CALIFORNIA CLASS A LICENSE STUDY GUIDE QUESTIONS
WITH ANSWERS 2025/2026 GRADED A+
which statement is true? - many heavy vehicle accidents occur between midnight and 6
am.
you are driving a new truck with a manual transmission. what gear will you probably
have to use to take a long, steep, downhill grade? - a lower gear than you than you
would use to climb the hill
what three things add up to the total stopping distance for your truck or bus? -
perception distance, reaction distance, braking distance.
which of these systems should receive extra attention during a winter weather
inspection? - exhaust.
you are driving a long vehicle that makes wide turns. you want to turn left from one
street into another. both are two lane, two way streets. you should? - begin turning your
vehicle when halfway through the intersection.
you should use your mirrors to check? - where the rear of your vehicle is while you
make turns.
which of these statements is correct about emergency or evasive action? - to turn
quickly, you must have a firm grip on the steering wheel.
you are driving on a straight, Level highway at 50 mph with no vehicles in front of you.
suddenly a tire blows out on your vehicle. what should you do first? - stay off the brake
until the vehicle has slowed down.
cdl medical certificates must be renewed every? - two years
which of these happens when a tire blows out at highway speeds? - a vibrating feeling.
when you are passing another vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist, you should assume that
they? - may move into your traffic lane
where must you keep shipping papers when transporting hazardous materials? - in a
pouch on the drivers door or on the seat.
which of these statements is true about the rear drive wheel braking skids? - trailers can
push the towing vehicle sideways.
the purpose of retarders is to? - help slow the vehicle while driving and reduce brake
wear.
,you are driving a 40 foot vehicle at 35 mph. the road is dry and visibility is good. what is
the least amount of space that you should keep in front of your vehicle to be safe? - 4
seconds.
which of these is usually true about driving in tunnels? - there may be strong winds
when exiting.
you are driving in heavy traffic at 35 mph. the speed limit is 55 mph. The safest speed
for your vehicle is - 35 mph
Which of these statements is true regarding the use of drugs while driving? -
Prescription drugs are allowed if a doctor says the drugs will not affect safe driving
ability
Which of these statements is NOT true about backing a heavy vehicle? - You should
back slowly until you slightly bump into the dock
When the roads are slippery, you should - Make turns as carefully as possible
How far should a driver look ahead of the vehicle while driving? - 12-15 seconds
According to the Commercial Driver Handbook, why should you limit the use of your
horn? - It can startle other drivers
Which of these statements is true about bad weather driving conditions? - When the
temperature drops, bridges will freeze before roads
You are driving a heavy vehicle with a manual transmission. You have to stop the
vehicle on the shoulder while driving on an uphill grade. Which of these is a good rule to
follow when putting the vehicle back in motion - Use the parking brake to hold the
vehicle until the clutch engages
Which of these statements is true about double-clutching and shifting? - You can use
the tachometer to tell you when to shift
Which of these is especially true about your tires in hot weather? - You should check
tire mounting and air pressure before driving
When driving through roadway work zones, you should: - Watch for sharp pavement
drop-offs
After starting the engine, the: - coolant temperature gauge should begin a gradual rise
to normal
If you're not sure how to put out a hazardous materials fire, you should: - wait for
qualified fire fighters
, Take extra care to keep your vehicle centered in your lane because commercial
vehicles: - Are often wider than other vehicles
Controlled braking: - Is used to keep a vehicle in a straight line when braking
Why is a broken exhaust system dangerous? - Poisonous fumes could enter the cab or
sleeper berth
merging onto a road is safest if you? - wait for a large enough gap in traffic to enter the
road.
which of these statements is True about speed management? - on slippery roads, it
takes longer to stop and is harder to turn without skidding.
which of these items is not checked in a pre trip inspection? - Fuel level.
truck escape ramps - help avoid damage to vehicles.
which of these statements is true? - light vehicles need more braking power to stop than
heavy ones.
you should not back a tractor under a trailer until the whole air system is ? - at normal
pressure.
you are coupling a tractor to a semitrailer. you have backed up but are not under it. what
should you hook up before backing under the semitrailer? - THE EMERGENCY and
service air lines.
you are coupling a semi trailer to your tractor but have not yet backed under it. the
trailer is at the right height when? - it will be raised slightly when the tractor is backed
under it.
in general, the higher your trucks ''center of gravity'' the - easier it is to turn over
under good driving conditions, you should leave at least one second of space between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead for every _ FEET of your vehicles length? - 10
a trailer with a(n)_ trailer requires the shortest stopping distance. - fully loaded.
after you supply air to the trailer, make sure the air lines are not crossed and the trailer
brakes are working. you do this by? - applying/releasing the trailer brakes and listening
for brake sounds.
