus 100 feet to the front and 100 feet to the rear
On a two-way road the devices must mark the vehicle itself and warn traffic approaching from each direction, and they must be in place within ten minutes.
-
24. A sign before a long descent shows 6 percent. What does that number tell you?
Show answer
Answer A: How steep the grade ahead is
Percent grade is the drop in feet for every hundred feet of road, so the higher the number the faster speed will build and the lower the gear you need.
-
25. You must leave the vehicle parked on a slight grade. What adds security beyond setting the parking brake?
Show answer
Answer D: Chocking the wheels so the vehicle cannot roll if the brake bleeds off
Chocks hold the vehicle mechanically and are the standard backup whenever a parked vehicle could roll.
-
26. You find a defect during the pre-trip inspection. What must happen before the vehicle is driven?
Show answer
Answer C: It must be repaired, or the vehicle must not be driven
Writing a defect down does not make the vehicle safe; a defect that affects safe operation has to be corrected before the trip starts.
-
27. You are backing with a helper guiding you and the helper drops out of sight in your mirror. What should you do?
Show answer
Answer B: Stop until you can see the helper again
If you cannot see the helper you cannot receive a signal to stop, so the only safe action is to halt until visual contact is restored.
-
28. Your vehicle is stopped just past a hill or curve that hides it from approaching traffic. How should the warning devices be adjusted?
Show answer
Answer A: Move the rearmost device farther back, up to 500 feet, so drivers are warned before the obstruction
When a hill or curve blocks the view, the farthest device is moved back beyond the obstruction so approaching drivers see the warning in time.
-
29. How can a driver restart the 60 or 70 hour on-duty limit?
Show answer
Answer B: Take 34 or more consecutive hours off duty
A period of 34 or more consecutive hours off duty resets the 60 or 70 hour calculation so the driver can begin a new period.
-
30. You are hauling an open box of loose gravel. What does that load require?
Show answer
Answer A: A cover, so that material cannot blow off or spill onto the road
Loose material that can be blown or spilled has to be covered so it does not come out of the body and strike traffic behind.
-
31. Why should both outside mirrors be checked over and over while backing?
Show answer
Answer B: Each mirror covers only part of the path and neither covers the blind spots, so people and objects can appear without warning
Working both mirrors in turn is the only way to follow the whole path of a vehicle you cannot see behind.
-
32. An oncoming vehicle drifts across the center line into your lane. What is usually the safest move?
Show answer
Answer C: Steer to the right, toward the shoulder if necessary
Moving right keeps you away from the drifting vehicle and off the oncoming side; the other driver may swerve back and hit you if you go left.
-
33. What is checked in step six of the seven-step method?
Show answer
Answer D: The turn signals and the stop lights, checked from outside the vehicle
Step six returns to the cab to switch on the signal and stop lamps, then checks each one from outside, because those lamps are not lit during the earlier light check.
-
34. You have countersteered to correct a rear-wheel skid and the vehicle straightens out. What must you be ready for next?
Show answer
Answer D: The vehicle may swing back the other way, so you must steer again to correct it
A vehicle coming out of a skid tends to overshoot and swing in the opposite direction, and the driver must be ready to countersteer a second time.
-
35. In which languages does the Massachusetts RMV offer Class A, B and C learner's permit exams?
Show answer
Answer A: English only
Federal regulation limits commercial learner's permit exams to English, while Class D and Class M exams are offered in many languages.
-
36. How does bracing differ from blocking when securing cargo?
Show answer
Answer B: Bracing runs from the upper part of the cargo to the floor or walls to keep it from moving, while blocking fits snugly against the cargo
Blocking is shaped to fit against the front, back or sides of a piece of cargo; bracing supports it from above so it cannot tip or shift.
-
37. What is the first step of the standard seven-step vehicle inspection?
Show answer
Answer C: A general overview of the vehicle, including the last inspection report
The routine opens with a walk-up overview of the vehicle and a review of the previous inspection report so known defects are addressed first.
-
38. Why is a sudden, sharp lane change dangerous in a loaded heavy vehicle?
Show answer
Answer D: The vehicle can lean far enough to roll over, especially when the load sits high
A quick swerve throws the weight of a tall, heavy load sideways, and a rollover can begin before the tires ever slide.
-
39. An article of cargo has been blocked so that it cannot move forward. How many tiedowns does the federal rule call for?
Show answer
Answer A: One tiedown for every 10 feet of article length, or any part of that
Blocking against forward movement lowers the requirement to one tiedown per 10 feet of length or fraction of 10 feet.
-
40. What is axle weight?
Show answer
Answer C: The weight carried to the ground by one axle or one set of axles
Axle weight describes how the load is shared among the axles that carry it to the road, not how much the whole vehicle weighs.
-
41. A dock crew loads all of the freight at the very back of a 48 foot van trailer. What are the two consequences?
Show answer
Answer A: The steering axle is relieved of weight and steering becomes light, and the trailer axles may go over the limit
Weight placed far to the rear lifts weight off the front of the combination, so the steering goes light while the trailer axles take too much of the load.
-
42. Federal rules forbid operating a commercial vehicle in which condition?
Show answer
Answer C: In a condition likely to cause a crash or a breakdown
A defect that makes a crash or a breakdown likely has to be corrected before the vehicle is driven, not reported at the end of the trip.
-
43. Under federal rules, which commercial vehicles must stop at every railroad crossing before proceeding?
Show answer
Answer D: Passenger buses and placarded hazardous materials vehicles
Buses carrying passengers and vehicles required to display hazardous materials placards must stop at crossings, while other commercial vehicles slow and check.
-
44. Total stopping distance is made up of which parts?
Show answer
Answer A: Perception distance, reaction distance and braking distance
The vehicle travels while the hazard is recognized, while the driver moves to the pedal, and again while the brakes slow the vehicle.
-
45. What is wrong with resting your foot on the clutch pedal between shifts?
Show answer
Answer B: It slowly wears the clutch out, because the pressure plate is never fully engaged
Any weight on the pedal partly disengages the clutch, so it slips and wears; the foot belongs off the pedal once the shift is finished.
-
46. What are the rules for using your turn signal before a turn or lane change?
Show answer
Answer A: Signal early, keep the signal on until the turn is finished, then cancel it
An early, continuous signal tells others what you plan to do; cancelling afterward keeps the signal from misleading them.
-
47. What must the sponsor who accompanies a Massachusetts CDL road test applicant hold?
Show answer
Answer B: A valid commercial driver's license with the endorsements for the test vehicle
The sponsor must be at least 21 years old, hold a valid commercial driver's license with the endorsements matching the test vehicle and carry a current DOT medical card.
-
48. Why do worn tires lose grip so quickly on a wet road?
Show answer
Answer D: Shallow tread cannot move water out from under the tire
The grooves in a tire exist to channel water away so the rubber can touch the road, and a worn tire has lost that capacity.
-
49. How is a shipping container normally secured when it is carried on a special container chassis?
Show answer
Answer B: With its own locking devices that attach the container directly to the chassis frame
Containers built for rail or ship transport have locking corners that fasten to a matching chassis; a container carried on a plain flatbed must be secured like any other cargo.
-
50. Some commodities have their own detailed securement rules on top of the general ones. Which list is made up of such commodities?
Show answer
Answer C: Logs, metal coils, paper rolls, concrete pipe and crushed vehicles
The cargo securement rules add specific requirements for particular commodities, including logs, dressed lumber, metal coils, paper rolls, concrete pipe, intermodal containers, vehicles, crushed cars, roll on containers and large boulders.