Could You Pass a CDL Truck Driver Test?

Question 1

How Many Hours Can A Trucker Drive Before Mandatory Rest?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean By Calling Someone A Bear?

Question 1

What Is The Legal Blood Alcohol Limit For CDL Drivers?

Question 1

What Is A Trucker Referring To When They Say Chicken Lights?

Question 1

How Many Feet Must A Trucker Stop Before A Railroad Crossing?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say The Road Is Covered In Gators?

Question 1

What Is The Maximum Weight Limit For A Standard 18-Wheeler?

Question 1

What Does It Mean When A Trucker Says They Are Deadheading?

Question 1

Which Mirror Is Required On Every Commercial Truck By Federal Law?

Question 1

What Is The Name Of The Test Required To Haul Hazardous Materials?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Call A Scale House On The Highway?

Question 1

How Many Seconds Ahead Should A Trucker Scan The Road?

Question 1

What Is The Fast Lane On A Highway Called In Trucker Slang?

Question 1

Which Brake System Is Required On Every Commercial Tractor-Trailer?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say The Truck Is Jackknifing?

Question 1

How Many Points Of Contact Must A Trucker Use When Entering The Cab?

Question 1

What Is The Sleeping Area Behind A Truck Cab Called?

Question 1

What Does CDL Actually Stand For In Truck Driver Licensing?

Question 1

What Is The Name For The Front Nose Of A Semi-Truck?

Question 1

How Many Hours Of Off-Duty Rest Must A Trucker Take Between Shifts?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say They Are Running Bobtail?

Question 1

How Many Feet Long Is A Standard 18-Wheeler From Cab To Trailer End?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Term For A Traffic Jam Or Slowdown?

Question 1

What Must A Trucker Do Before Every Single Trip By Federal Law?

Question 1

What Is The Name For The Electronic Device That Tracks A Trucker's Drive Time?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say Someone Is A Lot Lizard?

Question 1

Which Special CDL Endorsement Is Required To Drive A School Bus?

Question 1

What Is The Blind Spot Directly Behind A Semi-Truck Called?

Question 1

How Many Gears Does A Standard Semi-Truck Transmission Have?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say They Are Putting The Hammer Down?

Question 1

What Color Are Warning Signs On A Hazardous Materials Placard?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Word For A State Trooper?

Question 1

How Many Feet Does It Take A Loaded Semi To Stop At 65 MPH?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say The Truck Has A Reefer?

Question 1

What Is The Name For The Fifth Wheel On A Semi-Truck?

Question 1

What Must A CDL Driver Do At Every Railroad Crossing With A Trailer?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Term For Driving Through The Night Without Stopping?

Question 1

What Is The Legal Maximum Height For A Commercial Truck In Most States?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say Someone Is A Tailgater?

Question 1

What Is The Name For The Log Book A Trucker Keeps By Federal Law?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Call Icy Roads That Look Wet But Are Frozen?

Question 1

How Many Feet Should A Trucker Stay Behind A Vehicle In Bad Weather?

Question 1

What Is The Name For The Metal Bar That Prevents Cars From Sliding Under A Truck?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say Their Load Is Top-Heavy?

Question 1

What Is The Special License Endorsement Required To Haul Liquid Tankers?

Question 1

What Do Truckers Call The Crank Used To Lower A Trailer's Support Legs?

Question 1

How Many Axles Does A Standard 18-Wheeler Have In Total?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Term For A Weigh Station That Is Closed?

Question 1

What Must A Trucker Do If Their Brakes Overheat On A Long Downhill Grade?

Question 1

What Is The Federal Rule About How Wide A Commercial Truck Can Be?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Term For A Low Bridge Or Overpass?

Question 1

How Many Feet Must A Trucker Signal Before Changing Lanes?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say They Are Running Under A Tarped Load?

Question 1

What Is The Name For The Safety Triangle Markers A Trucker Must Carry?

Question 1

What Do Truckers Call The Paid Shower Facilities Available At Truck Stops?

