As mentioned in the previous post that deals with the CDL category A requirements, the candidate needs to pass 03 tests:
General knoweledge;
Air brakes;
Combination vehicles;
Below, our cheat sheet, a selection of the most relevant topics from your test that require more memorization than actual understanding.
CDL CHEAT SHEET
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
AIR BRAKES
COMBINATION VEHICLES
GCWR > ou = 26.001 + GVWR da towed unit > ou = 10.001 = CLASS A
GCWR > ou = 26.001 + GVWR da towed unit < 10.001 = CLASS B
GVWR > ou = 26.001 + not a combination vehicle = CLASS B
GVWR < 26.001 + more than or equal to 16 passengers
or hazardous materials = CLASS C
GVWR < 26.001 + less than 16 passengers, no
hazardous materials in placardable quantities = NO CDL
Alcohol
Alcohol concentration > ou = 0.4% - Lose CDL for at least 1 year if first offense
Any detectable amount of alcohol = you will be put out of service for 24 hrs.
CDL Disqualifications
Alcohol, Leaving the Scene of an accident and commission of felony
1st offense = lose CDL for 1 year;
2nd offense = lose CDL for life.
Serious traffic violation
Excessive speeding (15 MPH ou + acima do limite)
Reckless driving, etc
2 offenses = lose CDL for at least 60 days;
3 or + = lose CDL for at least 120 days;
Violation of Out-of-Service orders
1st violation = lose CDL for at least 90 days;
2 violations = lose CDL for at least 1 year, if within a period of 10 years;
3 or + violations = lose CDL for at least 03 years within a period of 10 years.
Railroad-Highway Grade Crossing violations
1st violation = lose your CDL for at least 60 days;
2 violations = lose CDL for at least 120 days if within a period of 3 years;
3 violations = lose CDL for at least 1 year if within a period of 3 years.
Tires
Tread depth: 4/32 inches front tires and 2/32 inches other tires.
Steering wheel play
No more than 10 degrees (2 inches movement at the rim of a 20 – inch steering wheel).
Vehicle warning devices
03 reflective triangles or 06 fuses or 03 liquid burning flares.
Oil pressure
Idling = 5-20 PSI
Operating = 35-75 PSI
How far ahead to look
12 to 15 seconds
01 block in a city; ¼ mile in a highway.
Stopping distance (at 55 mph)
Perception distance = 1 ¾ seconds = 142 ft
Reaction time = ¾ to 1 seconds = 61 ft
Breaking distance = 216 ft
Total Stopping Distance = 419 ft (a football field is 360 ft long)
When you double your speed, the impact is 4x greater and so on
Following distance
01 second for each 10 ft of vehicle length under 40 mph;
01 extra second for speeds above 40 mph.
Crossing the tracks
It takes a tractor-trailer unit at least 14 seconds to clear one track and more than 15 seconds to clear a double track.
Cargo tie-down
The weight limit of the cargo securement system should be 1,5 times the weight of the cargo.
Rollover Risks
More than half of truck driver deaths in crashes are the result of truck rollovers.
Hydraulic Brake Check
Pump the pedal 3x, then hold it for 5 seconds. The brake pedal should not move.
Engine compartment belts inspection
Check the following belts for snugness (1/2 to 3/4 inch play at center of belt), cracks, frays, loose fibers or signs of wear:
Power steering belt;
Water pump belt;
Alternator belt;
Air compressor belt.
Any of the above, could be gear-driven and, therefore, have no belt.
Maintaining alertness while driving
Take periodic brakes – about every 100 miles or 2 hours during long trips.
Safety Inspection
Drivers of trucks and truck tractors when transporting cargo must inspect the securement of the cargo within the first 50 miles of a trip and every 150 miles or every 03 hours (whichever comes first).
Retarder
Caution. When your drive wheels have poor traction, the retarder may cause them to skid. Therefore, you should turn the retarder off whenever the road is wet, icy, or snow covered.
Broken leaf spring
Missing or broken leaves in any leaf spring. If one-fourth or more are missing, it will put the vehicle "out of service", but any defect could be dangerous.
Slippery surfaces
It will take longer to stop, and it will be harder to turn without skidding, when the road is slippery. Wet roads can double stopping distance. You must drive slower to be able to stop in the same distance as on a dry road. Reduce speed by about one-third (e.g., slow from 55 to about 35 mph) on a wet road. On packed snow, reduce speed by a half, or more. If the surface is icy, reduce speed to a crawl and stop driving as soon as you can safely do so.
Strong winds
Strong Winds. Strong winds make it difficult to stay in your lane. The problem is usually worse for lighter vehicles. This problem can be especially bad coming out of tunnels. Don't drive alongside others if you can avoid it.
Managing the space ahead of you
How Much Space? How much space should you keep in front of you? One good rule says you need at least one second for each 10 feet of vehicle length at speeds below 40 mph. At greater speeds, you must add 1 second for safety. For example, if you are driving a 40-foot vehicle, you should leave 4 seconds between you and the vehicle ahead. In a 60-foot rig, you'll need 6 seconds. Over 40 mph, you'd need 5 seconds for a 40-foot vehicle and 7 seconds for a 60-foot vehicle.
Slow-moving vehicle symbol
It is a red triangle with an orange center.
