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  • Updated for January 2025
  • Based on 2025 AL commercial driver's license manual

Free AL CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Exam 2025

When you’re hauling cargo or carrying passengers on a road like U.S. Route 431 (also known as Alabama State Route 1), you want to be sure your vehicle is safe to drive. When you’re dealing with narrow bridges, sudden changes between two-lane stretches and four-lane stretches, and steep hills and multiple curves potentially limiting visibility, your vehicle – including its brakes, transmission, steering, and tires – must be in good shape. Even safer routes like Interstate 65 can pose challenges due to fog or traffic congestion. For safety’s sake, you must conduct a pre-trip inspection of your commercial motor vehicle (CMV) before you drive it on Alabama’s public roads.

To obtain a commercial driver’s license (CDL), you will be evaluated on your ability to inspect as well as drive your vehicle. You must pass a three-part skills test: a pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control, and on-road driving. You’ll conduct a pre-trip inspection of your CMV while your test examiner watches. Failure of the pre-trip inspection test means failure of the entire skills test.

The official General Knowledge test likely contains some questions on pre-trip inspections, including identifying defects or faults in the vehicle’s components and systems. All questions on the General Knowledge test are based on the official Alabama CDL manual (Alabama CDL Handbook 2025). You should study the manual, but if you find all that material hard to digest or even fully understand, you should reinforce your knowledge with our practice tests.

This CDL practice test is the first of our Alabama CDL Pre-Trip Inspection Practice Tests. It’s a great way to prepare for the questions on pre-trip inspections on the General Knowledge test.

Like the official knowledge test, this practice test is multiple choice. Each question comes with several answer options. You must choose the best or most complete answer. As you try each question, our AI assistant can help you learn by supplying hints and answering your own questions about commercial driving theory. If you still miss a question, the AI assistant will immediately let you know and provide an explanation of the correct answer. With immediate feedback after every question, you won’t need to wait until the end of the test to learn the correct answers.

After you get your CDL, continue taking pre-trip inspections seriously. Inspect your vehicle thoroughly before driving it, and don’t drive it if you think it may be unsafe. No job is worth sacrificing your life.

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  • Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements

What you need to know

6 min to complete
Available in EN and ES
Verified by Steven Litvintchouk, M.S., Chief Educational Researcher, Member of ACES. See our detailed commitment to accuracy and quality in our practice tests.

What to expect on the actual AL DMV exam

20

questions

16

correct answers to pass

80%

passing score

List of questions (classic view)

  1. What structure supporting the fifth wheel skid plate should be checked for cracks or breaks?
  2. You pump the pedal three times and hold it down for five seconds, making sure that the pedal does not move. What are you inspecting?
  3. What transmits power from the transmission to the drive axle?
  4. What carries air or hydraulic fluid to the wheel brake assembly?
  5. ________ are gas or hydraulic devices that cushion the vehicle's ride and stabilize the vehicle.
  6. What is the sliding mechanism and locking device for tandem axles on trailers?
  7. What do you inspect to make sure that all are present and show no signs of looseness such as rust trails or shiny threads?
  8. What should you check to be sure it is solid, clear of objects, and securely bolted to the tractor frame?
  9. What maintains air pressure in the air brake system?
  10. Which tires should have a minimum tread depth of 4/32 inch?
  11. Which of the following can disengage the engine from the drivetrain?
  12. What transforms steering column action into wheel action?
  13. Make sure that the _________ are not cut, chafed, spliced, or worn, and not tangled, pinched, or dragged against tractor parts.
  14. You are looking for puddles on the ground and dripping fluids on the underside of the engine and transmission. What are you checking for?
  15. What should be fully engaged with no loose or missing pins in the slide mechanism of the sliding fifth wheel?
  16. To improve visibility during severe or stormy weather, __________ must be secure, undamaged, and operating smoothly and correctly.
  17. _________ should be clean with no dirt, illegal stickers, obstructions, or damage.
  18. _________ are the brackets, bolts, or bushings that are used to attach the spring or air bag to the axle and vehicle frame.
  19. If the wheel has a sight glass, check that the oil level is adequate. Otherwise, look for leaks around the
  20. What releases the fifth wheel locking jaws so the trailer can be coupled?
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