Maine BMV CDL General Knowledge Practice Test 8
- Questions50
- Correct to pass40
- Passing score80%
- Minimum age16 years
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1. What must the driver check about the seat belt during the inspection?
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Answer A: That it is securely mounted, adjusts properly and is not ripped or frayed
A belt only restrains the driver if its anchorage is sound and the webbing is intact, so mounting and condition are both checked.
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2. At 55 mph on dry pavement with good brakes, total stopping distance for a loaded heavy vehicle is roughly what?
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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.
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3. Why must the steering wheel be moved only a small amount at a time while backing?
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Answer B: Because a small turn of the wheel produces a large change at the rear of the vehicle
In reverse, the effect of the steering is greatly magnified at the back of the vehicle, so a small correction is usually all that is needed.
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4. On a wet road, a commercial driver should reduce speed by roughly how much?
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Answer C: By about one third
Cutting speed by roughly a third, for example from 55 to about 35 mph, restores a margin for the traction lost on a wet surface.
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5. On the Interstate System, what is the federal maximum weight allowed on a single axle?
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Answer A: 20,000 pounds
Federal limits for the Interstate System cap one single axle at 20,000 pounds.
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6. Which description matches controlled braking during an emergency stop?
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Answer D: Apply the brakes as hard as you can without locking the wheels and keep steering movements small
Controlled braking keeps the wheels rolling just short of lockup, which gives the shortest stop while you keep the ability to steer.
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7. Why does a load of hanging meat in a refrigerated trailer require special care in curves?
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Answer D: The meat swings and has a high center of gravity, which makes the trailer unstable
Hanging meat is heavy, sits high and swings, so the trailer can tip in a curve or on a ramp taken at normal speed.
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8. An unblocked crate 4 feet long and weighing 900 pounds needs at least how many tiedowns?
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Answer D: One
An article 5 feet or less in length and 1,100 pounds or less in weight is covered by a minimum of one tiedown.
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9. When turning left, what should a driver of a long vehicle do before beginning the turn?
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Answer B: Reach the center of the intersection so the rear wheels clear the corner
The rear wheels follow a tighter path than the front, so the vehicle must reach the center of the intersection before the turn begins.
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10. A car ahead of you keeps drifting within its lane and moving unevenly. What should you assume?
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Answer C: The driver may be distracted, lost or impaired
Unsteady lane keeping is a classic clue to a driver who is not in full control, so the safe response is to keep back and give plenty of room.
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11. What should you check about the fuel tank during the walkaround?
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Answer A: That it is securely mounted, the cap is on tight and there are no leaks
A loose tank or a missing cap can spill fuel, and any fuel leak is a fire hazard that makes the vehicle unsafe to drive.
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12. Loading heavy freight on top of lighter freight has what effect on the vehicle?
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Answer B: It raises the center of gravity and makes a rollover more likely
A high center of gravity lets the vehicle tip more easily in curves or during a sudden swerve.
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13. What is the coupling device weight rating on a vehicle?
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Answer A: The most weight that the coupling on the vehicle is rated to pull
The coupling device rating is a limit on how much weight the coupling may tow, and it is one of the ratings that has to be respected when a combination is loaded.
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14. Why does the commercial driver manual tell you to look far down the road instead of only at the vehicle ahead?
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Answer D: So you can adjust smoothly instead of braking hard at the last moment
A heavy vehicle cannot react quickly, so early information lets you slow gradually rather than make a sudden stop or swerve.
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15. Why should a large vehicle be accelerated smoothly and gradually?
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Answer A: Rough acceleration can damage the drivetrain and, on a combination, the coupling
Jerky throttle inputs put shock loads through the driveline and the coupling, which causes mechanical damage over time.
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16. When must a driver first inspect the cargo and its securement devices?
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Answer C: Before starting the trip, as part of the pre-trip inspection
Cargo is part of the pre-trip inspection; the later checks within 50 miles and every three hours or 150 miles come on top of that first inspection.
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17. Why can an empty truck need a longer stopping distance than a loaded one?
