ND CDL General Knowledge study plan

ND CDL General Knowledge · Give each week a clear focus.

8 weeks · About 6 hours per week

Week 1

General Knowledge (CDL Manual core section) & Air Brakes

Read the General Knowledge section end to end and write a one-line summary of each subsection in your own words.
Build a personal flashcard set of at least 40 terms covering vehicle inspection, basic control, and shifting.
Explain aloud the seven-step pre-trip inspection sequence without notes.
List the legal blood alcohol limits and the penalties for a first CDL offense in your state.

A dated study notebook with 40+ flashcards and a written 7-step pre-trip checklist.

Week 2

Trace the path of compressed air from the compressor to the brake chambers and sketch it from memory.
Describe what each of the three air-brake tests measures and the pass criteria for each.
Recite the low-air warning and spring-brake pop-out thresholds and explain why they matter.
Answer 30 mixed General Knowledge and Air Brake practice questions and log every miss with the reason.

A hand-drawn air system diagram plus a scored 30-question practice set with a written error log.

Week 3

Diagnose five written fault scenarios (compressor failure, leak, frozen line, slack adjuster out of adjustment, low pressure) and state the correct response for each.
Explain the difference between service brakes, parking brakes, and emergency brakes in your own words.
Demonstrate the three air-brake tests verbally to a study partner or recording within the time limits.
Define brake fade, compounding, and the proper downhill braking technique.

A two-page Air Brakes cheat sheet covering tests, thresholds, and fault responses, plus a recorded verbal walkthrough.

Week 4

Name the parts of a tractor-trailer coupling and the order of the coupling and uncoupling procedures.
Explain the tug test and the visual fifth-wheel check and when each is performed.
Describe off-tracking, rearward amplification, and the correct turning and lane-position technique for a combination vehicle.
Complete a 50-question timed practice test across Air Brakes and Combination Vehicles and review every miss.

A written coupling and uncoupling checklist from memory plus a timed 50-question test score of 80% or better.

Week 5

Explain how trailer air lines, the emergency line, and the trailer hand valve interact, and what happens if a line separates.
Describe the correct procedure for checking trailer brakes and glad hands before a trip.
Identify the causes and corrections for trailer swing, jackknife, and brake-induced skids.
Walk through a full pre-trip inspection of a combination vehicle using a written script.

A narrated combination-vehicle pre-trip script covering coupling, air lines, and brake check.

Week 6

List the nine hazard classes and give one real example of each.
Explain the shipping paper requirements and how to find the hazard class, UN number, and packing group on a document.
Read a placard description and match it to the correct placard and required emergency response information.
State the rules for parking, routing, and attendance of a vehicle carrying hazardous materials.

A hazard class and placard reference card plus a completed practice shipping-paper exercise.

Week 7

Explain the emergency response steps for a spill or leak, including when to evacuate and whom to notify.
Identify the forbidden materials and the loading and segregation rules that apply to mixed loads.
Review General Knowledge weak spots from your error log and re-answer every missed question correctly with a written reason.
Take a 60-question mixed practice exam covering all four domains.

A corrected error log with written reasons for every prior miss and a 60-question mixed exam score of 85% or better.

Week 8

Take three full-length timed practice exams and score 90% or better on each.
Re-drill only the questions missed in week 8 until each is answered correctly twice in a row.
Recite the air-brake test sequence and the coupling procedure from memory one final time.
Confirm your state's CDL test format, appointment requirements, and document checklist.

Three timed practice exams at 90%+ and a completed test-day checklist with appointment confirmed.

Week 2: Can draw the air system from memory and state all three air-brake test pass criteria without notes.

Week 4: Scores 80% or better on a timed 50-question Air Brakes and Combination Vehicles test.

Week 6: Names all nine hazard classes, reads a shipping paper correctly, and matches a placard description.

Week 8: Scores 90% or better on three full-length timed mixed exams covering all four domains.