Question 1

Which CDL Class Is Required To Drive A Standard 18-Wheeler?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Term For A Fellow Truck Driver On The Road?

Question 1

What Must A Trucker Do If Cargo Shifts And Makes The Load Unbalanced?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Term For The Protective Bar Under The Front Of A Trailer?

Question 1

How Many Days Can A Trucker Drive Before Taking A 34-Hour Restart?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Term For A Fuel Stop?

Question 1

How Many Fire Extinguishers Must A Commercial Truck Carry By Law?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say They Hit A Lot Of Gumballs?

Question 1

What Is The Name For The Coupling Pin That Locks A Trailer To A Truck?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Call It When The Engine Slows The Truck Without Brakes?

Question 1

Which Direction Must A Trucker Always Turn To Get Out Of A Skid?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker CB Slang Term For A Speeding Ticket?

Question 1

What Is The Minimum Age To Drive A Commercial Truck Across State Lines?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say The Road Has A Dragon Wagon?

Question 1

Where Must A Trucker Keep Hazardous Materials Shipping Papers While Driving?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Call A Sudden Tire Blowout While Driving?

Question 1

How Many Feet Wide Is A Standard Truck Lane On A US Highway?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Term For A Motorist Driving Erratically?

Question 1

What Must A Trucker Check Before Crossing A Bridge With A Heavy Load?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Term For The Interstate Highway System?

Question 1

What Color Is The Placard Required For Flammable Liquid Cargo?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say They Are On The Flip-Flop?

Question 1

What Is The Minimum Tread Depth Required On A Truck Drive Axle Tire?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Call The Painted Lines That Separate Highway Lanes?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Term For A Truck That Has Lost Its Brakes On A Hill?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Term For A Rest Area?

Question 1

How Many Seconds Is The Minimum Following Distance For A Semi At Highway Speed?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say They Are Driving A Wiggle Wagon?

Question 1

What Is The Name For The Document A Trucker Carries Describing Their Cargo?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Call The Handle That Releases The Fifth Wheel Latch?

Question 1

What Must A CDL Driver Do If Their Air Pressure Drops Below 60 PSI?

Question 1

What Is The Trucker Slang Word For A Convertible Car On The Highway?

Question 1

What Is The Name Of The Air Hose Connectors Between A Truck And Trailer?

Question 1

What Does A Trucker Mean When They Say They Are Driving A Suicide Jockey?

1

11 Hours

2

10 Hours

3

8 Hours

4

14 Hours

Federal law caps driving at 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty to prevent fatigue accidents.

1

A Road Hazard

2

A Weigh Station

3

A Slow Driver

4

A Police Officer

Truckers use bear as CB radio slang for police because state troopers wore Smokey Bear ranger hats.

1

0.02%

2

0.04%

3

0.08%

4

0.06%

CDL holders face a stricter 0.04% limit which is exactly half the standard 0.08% limit for regular drivers.

1

Brake Warning Lights

2

Decorative Cab Lights

3

Emergency Flashers

4

Headlight High Beams

Chicken lights are the extra decorative lights truckers add to their rigs to increase visibility on the road.

1

5 To 15 Feet

2

15 To 50 Feet

3

10 To 30 Feet

4

25 To 75 Feet

Loaded tankers and buses must always stop at railroad crossings even when no train is visible or approaching.

1

Tire Shreds On Road

2

Deep Road Cracks

3

Icy Road Patches

4

Standing Water Puddles

Blown truck tire pieces scattered across highways earned the gator nickname because they look like alligators lying in the road.

1

80000 Pounds

2

65000 Pounds

3

95000 Pounds

4

72000 Pounds

The federal maximum weight limit for a standard 18-wheeler is 80000 pounds on interstate highways.

1

Driving Through The Night

2

Running Behind Schedule

3

Driving An Empty Trailer

4

Skipping A Weigh Station

Deadheading costs trucking companies millions each year because drivers still get paid while hauling zero freight and earning zero revenue.

