To prepare for the skills test for a commercial driver’s license (CDL), you must obtain a commercial learner’s permit (CLP) and hold it for at least 14 days. Your CLP will allow you to practice operating commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) while supervised by a licensed commercial driver qualified to operate that type of vehicle. One key requirement for a CLP is to pass a set of official knowledge tests for the class and the type of vehicles you plan to drive. However, one knowledge test that all commercial drivers must pass is the General Knowledge test, which covers general commercial driving theory.
Conducting vehicle inspections, including pre-trip inspections, is one of the many commercial driving topics addressed by the official General Knowledge test. Your test will likely include questions on what to check during a pre-trip inspection and how to determine whether your CMV is performing adequately. All questions on the General Knowledge test are based on the official Ohio CDL manual (Ohio CDL Handbook 2025). You should study the manual, but the vast amount of information you must learn from it may leave you wishing for additional help to pass the knowledge test. If so, you’ve come to the right place!
This practice test is the first of several Ohio CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Tests. By practicing with these tests, you will reinforce the knowledge you’ve gained from reading the CDL manual. Like the official knowledge test, this practice test is multiple choice. For each question, you must choose the best or most complete answer choice. Our AI assistant can help you. It can supply hints and explanations and answer your own questions about commercial driving.
Driving conditions on several of Ohio’s key commercial routes can be hazardous at times, and both you and your vehicle must be prepared.
For example, Interstate 71 is widely considered one of Ohio’s most dangerous highways. The Lytle Tunnel, which carries I-71 under Cincinnati, has had plenty of accidents. Contributing factors include high-speed traffic entering this slower-speed, often congested tunnel and confusing interchanges with Interstate 471 and U.S. Route 50. One particularly noteworthy hazard is the unexpected sharp right turn that southbound drivers must make when exiting the tunnel to continue on I-71. Numerous drivers have gotten into accidents that way, especially if they were speeding. Radar speed signs have been posted at the ends of the tunnel, and a warning about this hazard is now broadcast continuously on CB channel 19.
A thorough pre-trip inspection of your vehicle will help ensure it’s ready for emergency braking or other emergency maneuvers if necessary.