- Updated for January 2025
- Based on 2025 NM commercial driver's license manual
Free New Mexico CDL Permit Practice Test: General Knowledge 2025
Our free New Mexico CDL permit practice test, one of several we offer, is designed to help you pass the official CDL General Knowledge test. Have you been studying the official New Mexico Commercial Driver License Manual (New Mexico CDL Handbook 2025)? Use this practice test as a learning tool. It’s based on the official manual, just like the official knowledge test, and it’s up to date as of January, 2025. See if you understand the information in the manual well enough to answer 50 multiple-choice questions on it. Also, identify areas that you need to brush up on. 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, however, this practice test is accompanied by an automated assistant. For each question, the assistant can supply a hint to gently guide you to the correct answer and an explanation of the correct answer, as well as other help.
By passing the official knowledge test, submitting to a medical examination, and meeting a few 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. The skills test will evaluate you on performing basic vehicle maneuvers, a pre-trip inspection, and a road test.
Depending on the types of vehicles you plan to drive, you may have to pass other official knowledge tests as well. Some knowledge tests are for obtaining various endorsements on your CDL, such as Tank (N), which will allow you to operate tank trucks. Others are for removing certain restrictions from your CDL, such as the one otherwise prohibiting you from driving vehicles equipped with air brakes.
Once you obtain a CDL and all the endorsements you need, you can start your new career as a commercial driver. Tourism has grown steadily in recent years, creating opportunities for bus drivers. New Mexico is the second-largest producer of crude oil and the ninth-largest producer of natural gas in America. Other major economic sectors include agriculture, mining, and high-tech, particularly around Albuquerque. These sectors have created opportunities for truck drivers to transport these products to the rest of the country. Major commercial routes include Interstates 25 and 40 and U.S. Routes 54 and 285.
- Perfect for first-time and renewal CDL/CLP applicants, and those adding endorsements
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List of questions (classic view)
- When you apply for a Commercial Learner Permit or a CDL for the first time, which of the following are you NOT required to provide?
- How can you start moving without rolling backward?
- What can you do at an accident scene to help avoid another accident?
- What is a common cause of tire fires?
- If you are traveling at 55 mph in a 30-foot vehicle, you should leave how many seconds of following distance?
- How can you determine if your vehicle is equipped with an antilock braking system (ABS)?
- To maintain alertness on your trips, you should
- Do empty trucks have the best braking?
- Starting the engine and inspecting the cab involves each of the following tasks EXCEPT
- Before transporting a sealed load, you must check
- If you are confronted by an aggressive driver, what should you do?
- Which of the following should you NOT do if you experience a tire failure?
- Why is it important to use a helper when backing?
- Hazardous materials placards are
- Why should you cover your cargo?
- Where should you place your warning devices if you must stop on a one-way road or divided highway?
- The minimum tire tread depth for front tires is
- Which is NOT one of the four basic skills that operating a commercial motor vehicle requires?
- Letting the air out of hot tires
- To transport cargo safely, which of the following are you NOT responsible for?
- In which of the following two situations should you downshift?
- It has just reached freezing. Which of the following areas may be slippery?
- What is the definition of a hazard?
- When you start to drive down a steep downgrade, which of the following should influence your choice of speed?
- To help you stay alert and safe while driving, you should
- What is the gross vehicle weight (GVW)?
- Total stopping distance equals
- Which of these is NOT part of the basic method for shifting up?
- You don't want to be a distracted driver, so you
- On which of the following types of fires should you NOT use a B:C fire extinguisher?
- How long does it take a typical tractor-trailer to clear a double railroad track?
- You should inspect wheel bearing seals for
- For how long will you lose your CDL driving privileges if you are convicted of a second DUI offense in either a CMV or your private vehicle?
- Which of the following is a key steering component?
- How many tie-downs are required for a 20-foot load?
- What will help a drunk sober up?
- You should put the starter switch key into your pocket while you perform the pre-trip inspection because
- During your pre-trip test, when examining hoses with the instructor, you need to look for
- How often must you stop to check your cargo while on the road?
- What is the best way to figure out how many seconds of following distance you have?
- If the engine is not overheated, is it completely safe to remove the radiator cap?
- Which of the following is NOT something you should check during a trip?
- What might happen if you swing wide to the left before you turn right?
- If you double your speed, how much more distance will it take to brake to a stop?
- While driving at night, which lights should you use as often as you can?
- Always try to back toward the driver's side because
- The most important hand signal that you and a helper should agree on is
- On wet roads, you should reduce your speed by
- An antilock braking system (ABS) will
- Which of the following statements about retarders are correct?
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