1

Backup Camera Display

2

Wide Angle Hood Mirror

3

Rearview Center Mirror

4

Convex Side Mirrors

Federal law requires convex mirrors on commercial trucks because they provide drivers a wider field of view reducing blind spots.

1

HazMat Endorsement

2

Cargo Safety License

3

Doubles Permit

4

Tanker Certification

The HazMat endorsement requires passing a TSA federal background check and a knowledge test for CDL holders.

1

Bear Den

2

Hammer Lane

3

Lot Lizard Stop

4

Chicken Coop

Weigh stations earned the nickname chicken coop because early truckers hauled live poultry and feared inspection stops.

1

12 To 15 Seconds

2

5 To 7 Seconds

3

20 To 25 Seconds

4

3 To 4 Seconds

Federal CDL training requires truckers to scan 12 to 15 seconds ahead for safe stopping distance.

1

Bear Alley

2

Granny Lane

3

Hammer Lane

4

Zipper Lane

Truckers call the passing lane the hammer lane because drivers hammer down on the accelerator to move through traffic quickly.

1

Disc Brakes

2

Hydraulic Brakes

3

Air Brakes

4

Drum Brakes

Air brakes are required on every commercial tractor-trailer because compressed air generates sufficient force to stop heavy vehicles.

1

Brakes Have Failed

2

Trailer Folds Toward Cab

3

Tires Are Blowing Out

4

Engine Is Overheating

A jackknifing truck means the trailer swings sharply toward the cab creating a dangerous folding knife shape.

1

Three Points

2

One Point

3

Two Points

4

Four Points

Truckers must maintain three points of contact using two hands and one foot or two feet and one hand.

1

Sleeper Berth

2

Comfort Deck

3

Bunk Cab

4

Rest Pod

A sleeper berth is the designated rest compartment built directly behind the main driving cab area.

1

Certified Driving Logbook

2

Commercial Driver's License

3

Commercial Delivery License

4

Carrier Driver Listing

Congress created the CDL program in 1986 after a series of deadly crashes caused by undertrained commercial vehicle operators.

1

Bull Nose

2

Hood

3

Snout

4

Cowl

The front nose section of a semi-truck is commonly known as a conventional cab or long nose.

1

10 Hours

2

12 Hours

3

8 Hours

4

6 Hours

The 10-hour off-duty rule was established by the FMCSA and violations can result in fines exceeding 16000 dollars per offense.

1

No Trailer Attached

2

Driving Overweight

3

Low On Fuel

4

Hauling Livestock

A bobtail truck is actually harder to brake safely because the rear axles carry almost no weight.

1

50 To 60 Feet

2

70 To 80 Feet

3

90 To 100 Feet

4

40 To 50 Feet

Federal law caps most combination vehicles at 65 feet but many states allow longer with permits.

1

Gravel Road

2

Parking Lot

3

Mud Flap

4

Bear Trap

Truckers coined this term because a stopped highway looks exactly like a massive outdoor parking lot.

1

Weigh Station Check

2

Fuel Tank Top-Off

3

Pre-Trip Inspection

4

Logbook Submission

A proper pre-trip inspection covers over 40 individual components and takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes.

1

Dash Cam

2

Black Box

3

ELD

4

GPS Unit

ELDs became mandatory in 2017 replacing paper logbooks that drivers could falsify to hide extra driving hours.

1

Rookie Truck Driver

2

Slow Moving Driver

3

Weigh Station Officer

4

Truck Stop Loiterer

Truck stop culture developed its own vocabulary in the 1970s when CB radios made driver-to-driver slang widespread.

1

Tank Vehicle Endorsement

2

Air Brake Endorsement

3

Passenger Endorsement

4

Double Trailer Endorsement

School bus drivers must pass both a written knowledge test and a skills test with students aboard.

1

The Tail Pocket

2

The Shadow Lane

3

The Dead Zone

4

The No-Zone

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched the No-Zone campaign in 1994 to warn car drivers about truck blind spots.

