Free Rhode Island CDL Permit Practice Test: General Knowledge 2025

Welcome to our free Rhode Island CDL permit practice test! By taking this practice test, you can improve your chances of passing the official CDL General Knowledge test on commercial driving theory. The standard reference for commercial driving in Rhode Island is the official Rhode Island Commercial Driver License Manual (Rhode Island CDL Handbook 2025), which you should be reading. When you take this practice test, you’ll absorb the relevant information from the manual more easily. The practice test is based on the official state CDL manual, just like the official knowledge test. It’s up to date as of November, 2025 and has 50 multiple-choice questions. The questions on this practice test will assess your understanding of such topics as cargo management, emergency preparedness, following distance, and pre-trip inspections. Unlike the official knowledge test, this practice test comes with extra features to help you learn, including a hint and an explanation of the correct answer for each question, and an automated assistant for even more help.

By passing the official knowledge test, submitting to a medical examination, and meeting some other requirements, you’ll be eligible to obtain a Commercial Learner’s Permit (CLP). This credential will allow you to practice commercial driving under the supervision of someone who already holds a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). By practicing commercial driving, you’ll become sufficiently good at it to pass the official skills test, a necessary step for you to obtain a CDL.

Once you obtain a CDL and the endorsements you need for the vehicles you want to drive, the world of commercial driving will be open to you. Key economic sectors in Rhode Island include health services and manufacturing, which employ commercial drivers. In addition, the state serves as a vital hub for the movement of freight across the northeast United States, much of it by truck. The Port of Providence is New England’s second-largest deep-water port and a major intermodal transportation hub, located near Interstates 95 and 195. Note: Seaports, like airports, are secure facilities. You may need to obtain a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card to pick up cargo at the Port of Providence.

Tourism is another important economic sector in Rhode Island, creating a demand for charter bus drivers. In addition, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA) hires bus drivers to operate over 60 transit bus routes.

In addition to the previously mentioned I-95, major commercial routes include Interstate 295 and U.S. Route 6, both of which enable drivers to bypass the frequent traffic congestion on I-95; and State Route 146, which connects Providence to Worcester in central Massachusetts.