Transporting a liquid or liquid gas, whether or not it’s hazardous, requires certain skills because liquid moves and the vehicle carrying it has a high center of gravity. Due to this, the government requires all tanker drivers to have the tank vehicle endorsement if they want to haul more than 119 gallons in a permanently mounted cargo tank or more than 1,000 gallons in a portable tank.
The endorsement is marked with an “N” on your CDL, indicating that you’ve passed the tank vehicles test and are granted permission to drive vehicles that transport liquids and liquid gases. Hauling a tank without the proper CDL and endorsement could cause significant delays in shipping, and you may be suspended from driving or stripped of your CDL altogether.
What You Can Expect on the Tank Vehicles Test
When you visit your local DMV to take the tank vehicles test, expect to answer 25 multiple-choice questions either on paper or a computer. The number of questions, however, may differ between states. Additionally, while all of the questions are multiple-choice, some of them have several options while others have only true or false.
Topics Covered on the Test
Although the questions on the tank vehicles test are different in every state, the goal of the exam is always the same. The topics covered are very similar and evaluate your knowledge on how to
- assess the emergency and special purpose equipment,
- check for leaks,
- drive safely, and
- inspect the vehicle.
How to Prepare for the Tank Vehicles Test
Passing the tank vehicles test is challenging when you don’t prepare because the wording that your state uses may be confusing. By using the CDL manual and practice tests to prepare, you can be ready for any type of question the exam throws at you. Learn more about our study and practice resources below.
CDL Manuals
All of the information on the tank vehicles test can be found in the CDL manual for your state. Study Section 8 to learn everything you need to know about safely inspecting and driving tank vehicles. For example, one of the most important subsections explains the effects of surge, which is the movement of liquid because of gravity or momentum such as acceleration and deceleration. The manual provides instructions on how to avoid surge and how to control it when trying to avoid an accident.
CDL Tank Vehicles Practice Tests
There’s no better way to prepare for the exam than practicing what you’ve learned. See how well you’ve absorbed the information in the CDL manual with our tank vehicles practice tests. Take these practice tests as often as you want to ensure that you totally understand the material. It will even give you a better grasp on how the test is worded so that you never get confused. Putting your knowledge to the test before taking the official exam will improve your chances of passing when the time comes.
Essential Test-Taking Strategies
In addition to practicing what you know, you can increase your chances of passing the tank vehicles test by getting a good night sleep and a well-balanced meal before you go to the DMV. Also, don’t wait until the last minute to take the exam because you don’t want to rush through the questions. Follow these other test-taking strategies to achieve success:
- Read the directions carefully.
- Read every question in full before answering.
- Form an answer before reading the options.
- Eliminate the options you know are wrong.
- Don’t skip any questions even you think you’re wrong.
By obtaining the tank vehicles endorsement for your CDL, you’re opening yourself to a more challenging job. However, the challenge is what makes driving tank vehicles so interesting and could mean that you earn higher pay.