1

18 Gears

2

13 Gears

3

8 Gears

4

10 Gears

Standard semi-trucks use a 10-speed transmission helping drivers manage torque across varying loads and steep terrain.

1

Accelerating Fast

2

Braking Hard

3

Pulling Over

4

Shifting To Low Gear

The phrase comes from old throttle levers shaped like hammers that drivers literally pushed down to gain speed.

1

Yellow

2

White

3

Red

4

Orange

Orange placards on hazardous materials vehicles warn first responders about dangerous cargo inside the vehicle.

1

Kojak

2

Rubber Duck

3

Smokey

4

Convoy

The name Smokey came from the wide-brimmed hats state troopers wear which resemble Smokey Bear's hat.

1

525 Feet

2

300 Feet

3

400 Feet

4

150 Feet

A fully loaded 80000-pound truck needs nearly two football fields of distance to stop safely at highway speed.

1

Broken Heater

2

Refrigerated Trailer

3

Backup Generator

4

Extra Fuel Tank

Reefer trailers keep perishable goods like produce and medicine at precise temperatures across thousands of miles.

1

Landing Gear

2

Coupling Device

3

Axle Plate

4

Kingpin Lock

The fifth wheel is a horseshoe-shaped plate that securely locks a semi-truck trailer to the cab.

1

Open The Window

2

Honk The Horn

3

Shift Into Low Gear

4

Turn On Flashers

Federal law requires truckers to shift into a gear that carries them across without needing to change gears mid-crossing.

1

Running Dark

2

Burning Miles

3

Riding Empty

4

Going Straight

Night driving is common in trucking because lighter traffic allows faster delivery times despite the fatigue risks involved.

1

15 Feet Even

2

13 Feet 6 Inches

3

12 Feet Even

4

14 Feet 2 Inches

Most states set the legal maximum height for commercial trucks at 13 feet and 6 inches.

1

Cutting Them Off

2

Flashing High Beams

3

Following Too Close

4

Passing On The Right

Truckers hate tailgaters especially because a sudden stop from 65 MPH gives a car driver almost no time to react.

1

Trip Manifest Sheet

2

Hours Of Service Record

3

Driver Activity Log

4

Route Compliance Form

Before electronic logging devices existed truckers kept handwritten paper logs that inspectors checked at weigh stations.

1

Black Ice

2

Glaze Ice

3

Slick Pack

4

Frost Heave

Black ice looks wet on dark pavement but is actually frozen and extremely dangerous for truckers.

1

50 Feet Minimum

2

200 Feet Flat

3

Three Car Lengths

4

One Second Per 10 Feet

Truckers must increase following distance by one second per ten feet of truck length during bad weather.

1

Trailer Skirt Rail

2

Bumper Impact Bar

3

Rear Underride Guard

4

Mud Flap Frame

Rear underride guards became federally required after a 1967 crash involving actress Jayne Mansfield brought national attention to the danger.

1

Overweight Trailer

2

High Rollover Risk

3

Uneven Axle Load

4

Shifting Cargo Inside

A top-heavy load means the cargo sits high making the truck likely to tip over on curves.

1

Liquid Cargo Permit

2

Tanker Endorsement

3

Fluid Hauler Cert

4

Bulk Transfer License

Liquid tankers require an N endorsement because sloshing fluid creates dangerous surge effects affecting braking and vehicle control.

1

Fifth Wheel Lever

2

Dolly Wheel Bar

3

Kingpin Handle

4

Landing Gear Crank

Landing gear cranks lower the support legs before uncoupling keeping the trailer stable on the ground.

1

Six Axles

2

Four Axles

3

Five Axles

4

Three Axles

A standard 18-wheeler has five axles that help distribute and support its maximum legal weight load.

1

Lot Is Empty

2

Bear Trap Is Off

3

Scale Is Sleeping

4

Chicken Coop Is Dark

Truckers use the slang term "chicken coop is closed" to indicate a weigh station is not operating.

