Quebec Class 1 cheat sheet

Quebec sign shapes carry meaning: octagon = stop, inverted triangle (yield) = cédez le passage, diamond = warning, rectangle = regulatory or information, pennant = school zone or school bus related warnings.

Colour code: red = prohibition/stop/yield, yellow = warning, orange = construction/work zone, green = direction/guidance, blue = services/information, brown = points of interest, white with black = regulatory.

A flashing red signal is treated as a stop sign: full stop, yield to cross traffic and pedestrians, proceed when safe. A flashing yellow means slow down and proceed with caution.

A steady green arrow gives protected right-of-way in the arrow direction; a green light with no arrow means you must still yield to oncoming traffic when turning left.

Yellow centre line = two-way traffic (passing permitted if broken on your side); double solid yellow = no passing both directions; white line = traffic moving in the same direction.

A solid white line at the right edge marks the shoulder boundary; crossing it is permitted only when safe. Yellow lines on the left edge indicate the left boundary of a divided highway.

Stop line: solid white bar across your lane - stop before it. If a crosswalk is marked, stop before the crosswalk, never on it.

Railway crossing: round warning sign with X and two red lights means stop when lights flash and never pass while the gate is descending or down; a crossbuck marks the crossing point.

Right-of-way is yielded, never taken: at an uncontrolled intersection the vehicle on the right has priority; a vehicle already in the intersection has priority over entering traffic.

Left-turning vehicle yields to oncoming through traffic and to pedestrians in the crosswalk it is entering; right turn on red is permitted after a full stop and yield, unless a sign prohibits it.

Pedestrians in a marked or unmarked crosswalk have priority; a driver must stop and remain stopped until they have cleared the driver's lane and the adjacent lane.

School buses with flashing red lights and extended stop arm: traffic in both directions must stop (on a divided highway, only traffic approaching from behind the bus must stop).

Emergency vehicles with sirens/lights: pull to the right and stop; if in an intersection, clear it first. Never follow closer than 150 m behind an emergency vehicle responding to a call.

Speed limits: 50 km/h in built-up areas unless posted, 90 km/h on highways unless posted, 100 km/h on autoroutes unless posted; limits are maximums for ideal conditions only.

Passing on the right is allowed only in specific cases (another vehicle turning left, multi-lane same-direction road); otherwise pass on the left and never cross a solid line to pass.

Following distance for heavy vehicles: at least 3 seconds in ideal conditions, 4 or more seconds at night, in rain, or when loaded; more when following a snowplow or on gravel.

Pre-trip inspection is a legal duty before each trip: check tires, wheels, brakes, lights, steering, suspension, coupling devices, cargo securement, fluids and emergency equipment.

Tire rules: minimum tread depth 1.6 mm on steering axle and 1.6 mm elsewhere for the tread pattern; no cuts, bulges, exposed cords, or sidewall damage; dual tires must not touch.

Brake adjustment: with air brakes, pushrod stroke must be within the manufacturer's limit (commonly 51 mm / 2 in for clamp-type chambers, less for long-stroke); an over-stroke means the brake is out of adjustment.

Lighting: all required lamps must work - headlights high/low, taillights, brake lights, turn signals, four-way flashers, clearance/marker lamps, licence plate lamp, and reflectors.

Coupling check: fifth-wheel jaws fully closed around the kingpin, no gap between plate and trailer, locking lever secured, air lines and electrical cord connected without chafing, landing gear fully raised.

Leaks: any continuous air leak, oil, coolant, fuel, or hydraulic leak that drips is a defect that must be corrected before the vehicle is operated.

Emergency equipment: fire extinguisher (charged, secured, accessible), warning triangles (at least three), spare fuses, and a first-aid kit where required.

Defects found in inspection must be recorded and reported; a driver may not operate a vehicle with a defect that affects safe operation, and a major defect requires the vehicle to be taken out of service.

Normal operating pressure: build to governor cut-out around 830-930 kPa (120-135 psi); low-pressure warning must activate before pressure falls below about 420 kPa (60 psi).

Static leak test: with engine off, fully charged and brakes released, pressure loss must not exceed about 20 kPa (3 psi) per minute; with brakes applied, not more than about 28 kPa (4 psi) per minute.

Applied leak test: hold full brake application for one minute with engine off - a loss greater than about 28 kPa (4 psi) indicates a leak requiring repair.

Low-pressure test: pump down with the engine off; warning buzzer/light must come on before 420 kPa, and the spring (parking) brakes must apply automatically at about 140-280 kPa (20-40 psi).

Compressor build rate: from about 590 to 830 kPa (85-120 psi) at governed engine speed, pressure should build at no less than roughly 85 kPa (12 psi) per minute.

Slack adjuster / pushrod check: apply brakes fully and measure pushrod travel; excessive stroke means the brake is out of adjustment and the vehicle must not be driven.

Never fan the brakes on a downgrade: continuous light application overheats drums and causes brake fade. Use a lower gear, apply firm braking to a lower speed, then release and let brakes cool.

Drain air tanks daily (supply and service tanks) to remove moisture and oil; a failed drain, frozen line, or alcohol evaporator failure can cause brake failure in cold weather.

Securement standard: cargo must be secured so it cannot leak, spill, blow off, shift, or fall; the aggregate working load limit (WLL) of tiedowns must be at least 50% of the cargo weight.

Number of tiedowns: for cargo over 1.52 m (5 ft) long and 1.52 m or less, at least two; for cargo longer than 3.04 m (10 ft), at least one additional tiedown per 3.04 m of length.

Each tiedown must be attached to the vehicle and to the cargo, and must be within 1.22 m (4 ft) of the end of the cargo; tiedowns must not be loose, knotted, or worn beyond limits.

