Indiana CDL: Tanker Vehicles Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is some liquids expand more than others when they get warm.

Different liquids expand at different rates as the temperature increases. In science, the percentage increase of expansion for a given change in temperature is called the coefficient of thermal expansion. This value depends on the type of liquid. You need to find out how much outage you will need to allow for the type of liquid you'll be hauling.

Not quite. The answer is the distance you can see ahead.

No matter what type of motor vehicle you are driving at night (even a passenger car), you must drive at a speed that lets you stop within the range of your headlights. (In the dark, you have no way of knowing what lies beyond the reach of your headlights.) With low beams, you can see ahead only about 250 feet. Yet if you're driving a vehicle with air brakes at 45 mph, your vehicle's stopping distance may be as long as 346 feet. Hence, with low beams at 45 mph, you will not be able to brake in time to avoid a hazard that you see.

Not quite. The answer is both of the above are true.

Some liquids expand significantly when they warm up. To fill a tank with such a liquid, you must leave some room in the tank (called "outage") to take the expansion. Also, some liquids are so dense that a full load may exceed the legal weight limit. For these reasons, you may not be able to fill your tanks completely.

Not quite. The answer is may exceed legal weight limits.

A full tank of dense liquid (such as some acids) may exceed legal weight limits. For this reason, you may not be able to completely fill the tank with a dense liquid.

Not quite. The answer is You will continue in a straight line and keep moving forward no matter how you steer.

In a front-wheel skid, the front end of your vehicle tends to travel in a straight line regardless of how you turn the steering wheel. This type of skid is most often caused by driving too fast for the current driving conditions. Therefore, the best way to recover from this type of skid is to just let the vehicle slow down. Steer and brake only gently.

Not quite. The answer is four

You placard your vehicle to warn everyone around you that you are transporting hazardous materials. Therefore, you must have placards on all four sides of your vehicle.

Not quite. The answer is Your brakes may fail because of water freezing.

Your air tanks hold a mixture of water and compressor oil. If left inside to collect at the bottom, the water may freeze and cause brake failure.

Not quite. The answer is starting or stopping.

Smooth bore tanks lack baffles or bulkheads to reduce forward-and-backward surge. When you start from a stopped position, the liquid will surge backward, pushing your vehicle backward. When you try to stop, the liquid will surge forward, pushing your vehicle farther forward. Perform such actions slowly and carefully.

Not quite. The answer is 20 feet long.

An ISO standard portable tank is a metal tank enclosed in a steel frame. The frame is 19.8556 feet (6.05 meters) long, 7.874 feet (2.40 meters) wide, and either 7.874 feet (2.40 meters) high or 8.374 feet (2.55 meters) high.

Not quite. The answer is Side-to-side

Baffled tanks have bulkheads with holes through which the liquid can flow. The bulkheads significantly reduce forward-and-backward surge but not side-to-side surge, so the risk of surge causing a rollover remains.

Not quite. The answer is Before loading it, driving it, or unloading it

You should inspect a tank vehicle before loading it, driving it, or unloading it. This is to ensure that it is safe to carry out these activities and the vehicle can safely hold its liquid or gas contents.

Not quite. The answer is can affect the handling of your vehicle.

Liquid surge can greatly affect your vehicle's handling. Surge can push the vehicle in the same direction as the surge. This can be especially hazardous on icy roads, where a truck may be pushed forward a dangerous amount, maybe past a red light into an intersection. On curves, side-to-side surge can cause a rollover even when traction is good.

Not quite. The answer is Slow to a safe speed before entering, then accelerate slightly through the curve.

The posted speed for a curve may be safe for cars but not for tankers because of their relatively high center of gravity. Tests have shown that a tanker can roll over on a curve when traveling at the posted speed. The safest way to take a curve in a tanker is to slow down before the curve and then accelerate slightly through the curve. Braking in a curve risks a skid.

Not quite. The answer is driving too fast.

Over-braking and over-steering can cause skids. Both over-braking and over-steering are more likely when you're driving too fast for the current road conditions.

Not quite. The answer is roll over.

Baffled tanks can control back-and-forth surge but not side-to-side surge. During sudden steering changes, side-to-side surge can cause your tanker to roll over. Avoid such sudden moves when possible.

Not quite. The answer is closed before you drive the vehicle.

To help prevent leaks, close all manhole covers before you drive the vehicle.

Not quite. The answer is S-cam drum brake.

Foundation brakes are present on each wheel. In North America as of this writing, S-cam drum brakes are much more common than wedge or disc brakes.

Not quite. The answer is distribution of weight.

If the tank is divided into several smaller tanks (compartments) by bulkheads, pay attention to the distribution of weight whenever you load or unload these tanks. Avoid putting too much weight on the front or the back of your vehicle.

Not quite. The answer is Much of the tanker's weight is high up off the ground.

An object with a high center of gravity is top-heavy; much of its weight is high off the ground. Top-heavy objects are more prone to toppling over. Loaded tankers tend to have a high center of gravity because the tanks are so tall. This makes liquid tankers more prone to rolling over. Tests have shown that tankers can roll over on curves even at the speeds posted. On curves, slow down well below the posted speeds.

Not quite. The answer is allowance for expansion of liquid.

When liquid heats up, it expands, and outage is the space in the tank that is allocated to handle the expansion. Different types of liquids expand by different amounts. Therefore, the amount of outage you will need depends on the type of liquid.