you want to inspect the trailer supports. you should place the tractor transmission in
which gear after you have uncoupled the trailer? - neutral
WITH ANSWERS 2025/2026 GRADED A+
which statement is true? - many heavy vehicle accidents occur between midnight and 6
am.
you are driving a new truck with a manual transmission. what gear will you probably
have to use to take a long, steep, downhill grade? - a lower gear than you than you
would use to climb the hill
what three things add up to the total stopping distance for your truck or bus? -
perception distance, reaction distance, braking distance.
which of these systems should receive extra attention during a winter weather
inspection? - exhaust.
you are driving a long vehicle that makes wide turns. you want to turn left from one
street into another. both are two lane, two way streets. you should? - begin turning your
vehicle when halfway through the intersection.
you should use your mirrors to check? - where the rear of your vehicle is while you
make turns.
which of these statements is correct about emergency or evasive action? - to turn
quickly, you must have a firm grip on the steering wheel.
you are driving on a straight, Level highway at 50 mph with no vehicles in front of you.
suddenly a tire blows out on your vehicle. what should you do first? - stay off the brake
until the vehicle has slowed down.
cdl medical certificates must be renewed every? - two years
which of these happens when a tire blows out at highway speeds? - a vibrating feeling.
when you are passing another vehicle, pedestrian, or bicyclist, you should assume that
they? - may move into your traffic lane
where must you keep shipping papers when transporting hazardous materials? - in a
pouch on the drivers door or on the seat.
which of these statements is true about the rear drive wheel braking skids? - trailers can
push the towing vehicle sideways.
the purpose of retarders is to? - help slow the vehicle while driving and reduce brake
wear.
,you are driving a 40 foot vehicle at 35 mph. the road is dry and visibility is good. what is
the least amount of space that you should keep in front of your vehicle to be safe? - 4
seconds.
which of these is usually true about driving in tunnels? - there may be strong winds
when exiting.
you are driving in heavy traffic at 35 mph. the speed limit is 55 mph. The safest speed
for your vehicle is - 35 mph
Which of these statements is true regarding the use of drugs while driving? -
Prescription drugs are allowed if a doctor says the drugs will not affect safe driving
ability
Which of these statements is NOT true about backing a heavy vehicle? - You should
back slowly until you slightly bump into the dock
When the roads are slippery, you should - Make turns as carefully as possible
How far should a driver look ahead of the vehicle while driving? - 12-15 seconds
According to the Commercial Driver Handbook, why should you limit the use of your
horn? - It can startle other drivers
Which of these statements is true about bad weather driving conditions? - When the
temperature drops, bridges will freeze before roads
You are driving a heavy vehicle with a manual transmission. You have to stop the
vehicle on the shoulder while driving on an uphill grade. Which of these is a good rule to
follow when putting the vehicle back in motion - Use the parking brake to hold the
vehicle until the clutch engages
Which of these statements is true about double-clutching and shifting? - You can use
the tachometer to tell you when to shift
Which of these is especially true about your tires in hot weather? - You should check
tire mounting and air pressure before driving
When driving through roadway work zones, you should: - Watch for sharp pavement
drop-offs
After starting the engine, the: - coolant temperature gauge should begin a gradual rise
to normal
If you're not sure how to put out a hazardous materials fire, you should: - wait for
qualified fire fighters
, Take extra care to keep your vehicle centered in your lane because commercial
vehicles: - Are often wider than other vehicles
Controlled braking: - Is used to keep a vehicle in a straight line when braking
Why is a broken exhaust system dangerous? - Poisonous fumes could enter the cab or
sleeper berth
merging onto a road is safest if you? - wait for a large enough gap in traffic to enter the
road.
which of these statements is True about speed management? - on slippery roads, it
takes longer to stop and is harder to turn without skidding.
which of these items is not checked in a pre trip inspection? - Fuel level.
truck escape ramps - help avoid damage to vehicles.
which of these statements is true? - light vehicles need more braking power to stop than
heavy ones.
you should not back a tractor under a trailer until the whole air system is ? - at normal
pressure.
you are coupling a tractor to a semitrailer. you have backed up but are not under it. what
should you hook up before backing under the semitrailer? - THE EMERGENCY and
service air lines.
you are coupling a semi trailer to your tractor but have not yet backed under it. the
trailer is at the right height when? - it will be raised slightly when the tractor is backed
under it.
in general, the higher your trucks ''center of gravity'' the - easier it is to turn over
under good driving conditions, you should leave at least one second of space between
your vehicle and the vehicle ahead for every _ FEET of your vehicles length? - 10
a trailer with a(n)_ trailer requires the shortest stopping distance. - fully loaded.
after you supply air to the trailer, make sure the air lines are not crossed and the trailer
brakes are working. you do this by? - applying/releasing the trailer brakes and listening
for brake sounds.
you want to inspect the trailer supports. you should place the tractor transmission in
which gear after you have uncoupled the trailer? - neutral
