Sharing the Road — Vermont
Vermont CDL practice test: 438 free practice questions (Based on the official driver handbook). The official format is not yet verified; check the official site before your test. Sharing the Road: 24 questions.
Pedestrians, cyclists, school buses, emergency vehicles and heavy trucks.
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 | Sharing the Road |
| License test | Vermont CDL permit (CLP) knowledge tests |
| Topic questions | 24 (5% of 438 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 (24)
1. When approaching a railroad crossing while transporting chlorine:
- You must stop before crossing the tracks. ✓
- You must reduce your speed before crossing the tracks.
- You may proceed across the tracks without stopping if no warning lights are flashing.
Answer: A. You must stop before crossing the tracks.
When you are hauling chlorine, you must stop before the railroad tracks. The handbook says to stop before a railroad crossing if your vehicle carries any amount of chlorine. It also says to stop 15 to 50 feet before the nearest rail, then cross only when you are sure no train is coming and you can clear the tracks without stopping. The handbook's stop requirement is based on carrying chlorine, so slowing down or rolling across when no warning lights are flashing does not meet the rule.
2. Doors should be closed while a school bus is being driven, except when:
- Crossing railroad tracks. ✓
- Needing to cool off the inside of the vehicle.
- There is no vehicle next to the bus.
Answer: A. Crossing railroad tracks.
The doors may be open when the school bus is crossing railroad tracks. The handbook's on-road driving section says a bus driver may be required to open the window and door before going over tracks. That is the exception given for having the door open while the bus is moving. The railroad-crossing passages focus on stopping, sight distance, and clearing the tracks; none of them say doors must stay shut at crossings. So the bank answer fits the handbook: crossing tracks is when door use can be required.
3. When near a railroad crossing:
- You should expect to hear every approaching train.
- You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching. ✓
- You will hear two short blasts of a train's horn if a train is approaching.
Answer: B. You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching.
You may not hear a train, even if one is approaching, so do not rely on hearing it. The handbook warns that trains may not sound their horns at some crossings, and signs identify public crossings where horns are not used. It also says noise inside your vehicle can keep you from hearing a horn until the train is dangerously close. Since your ears are not a dependable warning, approach crossings expecting a train, stay alert, and look both ways.
4. What should you do if your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks?
- Stay in the vehicle.
- Get out of the vehicle and call for assistance. ✓
- Continue trying to get your vehicle off the tracks until you are successful.
Answer: B. Get out of the vehicle and call for assistance.
If your vehicle gets stuck on the tracks, get out of the vehicle and call for assistance. The handbook says that if you get stuck on the tracks for any reason, you should get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Then you check the signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information and call 911 or another emergency number, giving the location with all identifiable landmarks, especially the DOT number if it is posted. So the right move is to leave the vehicle and phone for help, not to sit inside it or keep working the controls.
5. If you are taking the driving test and the route does not include a railroad crossing, you:
- Will not have to do anything related to a crossing.
- May have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks. ✓
- Will have to take a different route.
Answer: B. May have to explain how you would cross railroad tracks.
If your road test route has no railroad crossing, you may still be asked to explain and demonstrate the proper crossing procedures at a simulated location. The handbook states that not every road test route includes a railroad crossing, and that the examiner may ask you to explain and demonstrate proper railroad crossing procedures at a simulated location. So the crossing requirement does not disappear just because the route lacks real tracks; the examiner can still test your knowledge of the procedures. The safest preparation is to know the crossing steps well enough to describe and show them anywhere.
6. If a bus must be evacuated, it is safest for students to:
- Stand no more than 50 feet away from the bus.
- Stand downwind of the bus in the event of a fire.
- Be led far away from any railroad tracks. ✓
Answer: C. Be led far away from any railroad tracks.
If a bus has to be evacuated, students should be led far away from any railroad tracks. The handbook's evacuation guidance puts railroad tracks at the top of the list of things to avoid: lead students as far away from tracks as possible, and in the direction of any oncoming train so they are not standing in its path. That same page also covers other evacuation risks, telling you to move students upwind of the bus at least 300 feet when spilled hazardous materials are a concern and far enough off that a toppling bus cannot reach them. Getting everyone well clear of the tracks fits that same idea of putting distance between students and a hazard.
7. If your vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks, you should:
- Sit in the cab and call for help.
- Exit the cab and walk away from the tracks. ✓
- Motion for another driver to push your vehicle.
Answer: B. Exit the cab and walk away from the tracks.
Leave the cab and move away from the tracks. The handbook says that if you get stuck on the tracks for any reason, you should get out of the vehicle and away from the tracks. Once clear, check the signposts or signal housing at the crossing for emergency notification information, then call 911 or another emergency number. When you call, give the crossing location using landmarks, especially the DOT number if it is posted. The first action is to get yourself off the tracks, not to stay with the vehicle.
8. School buses:
- Are never equipped with ABS.
- Are only equipped with ABS if located in cold climates.
- May be equipped with ABS. ✓
Answer: C. May be equipped with ABS.
School buses may be equipped with ABS. The school bus section says many buses built before the required dates have been voluntarily equipped with ABS, and it describes the yellow ABS malfunction lamp on the instrument panel for a bus that has it. The air brake and driving safely sections also list buses among vehicles that can be required to have ABS based on build date and brake type, while noting that older commercial vehicles may have it voluntarily. That makes ABS possible on a school bus, not impossible and not limited to cold climates.
9. Dry bulk tanks:
- Usually have low centers of gravity.
- Usually have high centers of gravity. ✓
- Are usually not allowed to cross railroad tracks.
Answer: B. Usually have high centers of gravity.
Dry bulk tanks usually have high centers of gravity. The handbook's cargo section directly describes dry bulk tanks as needing special care because they have a high center of gravity and the load can shift. That means the weight is carried high, making the vehicle less stable. The same passage tells you to be very cautious, slowing down for curves and sharp turns. The tank vehicle section also explains that a high center of gravity makes a vehicle top-heavy and easier to roll over, which fits the warning given for dry bulk tanks.
10. To ensure that you do not slow down traffic when driving a large truck, you should:
- Switch gears while driving uphill.
- Try to pass another vehicle while driving uphill.
- Stay in the right lane whenever possible. ✓
Answer: C. Stay in the right lane whenever possible.
You should stay in the right lane whenever possible. The handbook addresses this directly in its uphill driving guidance. It says heavy vehicles get tailgated when they cannot keep up with traffic, and that this often happens uphill. If a heavy load is slowing you down, the instruction is to stay in the right lane if you can. That keeps slower traffic out of the way of faster vehicles. The same passage also warns against passing another slow vehicle uphill unless you can get around quickly and safely.
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Last checked: 2026-10-17 · Verified from official source
Updated: · Based on the official driver handbook