Distance you can see with your headlights and adjusting your speed
With low beams you can see ahead about 250 feet and with high beams about 350-500 feet. You must adjust your speed to keep your stopping distance within your sight distance. This means going slowly enough be able to stop within the range of your headlights. Otherwise, by the time you see a hazard, you will not have time to stop.
Avoiding glare to other drivers
Dim your lights within 500 feet of an oncoming vehicle and when following another vehicle within 500 feet.
Tires
Check the tire mounting and air pressure. Inspect the tires every two hours or every 100 miles when driving in very hot weather. Air pressure increases with temperature. Do not let air out or the pressure will be too low when the tires cool off. If a tire is too hot to touch, remain stopped until the tire cools off. Otherwise the tire may blow out or catch fire.
Cross-buck signs
This sign marks the grade crossing. It requires you to yield the right-of-way to the train. If there is no white stop line painted on the pavement, vehicles that are required to stop must stop no closer than 15 feet or more than 50 feet from the nearest rail of the nearest track. When the road crosses over more than one track, a sign below the cross-buck indicates the number of tracks.
Never permit traffic conditions to trap you in a position where you have to stop on the tracks. Be sure you can get all the way across the tracks before you start across. It takes a typical tractor-trailer unit at least 14 seconds to clear a single track and more than 15 seconds to clear a double track.
Tank endorsement
A tank endorsement is required for any commercial vehicle that is designed to transport any liquid or gaseous materials in a tank or tanks having an individual rated capacity of more than 119 gallons and an aggregate capacity of 1,000 gallons or more that is either permanently or temporarily attached to the vehicle or chassis. The liquid or gas does not have to be a hazardous material.
Going down a slope
When your speed has been reduced to approximately five mph below your "safe" speed, release the brakes. (This application should last for about three seconds.) Apply the brakes just hard enough to feel a definite slowdown. When your speed has increased to your "safe" speed, repeat steps 1 and 2.
Foot valve and spring brakes
Caution. Never push the brake pedal down when the spring brakes are on. If you do, the brakes could be damaged by the combined forces of the springs and the air pressure. Many brake systems are designed so this will not happen. But not all systems are set up that way, and those that are may not always work. It is much better to develop the habit of not pushing the brake pedal down when the spring brakes are on.
Wedge brakes
Wedge brakes may have a single brake chamber, or two brake chambers, pushing wedges in at both ends of the brake shoes. Wedge type brakes may be self-adjusting or may require manual adjustment.
Draining your air tanks
You must drain the tanks yourself at the end of each day of driving
Emergency warning devices = 10 min to put out devices;
One-way or divided highway = 10 ft, 100 ft and 200 ft;
Two-Way or Undivided Highway = 100 ft (front); 10 ft and 100 ft (back)
Obstructed View (ex.: curve) = 10 ft and another device within 100 ft and 500 ft.
Left turns
On a left turn, make sure you have reached the center of the intersection before you start the left turn. If you turn too soon, the left side of your vehicle may hit another vehicle because of off-tracking.
If there are two turning lanes, always take the right turn lane. Don't start in the inside lane because you may have to swing right to make the turn. Drivers on your left can be more readily seen.
Right turns
Air pressure
Governor cut out = 120 – 140 p.s.i.
Pressure build = 50 to 90 p.s.i. within 3 minutes;
Safety relief valve
Installed in the first tank the compressor sends air to. The valve is usually set to open at 150 p.s.i.
Low air pressure warning signal
It must come on before the air pressure in the tanks falls below 60 p.s.i. Older vehicles, it is supposed to come on at ½ the cut out pressure. On large buses, at 80 - 85 p.s.i.
Spring brakes
Tractor and straight truck spring brakes will come fully on when air pressure drops to a range of 20 to 45 p.s.i. (typically 20 to 30 p.s.i.).
Air Pressure
Before driving a vehicle with a dual air system, allow time for the air compressor to build up a minimum of 100 p.s.i. pressure in both primary and secondary systems.
Slack adjusters on s-cam brakes
When pulled at its connection with the push rod, a slack adjuster shouldn’t move more than 01 inch.
Brake drums or discs
Brake drums or discs shouldn’t have cracks longer than ½ the width of the friction area.
Air compressor cut-in and cut-out
Cut-in starts at about 100 p.s.i. and cut-out is at 125 p.s.i. (120 -140).
Rate of air pressure buildup
85 to 100 p.s.i. within 45 seconds in dual air systems;
In single air systems (pre-1975), 50 to 90 p.s.i. within 03 minutes with the engine at an idle speed of 600-900 rpms.
Service brakes test
Move at about 05 mph and apply the brakes firmly using the brake pedal.
Air brake lag
It takes 0.5 seconds for the air to reach the brakes. At 55 mph, this is equivalent to 32 ft. So, at 55 mph, total stopping distance, added the brake lag factor, would be 450 ft.
Air Brake Inspection
At cut-off pressure (120 - 140 p.s.i.), shut off the engine, key on, fully apply the foot brake. Hold it for 01 minute. The air pressure should not drop more than 03 p.s.i. (single vehicle) or 04 p.s.i. (combination vehicle);
Fan off the air pressure by rapidly applying and releasing the foot brake. Low air warning devices should come on before air pressure drops below 55 p.s.i.;
Continue to fan off. At about 40 p.s.i. on a tractor-trailer combination vehicle, the tractor protection valve and parking brake valve should close (pop out).
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