General Driving Knowledge — Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania CDL practice test: 392 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. General Driving Knowledge: 110 questions.
Questions that do not fit a single topic: lane use, turning, signalling and other rules of the road.
This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines.
| Topic / Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Topic | General Driving Knowledge |
| License test | Pennsylvania CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 110 (28% of 392 total) |
| Review status | This topic page is still being reviewed against the official handbook. Until review is finished it is hidden from search engines. |
Official handbook
Not yet verified
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Questions (110)
1. During a static leakage test, the maximum leakage rate for a double combination vehicle is:
- 3 psi in one minute. ✓
- 6 psi in one minute.
- 8 psi in one minute.
- 4 psi in one minute.
Answer: A. 3 psi in one minute.
For a double combination vehicle, the maximum static air leakage rate is 3 psi in one minute. The handbook's static air leakage test starts with a fully charged system, the engine off, and the parking brake released, then has you watch the gauge for one minute. In that test, the loss should be less than two psi per minute for a single vehicle and less than three psi per minute for a combination vehicle. A double combination is still a combination vehicle, so the limit is 3 psi in one minute. The procedure where you hold the foot brake for a minute is a separate check with a different allowance.
2. When exiting your vehicle, you:
- Must maintain four points of contact with the vehicle.
- May turn to face the road before your exit is complete.
- Must be facing away from the vehicle.
- Must be facing the vehicle. ✓
Answer: D. Must be facing the vehicle.
When exiting your vehicle, you must be facing the vehicle. The handbook says that when you enter or exit, you must do it safely by facing the vehicle and keeping three points of contact at all times. It gives a separate rule for buses: face forward and keep a firm grasp on the handrail. For the vehicle exit in this question, facing the vehicle is the required body position. That is why the answer is to face the vehicle, not to turn toward the road or face away.
3. When inspecting the interior of a bus, you should:
- Loosen every seat.
- Check every handhold. ✓
- Assume all buzzers work properly.
- Remove the emergency exit handles.
Answer: B. Check every handhold.
When inspecting the interior of a bus, you should check every handhold. The handbook says the bus interior must be checked before you drive so riders are safe. It lists each handhold and railing as a part that has to be in safe working condition. The after-trip section adds that riders can damage handholds and other safety-related parts, so those items are not something to take for granted. That makes checking the handholds the supported choice.
4. Carry-on bags should be secured:
- In front of the back door.
- In front of the front door.
- In a location that allows access to all emergency exits. ✓
- On top of the bus.
Answer: C. In a location that allows access to all emergency exits.
Carry-on bags should be secured in a location that allows access to all emergency exits. The passenger-safety passages say riders must be able to exit by any window or door in an emergency, and they also mention protecting riders if carry-ons fall or shift. Another passage says aisles and stairwells should always be clear. Securing bags where they do not block an exit fits those rules: people can still get out, and loose bags are less likely to hurt someone. The handbook does not name one exact storage spot, so the answer must be the choice that keeps every exit usable.
5. When arriving at a destination, it is best to remind exiting passengers to take their carry-on bags with them:
- Before you stop the bus. ✓
- After you stop the bus.
- At least five times.
- As they exit the bus.
Answer: A. Before you stop the bus.
It is best to remind exiting passengers to take their carry-on bags with them before you stop the bus. The handbook's section on arriving at your destination tells drivers to remind riders to take carry-ons with them when they get off. It then says plainly that it is best to tell them before coming to a complete stop. The reminder is something you give while the bus is still moving and riders still have time to look around their seats, so they can gather their bags rather than leaving them behind. Announcing it earlier fits with the handbook's general approach of telling passengers things ahead of time rather than at the last moment.
6. When traveling down a hill:
- Your speed will not change.
- Your speed will decrease.
- Your speed will increase. ✓
- You will slow to a stop.
Answer: C. Your speed will increase.
When traveling down a hill, your speed will increase, because gravity pulls the vehicle faster on a downgrade. The mountain driving section explains that gravity plays a major role in mountain driving. On an upgrade it slows you down, and on a long, steep downgrade it causes your speed to increase. Because of that, the handbook says you pick a safe speed, shift into a low gear, and use proper braking so the brakes can hold you back without overheating. So the correct expectation is a rise in speed, not a steady or falling one.
7. A trailer will be most likely to swing around when:
- It is full.
- Traveling in a straight line.
- It is empty. ✓
- The wheels are rotating.
Answer: C. It is empty.
A trailer is most likely to swing around when it is empty. The handbook says trailer swing happens when the trailer wheels lock up. It directly adds that this is more likely when the trailer is empty or lightly loaded. That makes the empty trailer the choice that matches the rule. The passages do not describe being full, traveling straight, or wheels rotating as conditions that make trailer swing more likely.
8. During a basic vehicle control skills test, you may be asked to:
- Pull forward into a parking space.
- Drive in a figure eight.
- Alley dock. ✓
- Sound your horn.
Answer: C. Alley dock.
9. Large combination vehicles take the longest amount of time to stop:
- When fully loaded.
- When partially loaded.
- When empty. ✓
- When mostly loaded.
Answer: C. When empty.
Large combination vehicles take the longest time to stop when empty. The handbook says an empty or lightly loaded combination can need more distance to stop than a fully loaded one. With little weight, the stiff springs and strong brakes provide poor traction, so the wheels lock easily. That can let the trailer swing out or the tractor jackknife. The handbook also says to control speed whether loaded or empty and to brake early.
10. When carrying a wide load, you should:
- Drive as fast as possible.
- Obtain special permits and follow special rules. ✓
- Honk at other drivers to get them to move from the lane closest to you.
- Drive on the shoulder.
Answer: B. Obtain special permits and follow special rules.
When carrying a wide load, you should obtain special permits and follow special rules. The handbook describes over-width loads as oversized loads that require special transit permits. It says driving is usually limited to certain times, and special equipment may be needed, such as wide load signs, flashing lights, and flags. A police escort or pilot vehicles may also be required. The handbook adds that these special loads need special driving care. That supports getting the required permits and following the special rules rather than rushing, honking, or using the shoulder.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook