TESDA Driving NC III cheat sheet

Pre-shift briefing (toolbox talk) sequence: task and route, hazards and controls, PPE required, individual assignments, time limit, and an explicit invitation for questions.

Repeat-back check: the receiver restates the instruction in their own words and the leader confirms or corrects it before any work starts.

Feedback structure SBI: state the Situation, the Behavior observed, and the Impact, then agree on one specific corrective action and a review date.

Conflict modes (Thomas-Kilmann): competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding, accommodating; use collaborating when the disagreement involves safety.

Delegation checklist: match the task to the person's competence, state the standard of performance, the deadline, the authority limit, and the check-back point.

Handover note content (5W1H): what happened, who was involved, when, where, why, and what remains to be finished on the next shift.

Two-way radio protocol: identify unit and base, keep transmissions short, repeat back numbers and place names, and confirm the instruction was received.

Meeting record: agenda issued beforehand, decisions and action items logged with an owner and a due date, minutes distributed within 24 hours.

Escalation rule: a hazard the team cannot control is reported to the supervisor at once and logged; stop work when the danger is imminent.

Five Whys: keep asking why until the answer points to a process that can be changed rather than to a person; that answer is where the countermeasure goes.

Fishbone (Ishikawa) branches: Man, Machine, Material, Method, Measurement, Environment; verify each suspected cause with data before acting.

Pareto rule: about 80 percent of breakdowns and delays come from roughly 20 percent of causes, so rank causes by frequency multiplied by cost.

Distance, speed, time: distance = speed x time; time = distance / speed. At 60 km/h a vehicle covers 1 km every minute.

Payload = permitted gross vehicle weight minus tare (curb) weight; the result must also stay within the lowest axle rating, tyre rating, and registered GVW.

Grade maths: percent grade = rise / run x 100; the extra force on a grade is approximately vehicle weight x grade (a 5 percent grade adds 5 percent of the weight).

Conversions used on the job: 1 inch = 25.4 mm; 1 kg = 2.205 lb; 1 psi = 6.895 kPa; 1 bar = 14.5 psi; 1 litre = 0.264 US gallon.

Fuel cost per km = (litres used / km driven) x price per litre; a sudden rise points to a leak, brake drag, tyre pressure loss, or a driving-style change.

PDCA: Plan with data and root cause, Do a controlled trial, Check the measured result against the target, Act by standardising the fix or repeating the cycle.

RA 4136, the Land Transportation and Traffic Code, is the base law on speed, overtaking, right of way, signals, and duties after a crash; the LTO enforces it.

RA 4136 speed limits: 80 km/h for cars and motorcycles and 50 km/h for trucks and buses on open country roads without blind corners; 30 km/h on city or municipal streets and boulevards.

Hand signals: left arm straight out means left turn; left arm bent upward at the elbow means right turn; left arm bent downward means slowing or stopping.

Overtake on the left after signalling and checking that the lane is clear; a right-side pass is allowed only when the vehicle ahead is turning left or lanes lawfully permit it.

Double solid centre line means no overtaking and no crossing; a broken line permits overtaking only when the road ahead is clear and the manoeuvre can be completed safely.

At an uncontrolled intersection, yield to traffic already inside the junction and to the vehicle approaching from your right.

Signal displays: flashing yellow means proceed with caution; flashing red means stop fully, then proceed only when clear; steady red means stop and remain stopped.

Related laws: RA 8750 seat belts, RA 10586 anti-drunk driving (0.05 percent BAC for private drivers, zero tolerance for professional drivers), RA 10913 anti-distracted driving, RA 10054 motorcycle helmets.

Emergency vehicles using siren and flashing lights have the right of way; pull to the right edge of the road and stop until they have passed.

Documents before moving: driver's licence with the restriction covering heavy vehicles with trailer (for example CE), certificate of registration, official receipt, insurance, trip ticket, and cargo papers.

Air brake leak test with the engine off and system at full pressure: leakage must not exceed 3 psi per minute with brakes released, or 4 psi per minute with brakes applied.

The low-pressure warning must sound before pressure drops below 60 psi; the tractor protection valve then closes and the trailer spring brakes apply at roughly 20 to 45 psi.

Air build-up check: from 85 psi the system should reach 100 psi within 45 seconds at governed engine speed.

Coupling check: fifth wheel jaws closed around the kingpin, locking lever secured, no gap between the fifth wheel plate and the trailer apron, confirmed by a tug test against locked trailer brakes.

Steering free play at the rim should not exceed about 10 degrees (roughly 2 inches on a 20-inch wheel) before the road wheels begin to move.

Tyre check: pressure measured cold, tread at least 3.2 mm on steer tyres and 1.6 mm on other positions, no cuts, bulges, exposed cord, or objects lodged between dual tyres.

Lighting and marking: head, tail, brake, turn, hazard, reverse, clearance and marker lamps, plate lamp, side reflectors, and reflective tape all present and working.

On-board requirements: two early warning device triangles, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, wheel chocks, spare fuses and lamps, and the correct tools for the securement being used.

Off-tracking: the trailer's rear wheels follow a path inside the tractor's front wheels, and the amount grows with wheelbase and turn angle, so a 90-degree turn needs the widest swing.

Right turn procedure: signal early, move left to open the corner, keep the trailer's right wheels clear of the curb, and watch both mirrors throughout the turn.

Following distance: at least 1 second per 3 m of combination length, about 5 to 6 seconds for a 16 m rig; double it in rain and increase further on slippery surfaces.

Speed reduction rule: cut speed by about one third on wet roads, by half on packed snow, and slow to a crawl on ice.

Before a downgrade, select a lower gear; use the engine brake with short firm service brake applications instead of continuous light braking, which overheats the brakes and causes fade.

