Montana is called Big Sky Country as it stretches across 559 miles of undeveloped, beautiful landscape that encompasses the Rocky Mountains, both Yellowstone and Glacier National Parks, and metropolitan areas like Billings, Bozeman, and Missoula. With the broad scope of the state, it’s no surprise that 65% of communities in Montana depend exclusively on the trucking industry to bring and move their products. Commercial trucking jobs have always been in demand across the country, with projected industry growth expected to continue through 2022 for all states, and even more so for Montana. If you’re interested in joining their ranks and getting your CDL, you’ll first need to pass a written knowledge exam with the MVD. You can pass this exam by studying the 2023 Montana Commercial Driver License Manual. You’ll also most likely want to take additional written tests to add endorsements to your license to open the door for more trucking job opportunities.
How to Prepare
Since the MVD written CDL test is based on the Montana CDL Manual, to get ready you’ll need to read the entire manual. Get a pen and some paper and take plenty of notes as you go along. Keep your mind on task since there are hundreds of questions you could be asked on the test, so you’ll need to buckle down and pay attention to what you’re reading. If you feel yourself start to lose focus, take a short break or a walk around your neighborhood and then come back. The test will be multiple-choice, and all questions will be pulled directly from the manual so if you study carefully you can know all the answers with confidence. Endorsements like Hazmat, tanker, air brakes, multi-trailer, combination vehicle, passenger transport, and school bus driving will all have separate tests but will make you more marketable and provide a wider variety of job options. Remember, what you’ll be asked on the test is simply to ensure that you can be a safe and knowledgeable driver on the road, to protect you, your cargo, and others on the road.
Final Steps
After you’ve finished your first read-through, look at your notes and if you notice any areas that are still unclear, or you do not remember well, go back and reread those sections. Before you head off to your local Driver License Station, read over the manual and your notes on more time to keep it fresh in your mind.