1

Apply Emergency Brakes

2

Pull Onto The Shoulder

3

Use A Runaway Ramp

4

Downshift And Coast

Runaway truck ramps use deep gravel or sand to safely stop trucks experiencing brake failure on steep mountain highways.

1

110 Inches Wide

2

102 Inches Wide

3

96 Inches Wide

4

108 Inches Wide

The federal rule states commercial trucks cannot exceed 102 inches wide on public highways nationwide.

1

Hammer Down

2

Dead End

3

Bear Trap

4

Can Opener

Low bridges have torn off countless trailer roofs earning the nickname can opener from truckers nationwide.

1

100 Feet

2

75 Feet

3

200 Feet

4

50 Feet

Federal regulations require a 100-foot signal warning before any lane change giving other drivers critical reaction time.

1

Hauling Livestock

2

Driving Overweight

3

Running Without Permits

4

Cargo Is Covered

Flatbed drivers must secure tarps over open cargo by law protecting both the load and other drivers from debris.

1

Hazard Markers

2

Road Flares

3

Warning Cones

4

Reflective Triangles

Federal law requires truckers to carry three reflective triangles and place them within 10 minutes of a breakdown.

1

Lot Wash

2

Diesel Bath

3

Trucker Shower

4

Road Rinse

Truck stops began offering paid showers in the 1970s as driver amenities expanded beyond fuel and food.

1

Class C

2

Class D

3

Class B

4

Class A

A Class A CDL covers combination vehicles over 26001 pounds and is the highest level of commercial driving license available.

1

Good Buddy

2

Road Runner

3

Rubber Duck

4

Lot Hopper

Good buddy is trucker slang popularized by CB radio culture and the 1977 film Smokey and the Bandit.

1

Slow To 45 MPH

2

Stop And Rebalance

3

Continue To Destination

4

Call Dispatch First

A trucker must stop immediately and resecure any shifted cargo to restore proper load balance.

1

Front Underride Guard

2

Frame Rail

3

Nose Bumper

4

Cab Protector

Front underride guards prevent cars from sliding beneath trailers during rear-end collisions saving thousands of lives since becoming required.

1

Ten Days

2

Five Days

3

Fourteen Days

4

Seven Days

After seven consecutive days on duty federal hours-of-service rules require a full 34-hour off-duty restart before driving again.

1

Fuel Break

2

Diesel Stop

3

Pit Stop

4

Rest Stop

Truckers burn roughly 6 gallons of diesel per hour making fuel stops a constant part of every long haul.

1

Two

2

Three

3

None Required

4

One

Federal law requires at least one fire extinguisher rated 5 B:C or higher mounted within reach of the driver.

1

Passed Toll Booths

2

Drove Over Bumps

3

Hit Heavy Rain

4

Saw Flashing Police Lights

Truckers use the term gumballs to describe the spinning red and blue lights seen on top of police cruisers.

1

Drawpin

2

Hitch Bolt

3

Lockpin

4

Kingpin

The kingpin is a steel coupling pin that locks and secures a trailer to a truck's fifth wheel.

1

Air Brake

2

Engine Cutoff

3

Exhaust Brake

4

Jake Brake

Truckers call engine braking "Jake Brake" which uses compressed air release to slow the vehicle without traditional brakes.

1

Hard Right Always

2

Away From Skid

3

Hard Left Always

4

Into The Skid

Truckers must always steer into the skid to realign rear wheels with front wheels and regain control.

1

Lot Ticket

2

Bear Trap

3

Road Tax

4

Bear Bite

Bear bite entered CB radio culture in the 1970s when truckers warned each other about police issuing tickets.

1

18 Years Old

2

21 Years Old

3

25 Years Old

4

19 Years Old

Federal law requires commercial truck drivers to be at least 21 years old for interstate driving purposes.

