Alabama CDL General Knowledge case studies
Alabama CDL General Knowledge · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The Alabama CDL General Knowledge test is the core written requirement for anyone seeking a Commercial Driver License in the state - the credential that permits you to operate tractor-trailers, straight trucks, dump trucks, buses, and other commercial vehicles on public roads. It is administered through the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's driver license division, and it is a knowledge screen rather than a skills test: you must pass it before you can sit for the CDL road exam or add endorsements. The Alabama CDL General Knowledge case studies are 5 cases and about 2,202 words.
1The Load That Shifted on the Downgrade
You are driving a 26,000 lb GVW straight truck with a loaded flatbed trailer behind it, grossing 24,500 lb, on a 6 percent downgrade posted at 45 mph. The load is steel pipe bundled with two nylon straps, and you inspected them 90 minutes ago.
441 words, about 2 min2Air Brake Warning at the Top of a Pass
You are in a tractor-trailer with full air brakes, loaded to 76,000 lb, climbing toward a summit. The grade sign at the top reads '6% next 7 miles.' Just before the crest, your low-air warning buzzer sounds and the gauge reads about 65 psi and falling slowly.
418 words, about 2 min3The Right Turn That Doesn't Fit
You are driving a 53-foot trailer with the tandems slid forward, turning right from a two-lane road onto a narrower two-lane road at a corner with a stop sign and a utility pole 12 feet from the curb on the far side. Your trailer's rear axle follows well inside the tractor's path.
453 words, about 2 min4The Green Light You Can't Trust
You are approaching a railroad-highway crossing at night in a 70-foot combination vehicle at 50 mph. The crossing has flashing red lights, a gate, and a stop line, but no bell you can hear over your engine.
423 words, about 2 min5The Mirror You Didn't Check
You are driving a 40-foot straight truck on a four-lane divided highway at 60 mph in the right lane. You have been on the road for 9 hours, with a 30-minute break, and it is 2 a.m.
467 words, about 2 min