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CDL General Knowledge Test · CDL General Knowledge Test

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CDL General Knowledge Test Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing Summary

Importance
★★★☆☆ (3 / 5)
Weight
About 4 of 50 CDL General Knowledge Test questions (8%)

Starting without rolling back, steering with both hands, smooth stopping, safe backing, double clutching, downshifting before hills and curves, and when to turn off a retarder.

📖 See Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing concepts →

Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing: must-know points

  • Back slowly in the lowest reverse gear, and back toward the driver's side when you can.
  • Use a helper when backing, and agree on a signal for stop first.
  • Downshift before you start down a hill and before you enter a curve.
  • Turn off the retarder when the road is wet, icy, or snow covered.

Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing: 7 sample questions

Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing★★★★☆

Question 1. When you have to back up, which way is safest to back and turn?

  1. ① Toward the passenger (right) side
  2. ② Straight back without looking at the mirrors
  3. ③ Toward the driver's side
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Answer: ③ Toward the driver's side

Key point: Back toward the driver's side

Back and turn toward the driver's side whenever you can. You can see the rear of your vehicle by looking out the side window. It is worth going around the block to set up a driver-side back.

Wrong choices

  • Toward the passenger (right) side: Backing to the right is very dangerous because you cannot see as well.
  • Straight back without looking at the mirrors: You should always use the mirrors on both sides.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing★★★★☆

Question 2. When should you downshift?

  1. ① Only after the vehicle starts going too fast downhill
  2. ② In the middle of a curve
  3. ③ Before you start down a hill and before you enter a curve
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Answer: ③ Before you start down a hill and before you enter a curve

Key point: Downshift before hills and curves

Downshift before starting down a hill so you can control speed without using the brakes hard. Downshift before entering a curve so you can use a little power through the curve and stay stable.

Wrong choices

  • Only after the vehicle starts going too fast downhill: By then it may be too late to get into a lower gear.
  • In the middle of a curve: Shift before the curve so you can use some power through it.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing★★★☆☆

Question 3. How should you hold the steering wheel?

  1. ① Lightly, with one hand at the top of the wheel
  2. ② Firmly, with both hands on opposite sides of the wheel
  3. ③ With both hands close together at the bottom
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Answer: ② Firmly, with both hands on opposite sides of the wheel

Key point: Both hands, opposite sides, firm grip

Hold the wheel firmly with both hands on opposite sides. If you hit a curb or pothole, the wheel can be pulled out of a loose grip.

Wrong choices

  • Lightly, with one hand at the top of the wheel: One hand cannot hold the wheel if you hit a pothole or curb.
  • With both hands close together at the bottom: This gives you poor control in a quick turn.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing★★★☆☆

Question 4. You are backing with a helper. Which hand signal is the most important to agree on before you start?

  1. ① Stop
  2. ② Slow down
  3. ③ Turn left
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Answer: ① Stop

Key point: Agree on the stop signal first

A helper can see blind spots you cannot. Before backing, agree on hand signals, and above all agree on a signal for "stop."

Wrong choices

  • Slow down: Slowing down matters, but stop is the signal that prevents a crash.
  • Turn left: Turning signals help, but stop is the most important.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing★★★☆☆

Question 5. When should you turn off the retarder?

  1. ① When the road is wet, icy, or snow covered
  2. ② When you are going down a long, dry grade
  3. ③ When traffic is heavy on a dry road
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Answer: ① When the road is wet, icy, or snow covered

Key point: Turn retarder off on slippery roads

A retarder slows the drive wheels. When those wheels have poor traction, the retarder can make them skid. Turn it off when the road is wet, icy, or snow covered.

Wrong choices

  • When you are going down a long, dry grade: That is when a retarder helps the most.
  • When traffic is heavy on a dry road: On dry roads the retarder is safe to use.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing★★★☆☆

Question 6. You drive a manual transmission and are stopped on a hill. How do you start without rolling back?

  1. ① Release the brake first, then let the clutch out quickly
  2. ② Partly engage the clutch before you take your right foot off the brake
  3. ③ Shift to neutral and let the vehicle coast
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Answer: ② Partly engage the clutch before you take your right foot off the brake

Key point: Partly engage clutch before releasing brake

Rolling back can hit someone behind you. Partly engage the clutch before you take your right foot off the brake. Use the parking brake when needed, and release it only when you have enough engine power to keep from rolling back.

Wrong choices

  • Release the brake first, then let the clutch out quickly: The vehicle will roll back before the clutch catches.
  • Shift to neutral and let the vehicle coast: You cannot move forward up a hill in neutral.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing★★★☆☆

Question 7. While double clutching to shift up, you stay in neutral too long and cannot get into the next gear. What should you do?

  1. ① Force the shift lever into the gear
  2. ② Return to neutral, release the clutch, raise engine speed to match road speed, and try again
  3. ③ Turn off the engine and restart it in gear
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Answer: ② Return to neutral, release the clutch, raise engine speed to match road speed, and try again

Key point: Missed shift: back to neutral and match rpm

If you miss a shift, do not force it. Return to neutral, release the clutch, increase engine speed to match road speed, and try again. Matching engine speed to road speed lets the gears mesh.

Wrong choices

  • Force the shift lever into the gear: Forcing the shift can damage the transmission.
  • Turn off the engine and restart it in gear: This is unsafe while moving and does not fix the problem.

Test yourself.

Basic Control, Shifting, and Backing: 5 questions →CDL General Knowledge Test: 5 questions →