1

A Tow Truck

2

A Fuel Tanker

3

A Road Grader

4

A Highway Patrol Car

Heavy-duty recovery tow trucks earned the dragon wagon nickname because they breathe diesel smoke and haul away broken-down rigs.

1

Filed With Dispatch

2

Within Reach Of Driver

3

Attached To The Cargo

4

In The Glove Box

FMCSA rules require hazmat shipping papers within reach while driving or visible on the seat when stopped.

1

Flat Spin

2

Road Pop

3

Blowout

4

Tire Snap

A blowout at highway speed can yank an 80000-pound rig sideways in under a second.

1

8 Feet

2

14 Feet

3

10 Feet

4

12 Feet

Federal highway standards require 12 foot wide lanes to safely accommodate large commercial trucks on US highways.

1

Tailgater

2

Lot Lizard

3

Road Ghost

4

Zipper

Truckers coined zipper because erratic drivers weave in and out like a zipper pulling apart.

1

Weight Rating

2

Speed Limit

3

Fuel Level

4

Lane Width

Bridge weight ratings are posted in tons and a trucker who ignores them can collapse the entire structure.

1

Big Slab

2

Flat Track

3

Long Road

4

Hammer Road

President Eisenhower signed the Interstate Highway Act in 1956 and truckers nicknamed it the Big Slab almost immediately.

1

Yellow

2

Red

3

Blue

4

White

Red placards on tankers warn first responders that the cargo can ignite and requires special firefighting foam.

1

Pulling A Double Shift

2

Changing Radio Channels

3

Heading Back Home

4

Switching Trailers

Flip-flop is old CB radio slang for the return trip and has been used by truckers since the 1970s.

1

2/32 Inch

2

8/32 Inch

3

6/32 Inch

4

4/32 Inch

Federal Motor Carrier Safety rules set 4/32 inch minimum on drive axles because those tires bear the most braking force.

1

Lane Marker

2

Zipper Line

3

White Ribbon

4

Road Stripe

A doctor painted the first zipper line on a Michigan road in 1911 to prevent head-on crashes.

1

Ghost Rig

2

Brake Fade

3

Free Roller

4

Runaway

Truckers call a vehicle with failed brakes on a hill a "runaway" and escape ramps save lives.

1

Lot Lizard Den

2

Chicken Coop

3

Diesel Stop

4

Bear Cave

Truckers have used bear cave for rest areas for decades because bears meaning police often patrol them.

1

Four Seconds

2

Two Seconds

3

Seven Seconds

4

Ten Seconds

Federal safety guidelines recommend at least seven seconds of following distance for a fully loaded 18-wheeler at highway speeds.

1

Double Trailer Rig

2

Oversized Load Truck

3

Refrigerated Tanker

4

Empty Flatbed Truck

A wiggle wagon is a double or triple trailer combination that sways and bends through curves on the highway.

1

Cargo Manifest

2

Shipping Receipt

3

Bill Of Lading

4

Load Ticket

A bill of lading dates back to the 1500s and is a legally binding contract between shipper and carrier.

1

Kingpin Release

2

Fifth Wheel Lever

3

Glad Hand

4

Jaws Release

Pulling the fifth wheel lever releases the jaw mechanism that locks the kingpin and separates the trailer from the tractor.

1

Pump The Brakes Hard

2

Increase Driving Speed

3

Downshift The Gears

4

Pull Over Immediately

Below 60 PSI federal law requires CDL drivers to immediately stop and park the vehicle safely.

1

Drop Top

2

Bare Back

3

Open Road

4

Topless

Truckers have called convertibles topless on the CB radio for years because the roof is completely missing from the vehicle.

1

Air Couplers

2

Glad Hands

3

Hose Locks

4

Brake Lines

Glad hands are color coded red for emergency and blue for service lines on trucks.

1

Driving Through Snow

2

Running Without Sleep

3

Carrying Oversized Load

4

Hauling Explosives

Suicide jockey is old trucker slang for anyone hauling explosives or highly flammable cargo because one spark can be fatal.

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