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Answer C: An empty vehicle has less traction, so its wheels lock up more easily
Brakes and tires are designed for a loaded vehicle, and with little weight on the axles the tires grip less and lock sooner.
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18. Which of these is a suspension defect you must look for during the walkaround?
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Answer D: Cracked or broken spring leaves, loose or broken U-bolts, or leaking air suspension bags
Broken springs, failed U-bolts and leaking air bags let the axle shift or the body drop, which can make the vehicle impossible to control.
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19. How does a driver measure following distance in seconds?
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Answer A: Wait for the vehicle ahead to pass a fixed roadside object, then count the seconds until the front of your vehicle reaches the same object
Counting from the moment the vehicle ahead passes a landmark until you reach it turns a gap you cannot judge in feet into a number of seconds.
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20. An unblocked article is 15 feet long. What is the minimum number of tiedowns?
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Answer B: Three
Two tiedowns cover the first 10 feet and one more is added for each further 10 feet or any part of it, so 15 feet needs three.
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21. What does it mean to overdrive your headlights at night?
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Answer D: Driving so fast that you cannot stop within the distance lit by your headlights
You must be able to stop inside the distance you can see; at night that distance is limited by the headlights, so speed must be lowered to match.
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22. What must the motor carrier do about a defect listed on a driver vehicle inspection report?
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Answer D: Repair it, or certify that repair is not needed, before the vehicle is dispatched again
A reported defect must be corrected, or certified as not needing correction, and that certification is what the next driver reads before taking the vehicle.
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23. Why should high beams not be used in fog?
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Answer A: The light reflects back off the droplets and blinds you
Fog is made of water droplets that scatter light straight back at the driver, so a stronger beam makes the wall of glare worse rather than better.
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24. An overpass you have driven under before now has a fresh layer of pavement on the road below it. Why does that matter?
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Answer B: The new layer raises the road and reduces the clearance
Repaving lifts the road surface, so the real clearance under a structure can be less than the height posted on it.
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25. A 40 foot straight truck and a 70 foot tractor-trailer make the same right turn. Which needs more room and why?
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Answer B: The tractor-trailer, because the longer the vehicle the farther inside the rear wheels track
Off-tracking grows with the distance between the front and rear axles, so the longer combination cuts the corner much more sharply and needs extra room.
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26. You are backing with a helper guiding you and the helper drops out of sight in your mirror. What should you do?
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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.
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27. What color must the clearance and side marker lamps and reflectors at the front of a trailer be?
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Answer A: Amber
Amber marks the front and the forward part of the sides of a vehicle, while red marks the rear, so another driver can tell which way the vehicle is facing.
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28. You have just passed another vehicle on a two lane road. What tells you it is safe to return to your lane?
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Answer B: You can see the whole front of that vehicle in your right mirror
Seeing the entire front of the vehicle you passed in your mirror proves you are far enough ahead to move back over without cutting the driver off.
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29. How is free play in the steering wheel measured during the inspection?
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Answer B: By turning the wheel until the front wheels just start to move and noting the movement
Play is the movement at the rim that produces no movement at the road wheels, so it is measured by turning until the wheels first respond.
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30. In hazard perception, what counts as a hazard?
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Answer C: Any road user or condition that could become a danger
A hazard is anything with the potential to create danger, which is why drivers are taught to spot them early rather than react to emergencies.
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31. When should a driver add space beyond the basic following distance rule?
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Answer D: On slippery roads and whenever visibility is poor
The seconds rule is a minimum for good conditions, so rain, snow, darkness and heavy traffic all call for more space than that.
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32. What makes a brake hose or air line a defect during the walkaround?
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Answer D: It is cracked, worn, kinked, or rubbing against another part
A chafed or cracked line can burst under pressure and take the braking on that circuit with it, so damage and rubbing points must be corrected.
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33. Which shock absorber condition is a defect?
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Answer C: A shock that is leaking, broken or disconnected at either mounting
A shock that has lost its fluid or its mounting no longer damps the suspension, so the wheel bounces and loses contact with the road.
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34. Before raising the hood to inspect the engine compartment, what should you do?