Height limit in Quebec: 4.15 m (13 ft 7 in) generally; width 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in); length 12.5 m for a single vehicle and 23 m for a tractor-trailer combination on designated routes (verify current limits).

Axle and gross weight limits: steering axle typically 5,500 kg; tandem axle group 17,000 kg; tridem 24,000 kg; gross vehicle weight 46,500 kg on Quebec roads (some routes differ - check signs and permits).

Overweight or oversize movements require a permit; escort and flagging requirements, travel times and route restrictions are specified on the permit.

Inspection after driving: stop and re-check tiedowns, tarps and load distribution after the first 80 km and every 3 hours or 240 km thereafter.

Weight distribution: load heavy items low and centred over the axles; an unbalanced load reduces steering traction and can overload an axle even when gross weight is legal.

Daily driving limit: no more than 13 hours of driving in a day; a driver must have at least 10 hours off duty (of which 8 are consecutive) in each day.

Cycle limits: 70 hours on duty in 7 days, or 120 hours on duty in 14 days, depending on the cycle the carrier uses; a reset requires 36 consecutive hours off duty (or 24 hours in some cycles).

Mandatory rest break: no driving after 13 hours of on-duty time without at least 8 consecutive hours off duty; a 30-minute break is required after 8 hours of driving.

Daily log: record duty status (off duty, sleeper, driving, on-duty not driving) in 15-minute increments, total hours, and the previous 14 days of logs must be carried and produced on request.

Electronic logging devices (ELD) are mandatory for most commercial vehicles; paper logs are permitted only in limited circumstances such as an ELD malfunction.

Fatigue signs: yawning, heavy eyelids, drifting, missing signs or exits, difficulty remembering the last kilometres - these require stopping for rest, not caffeine alone.

Sleep hygiene on the road: aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per 24 hours, keep the sleeper berth dark and cool, and avoid alcohol and sedating medication before driving.

A driver who feels drowsy must stop in a safe place and rest; the only effective countermeasure for fatigue is sleep, not fresh air, music, or energy drinks.

Stopping distance grows with the square of speed: a loaded tractor-trailer needs roughly 2-4 times the stopping distance of a car, more on wet or icy pavement.

Space cushion: maintain at least 3 seconds behind the vehicle ahead, 4 or more at night or in bad weather; add one second per 3 m of vehicle length above a car's length.

Downhill technique: select a gear that holds a safe speed without braking (engine braking), use the same gear you would use to climb the grade; brake firmly to reduce speed, then release.

Uphill technique: downshift before the grade, not on it; keep engine rpm in the power band and watch coolant and transmission temperature.

Speed on curves: reduce speed before entering, not in the curve; a high centre of gravity (loaded trailer, tanker) increases rollover risk - posted curve speeds are for cars, not trucks.

Braking: brake in a straight line where possible, avoid hard braking on curves, and be aware of brake fade on long descents; use engine retarders where permitted.

Blind spots: large vehicles have blind spots on both sides, directly behind, and in front; signal early, check mirrors, and never linger alongside a truck's right side.

Weather: reduce speed in rain, snow, fog and wind; hydroplaning risk rises above 80 km/h on wet pavement; use low-beam headlights in fog and never stop in a live lane.

Scan 12-15 seconds ahead and check mirrors every 5-8 seconds; identify escape routes before they are needed, and cover the brake when a hazard is developing.

Brake failure: pump the brakes, downshift progressively, use the engine brake and parking brake gradually, look for an escape ramp or uphill grade; do not shut off the engine.

Tire blowout: hold the wheel firmly, keep the accelerator steady or ease off, avoid hard braking, and steer straight until the vehicle stabilizes before pulling over.

Trailer jackknife or skid: release the brakes to regain rolling traction, steer in the direction of the skid (where you want the front to go), and avoid overcorrecting.

Fire: stop, shut off the engine, evacuate occupants upwind, call emergency services; do not open the hood fully on an engine fire, and never fight a fire that threatens the cargo or fuel tank.

Railway crossing emergency: if the vehicle stalls on the tracks, get everyone out and away, then call the railway emergency number posted at the crossing; move away at an angle from the track.

Hydroplaning: ease off the accelerator, avoid braking or steering sharply, and hold the wheel straight until tires regain contact; reduce speed in heavy rain.

Collision or incident: secure the scene, set out warning triangles, call 911, exchange information, and do not move an injured person unless there is immediate danger.

Dangerous goods are classified in 9 classes: 1 explosives, 2 gases, 3 flammable liquids, 4 flammable solids, 5 oxidizers/organic peroxides, 6 toxic/infectious, 7 radioactive, 8 corrosive, 9 miscellaneous.

Shipping documents: the dangerous goods document must accompany the shipment and include the UN number, proper shipping name, class, packing group, quantity, and emergency contact number.

Placards: required on the vehicle for most dangerous goods shipments; the placard must match the class of the goods and must be visible from both sides and the rear.

Training: anyone handling or transporting dangerous goods must be trained and hold a certificate, renewed every 3 years, covering classification, marking, labelling, placarding, and emergency response.

Segregation and loading: incompatible classes must not be loaded together; keep dangerous goods away from heat, food, and animals, and secure cylinders upright.

Emergency response: use the ERAP (emergency response assistance plan) and the emergency number on the document; approach from upwind, keep people back, and do not touch spilled material.

Reporting: a release of dangerous goods must be reported immediately to the carrier, the emergency number, and the appropriate authority (Environment Canada / provincial environment ministry).

Prohibited acts: smoking, open flames, and use of devices that could ignite vapours are prohibited near vehicles carrying flammable liquids or gases.