DMV CDL Practice Test 1 - Tanker

1 / 20

Hauling liquids in tankers requires special care for two reasons. One reason is the _____ center of gravity that tankers have.

A. High

B. Wide

C. Flat

Hauling liquids in tanks requires special skills because of the high center of gravity and liquid movement.

2 / 20

You are driving a tank truck and the front wheels begin to skid. Which of these is most likely to occur?

A. Liquid surge will pull the tank from the truck

B. You will continue in a straight line and keep moving forward no matter how much you steer

C. The truck will roll over

In a front-wheel skid, the front end tends to go in a straight line regardless of how much you turn the steering wheel.

3 / 20

How far back does a helper stand when pumping or unloading liquids from a tanker?

A. 15 feet

B. 25 feet

C. 20 feet

The person watching the loading or unloading must: be alert, have a clear view of the cargo tank, be within 25 feet of the tank, know of the hazards of the materials involved, know the procedures to follow in an emergency, and be authorized to move the cargo tank and able to do so.

4 / 20

Outage means:

A. How fast the tanks drain

B. Liquid weight

C. Allowance for expansion of liquid

Liquids expand as they warm and you must leave room for the expanding liquid. This is called "outage."

5 / 20

Side to side surge can cause:

A. Roll over

B. Over speeding

C. Suspension system failure

Side-to-side surge can cause a roll over.

6 / 20

You need to be extremely cautious when driving smooth bore tankers. This is especially true when you are:

A. Starting or stopping

B. Loading or unloading

C. Hauling milk or other food products

Un-baffled liquid tankers (sometimes called "smooth bore" tanks) have nothing inside to slow down the flow of the liquid. Therefore, forward-and back surge is very strong.

7 / 20

Liquid in a tank with baffles can have what kind of surge?

A. Front to back

B. Side to side

C. Top to bottom

The baffles help to control the forward and backward liquid surge. Side-to-side surge can still occur. This can cause a roll over.

8 / 20

When your cargo tank has baffles, what handling effect do you expect?

A. There will be less front to back surge than there is in tanks without baffles

B. There will be less side to side surge than there is in tanks without baffles

C. There will be slower surge that quick surge

The baffles help to control the forward and backward liquid surge. Side-to-side surge can still occur. This can cause a roll over.

9 / 20

Which of these statements about stopping distance and speed is true?

A. All answers are true

B. You need about two times as much stopping distance at 40 MPH as at 20 MPH

C. Wet roads can double stopping distance at any speed

Remember that wet roads double the normal stopping distance.

10 / 20

Which of these statements about tankers and their center of gravity is true?

A. Both of the above

B. Tankers can turn over at the speed limits posted for curves

C. Much of the load's weight is carried high up off the road

High center of gravity means that much of the load's weight is carried high up off the road. This makes the vehicle top-heavy and easy to roll over. Liquid tankers are especially easy to roll over. Tests have shown that tankers can turn over at the speed limits posted for curves. Take highway curves and on ramp/off ramp curves well below the posted speeds

11 / 20

You must have a tank vehicle (N) endorsement to drive a vehicle with

A. individual tanks over 65 gallons or a total of at least 500 gallons

B. individual tanks over 225 gallons or a total of at least 2,400 gallons

C. individual tanks over 119 gallons or a total of at least 1,000 gallons

A tank endorsement is required if your vehicle needs a Class A or B CDL and you want to haul a liquid or liquid gas in a tank or tanks having an individual rated capacity of more than 119 gallons and an aggregate rated capacity of 1000 gallons or more that is either permanently or temporarily attached to the vehicle or the chassis.

12 / 20

When should you inspect a tank vehicle?

A. Before driving it

B. Before loading it, driving it, or unloading it

C. Before loading it or driving it

You should inspect a tank vehicle before loading it, driving it, or unloading it. This is to ensure that it is safe to carry out these activities and the vehicle can safely hold its liquid or gas contents.

13 / 20

To control surge, what is the best way to brake?

A. Brake firmly

B. Brake quickly to slow down and then brake quickly again to come to a full stop

C. Keep a steady foot on the brake and don't release the brake too soon

Keep a steady pressure on the brakes. Do not release too soon when coming to a stop. Brake far in advance of a stop and increase your following distance.

14 / 20

When must a tank be un-baffled?

A. If the liquid is very dense

B. If the liquid is likely to expand a lot

C. If it has to stay very clean

Un-baffled liquid tankers sometimes called "smooth bore" tanks have nothing inside to slow down the flow of the liquid. Un-baffled tanks are usually those that transport food products like milk. Sanitation regulations forbid the use of baffles because of the difficulty in cleaning the inside of the tank.

15 / 20

Which of these is the most important thing to remember about emergency braking?

A. Never do it without downshifting first

B. Disconnecting the steering axle brakes will help keep your vehicle in a straight line

C. If the wheels are skidding, you cannot control the vehicle

If the wheels are skidding, you cannot control the vehicle.

16 / 20

If you must make an emergency stop, brake so that

A. you'll definitely lock the brakes

B. your vehicle will stay in a straight line

C. you can use the parking brake before the brake pedal

You should brake in a way that will keep your vehicle in a straight line and allow you to turn if it becomes necessary. You can use the "controlled braking" method or the "stab braking" method.

17 / 20

If your vehicle has any of the following equipment, what needs to work properly?

A. Emergency shut-off systems

B. Grounding and bonding cables

C. Vapor recovery kits

D. All of the above

If your vehicle has any of the following equipment, make sure it works: vapor recovery kits, grounding and bonding cables, emergency shut-off systems, or built in fire extinguisher.

18 / 20

If a hill or curve keeps drivers behind you from seeing the vehicle within 500 feet:

A. The vehicles taillights should be kept on warning other drivers

B. the rear reflective triangle should be moved back down the road to give adequate warning

C. You do not need to put out reflective triangles unless the vehicle will be stopped for 30 minutes or more

If line of sight view is obstructed due to hill or curve, move the rear-most triangle to a point back down the road so warning is provided up to 500 feet.

19 / 20

When you load the small tanks of a cargo tank equipped with bulkheads, you should check your:

A. Air to fuel ratio

B. Water content

C. Weight distribution

Some liquid tanks are divided into several smaller tanks by bulkheads. When loading and unloading the smaller tanks, the driver must pay attention to weight distribution. Don't put too much weight on the front or rear of the vehicle.

20 / 20

When you unload the smaller tanks of a tank with bulk heads, be careful to check the:

A. Distribution of weight

B. Air to fuel ratio

C. Water content

When loading and unloading the smaller tanks, the driver must pay attention to weight distribution. Don't put too much weight on the front or rear of the vehicle.

South Dakota's CDL Practice Test 1