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CDL General Knowledge Test · CDL General Knowledge Test

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CDL General Knowledge Test Cargo Safety Summary

Importance
★★★★☆ (4 / 5)
Weight
About 4 of 50 CDL General Knowledge Test questions (7%)

The driver's cargo duties, when to re-check cargo, weight terms, weight balance and center of gravity, blocking, bracing, tiedowns, covering cargo, and loads that need special care.

📖 See Cargo Safety concepts →

Cargo Safety: must-know points

  • Check cargo within the first 50 miles, then every 3 hours or 150 miles, and after every break.
  • Use at least one tiedown for each 10 feet of cargo, and never fewer than two.
  • Keep the load low: put the heaviest cargo under the lightest cargo.
  • You cannot inspect a sealed load, but you must still stay within weight limits.

Cargo Safety: 6 sample questions

Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Cargo Safety★★★★☆

Question 1. No matter how small the cargo, what is the minimum number of tiedowns?

  1. ① One
  2. ② Two
  3. ③ Four
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Answer: ② Two

Key point: Always at least two tiedowns

Use at least one tiedown for each 10 feet of cargo. No matter how small the cargo, use at least two tiedowns.

Wrong choices

  • One: One tiedown is never enough, even for small cargo.
  • Four: Four may be needed for longer cargo, but the minimum is two.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Cargo Safety★★★★☆

Question 2. After you start a trip, when should you first re-check your cargo and its securing devices?

  1. ① Within the first 150 miles
  2. ② At the end of the day
  3. ③ Within the first 50 miles
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Answer: ③ Within the first 50 miles

Key point: First cargo check within 50 miles

Inspect the cargo and its securing devices within the first 50 miles of a trip. After that, re-check every 3 hours or 150 miles (whichever comes first) and after every break.

Wrong choices

  • Within the first 150 miles: 150 miles is the later re-check interval, not the first check.
  • At the end of the day: Cargo must be checked early in the trip.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Cargo Safety★★★★☆

Question 3. After the first check, how often should you re-check cargo during a trip?

  1. ① After every 6 hours or 300 miles of driving
  2. ② Only once a day, at your last stop
  3. ③ After every 3 hours or 150 miles of driving, and after every break
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Answer: ③ After every 3 hours or 150 miles of driving, and after every break

Key point: Re-check every 3 hours or 150 miles

After the first check within 50 miles, re-check the cargo and securing devices after every 3 hours or 150 miles of driving (whichever comes first) and after every break.

Wrong choices

  • After every 6 hours or 300 miles of driving: This is twice as long as the rule.
  • Only once a day, at your last stop: Cargo can loosen and must be checked during the trip.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Cargo Safety★★★★☆

Question 4. How should heavy and light cargo be loaded?

  1. ① Put the heaviest cargo low, under the lighter cargo
  2. ② Put the heaviest cargo on top so it holds the load down
  3. ③ Put all the heavy cargo on one side
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Answer: ① Put the heaviest cargo low, under the lighter cargo

Key point: Heavy cargo low = lower rollover risk

A high center of gravity makes you more likely to tip over, especially in curves or when you swerve. Keep cargo as low as possible and put the heaviest parts under the lightest parts.

Wrong choices

  • Put the heaviest cargo on top so it holds the load down: Heavy cargo on top raises the center of gravity and the risk of rollover.
  • Put all the heavy cargo on one side: This makes the load unbalanced.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Cargo Safety★★★★☆

Question 5. What is the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)?

  1. ① The maximum weight the manufacturer sets for a single vehicle plus its load
  2. ② The actual weight of a single vehicle and its load right now
  3. ③ The weight carried on one axle
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Answer: ① The maximum weight the manufacturer sets for a single vehicle plus its load

Key point: GVWR = maker's maximum for vehicle + load

GVW is the actual total weight of a single vehicle plus its load. GVWR is the maximum GVW that the manufacturer specifies. GCW and GCWR mean the same things for combination vehicles.

Wrong choices

  • The actual weight of a single vehicle and its load right now: That is the Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW), not the rating.
  • The weight carried on one axle: That is axle weight.
Practice questionReviewedCDL General Knowledge Test › Cargo Safety★★★★☆

Question 6. What can happen if too little weight is on the front (steering) axle?

  1. ① Steering becomes very hard and the front tires are damaged
  2. ② The steering axle may be too light to steer safely
  3. ③ The drive wheels get too much traction
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Answer: ② The steering axle may be too light to steer safely

Key point: Light front axle = unsafe steering

Under-loaded front axles (weight shifted too far to the rear) can make the steering axle too light to steer safely. Too much weight on the steering axle causes hard steering. Too little weight on the drive axles causes poor traction.

Wrong choices

  • Steering becomes very hard and the front tires are damaged: That happens when there is too much weight on the steering axle.
  • The drive wheels get too much traction: Weight placement does not give the drive wheels too much traction.

Test yourself.

Cargo Safety: 5 questions →CDL General Knowledge Test: 5 questions →