Hydroplaning begins near nine times the square root of tyre pressure in psi, expressed in mph; recover by easing off the accelerator, holding the wheel straight, and avoiding hard braking.

Trailer sway: release the accelerator smoothly, hold the steering straight, and apply trailer brakes only through the hand valve if fitted; never brake hard or steer against the sway.

Backing rule: get out and look, use a spotter positioned at the rear, back from the driver's side into the turn, and stop immediately if the spotter moves out of view.

Before a bridge or underpass, compare the posted clearance with the combination's overall height; when clearance is not posted, do not assume it is adequate.

Daily service checks: engine oil, coolant, power steering and washer fluid, belt tension and condition, hoses, fuel/water separator drained, air dryer condition, and tyre pressures.

Battery state of charge: about 12.6 volts at rest is fully charged and about 12.4 volts is roughly half charged; alternator charging voltage is typically 13.8 to 14.5 volts.

Coolant is mixed 50/50 with water plus the specified supplemental coolant additives; the mix raises the boiling point and lowers the freeze point.

Air leak location: charge the system, shut down, and apply soapy water to fittings, gladhands, and valves; bubbles mark the leak point.

Brake adjustment: excessive pushrod stroke, or a slack adjuster that will not hold adjustment, puts the vehicle out of service until repaired.

Overheating sequence: check coolant level when cool, then belt and fan, radiator fins and shutter, thermostat, and finally load and ambient conditions.

Electrical fault isolation: verify battery, then main fuse or relay, then the circuit ground; a voltage drop above 0.5 volts across a connection indicates excess resistance.

Fifth wheel and kingpin lubrication is a scheduled item; a dry coupling causes heavy steering, noise, and accelerated wear of the plate and kingpin.

Maintenance safety: chock the wheels, support on stands rated for the load, never work under a vehicle held only by a jack, and lock out the engine before service.

Documents that must match the load: bill of lading, delivery receipt, packing list, gate pass, and the seal number recorded at the point of loading.

Weight distribution: place the heaviest freight over or slightly ahead of the trailer axles, keep about 20 to 25 percent of trailer weight on the fifth wheel, and avoid loading behind the rear axle.

Securement strength: the combined working load limit of all tiedowns should be at least 50 percent of the cargo weight, with at least one tiedown for every 3 m of cargo length.

Working load limit means the marked rating of the chain, strap, or binder; never exceed it, and remove fittings that are bent, cracked, or worn beyond the marked limit.

Forces the arrangement must resist: about 0.8 g forward, 0.5 g rearward, and 0.5 g sideways relative to the cargo weight.

Door and seal check before departure: container doors closed and locked, seal intact, number matching the documents, and photographic evidence retained.

Load shift inspection: re-check securement within the first 80 km, then every 3 hours or 240 km, and again after hard braking or a rough road section.

Hazardous cargo: correct UN number and class placards, shipping papers, emergency response information, segregation from incompatible goods, and no smoking or open flame.

Overloading consequences: axle loads beyond the allowed limit under RA 8794 damage tyres and brakes, lengthen stopping distance, and expose driver and consignee to fines and refusal of the load.

Brake failure response: keep pumping the pedal, downshift progressively, apply the trailer hand valve and engine brake, sound the horn, and steer for an escape ramp or soft roadside.

Tyre blowout: grip the wheel with both hands, hold the vehicle straight, ease off the accelerator, let speed fall before braking gently, and leave the road only when slow.

Engine or cargo fire: stop, shut off the engine, evacuate upwind, call 911, and use the extinguisher by the PASS method, aimed at the base of the flame.

Agent selection: dry chemical or foam for fuel fires, carbon dioxide for electrical fires; never apply water to a fuel fire or to live electrical equipment.

Scene protection: hazard lamps on, reflective vest worn, warning triangles set about 4 m behind and in front of the vehicle, and personnel kept upwind and clear of traffic.

After a collision: stop, give first aid within your training, do not move seriously injured casualties unless fire or traffic demands it, and report to the nearest police station.

Notification content: exact location, number of casualties, cargo and hazard class involved, plate number, company name, and a call-back number.

Hazardous spill: stop the source if it is safe, contain with absorbent or earth, keep the substance out of drains and waterways, and notify the company emergency line and authorities.

Documentation within 24 hours: incident report, police report number, photographs, witness statements, and maintenance findings for any suspected mechanical cause.

Shutdown order: park on level ground, set the parking and spring brakes, chock the wheels, lower the landing gear before uncoupling, then shut down the engine.

Post-trip walk-around covers tyres and wheels, leaks under engine and trailer, lamps and reflectors, body and cargo damage, load still secured, and mud flaps.

Air tanks are drained at the end of the shift to remove condensed moisture; the air dryer and its desiccant are replaced on the preventive maintenance schedule.

Defect rule: any fault affecting safe operation is written on the driver's report, and the vehicle is not dispatched again until it is repaired and cleared.

Uncoupling: chock the trailer wheels, lower the landing gear onto firm ground, close the trailer shut-off valves, disconnect the light cord, then the air lines; separating the emergency line sets the trailer spring brakes.

Documents to settle: trip ticket with odometer readings, signed and stamped delivery receipts, fuel and toll receipts, and the seal record.

Fuel and cost record: litres loaded, price per litre, kilometres run, and consumption in litres per 100 km; an unexplained rise signals a leak, drag, or driving problem.

Parking security: keys secured, cab locked, windows closed, cargo doors locked and sealed, and the vehicle left where it cannot roll or be struck.

Handover report: defects found, work not completed, next service due in kilometres, and any incident or near miss, passed to the relief driver or supervisor before leaving.