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Answer B: Shut off the engine, set the parking brake and chock the wheels if needed
The engine compartment is inspected with the engine off and the vehicle secured so nothing can move or turn while your hands are inside.
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35. Part of your load stands high enough to hide a rear lamp or a reflector. What must be done?
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Answer B: The load must be moved or extra lamps fitted so the required lights can be seen
Required lamps and reflectors must remain visible; if the cargo blocks them, the load is rearranged or additional lamps are fitted so the vehicle can still be seen.
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36. Your brakes have failed and you decide to use the parking brake to slow down. Why should you hold the release button or lever while doing so?
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Answer D: So you can release the brake at once if the wheels lock and the vehicle starts to skid
The parking brake can lock the wheels; keeping your hand on the release lets you let go the moment a skid starts and regain control.
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37. Before starting a trip, what must the driver confirm about the weight of the loaded vehicle?
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Answer A: That it is within the legal gross and axle limits for the route being driven
Overweight vehicles brake poorly, damage tires and suspension components, and can be put out of service at a scale, so weight is checked before the wheels turn.
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38. Which wheel or rim condition must be treated as a defect during the walkaround?
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Answer C: Cracks, illegal welded repairs, or missing and loose lug nuts
Cracked or welded rims and missing or loose fasteners can let a wheel separate from the vehicle and must be corrected before driving.
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39. What should you check about the air hoses and the electrical cord running to the trailer?
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Answer D: That they are free of damage, properly connected and not dragging or rubbing
Lines that chafe on the frame or drag on the road wear through, and a broken line takes away trailer braking or trailer lighting without warning.
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40. How do objects appear in a convex mirror compared with a flat mirror?
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Answer B: Smaller and farther away than they really are, while a wider area is shown
A convex mirror shows a wider field but shrinks everything in it, so the driver must remember that vehicles are closer than they look.
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41. What is a bulkhead in a cargo body used for?
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Answer D: To divide the space and stop cargo from moving into another part of the body
A bulkhead is a solid partition that separates one part of the load space from another and blocks the cargo from moving past it.
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42. Why are the windshield wipers on the pre-trip list even before a trip in fine weather?
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Answer C: Because weather can change and a wiper failure leaves the driver without a clear view
Rain, spray or mud can arrive at any point in a long trip, and a wiper that fails then leaves the driver with no way to clear the windshield.
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43. Why does a driver use pull-ups while backing into a tight space?
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Answer C: To pull forward and start the approach again when the angle is going wrong
Stopping, pulling ahead and repositioning fixes a bad angle safely, and there is nothing wrong with needing more than one attempt.
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44. How is a shipping container normally secured when it is carried on a special container chassis?
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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.
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45. You are loading a flatbed that has no sides or bulkheads. How must the cargo be held?
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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.
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46. How much notice must a Maine applicant give the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to avoid an extra fee for a missed examination appointment?
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Answer B: 48 hours
Maine adds a fee when an applicant fails to keep an examination appointment unless the Bureau was notified at least 48 hours beforehand.
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47. The only way into a customer yard forces you to back toward the right, or blind, side of the vehicle. What should you do?
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Answer D: Use a helper and get out to check the path more often than you normally would
Blind side backing is allowed but far riskier, so it calls for a spotter you can see and for repeated checks of the path on foot.
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48. Which of these is NOT on the federal list of parts and accessories the driver must be satisfied are in good working order before driving?
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Answer D: The seat cushion upholstery
The federal pre-trip rule names brakes, steering, lights and reflectors, tires, horn, wipers, mirrors, coupling devices, wheels and rims, and emergency equipment; seat upholstery is not on that list.
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49. Which vehicle requires a Maine Class A license?
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Answer B: A combination rated over 26,001 pounds when the towed unit is rated over 10,000 pounds
Maine's Class A covers a combination of vehicles rated at 26,001 pounds or more when the units being towed are rated above 10,000 pounds; a single heavy vehicle falls under Class B.
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50. How long must a motor carrier keep a driver vehicle inspection report and the certification of repairs?
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Answer B: Three months
The original report and the certifications attached to it are kept on file for three months from the date the report was prepared.