Louisiana CDL DMV Combination 1

Shut-off valves are used in air supply lines to control the passage of air from one trailer to another. The rear shut-off valve should always be closed to prevent air from leaving the braking system.

Fully-loaded rigs are more vulnerable to rolling over than empty rigs because the weight of the cargo gives the vehicles higher centers of gravity.

Never use the trailer hand valve while operating your vehicle. Using the trailer hand valve while driving can cause your trailer to skid.

Older trailers do not have spring brakes. This means that if the air supply in an older trailer's air tank has leaked away, there will be no working brakes connected to the trailer and its wheels will turn freely.

Positioning the weight of a load on one side of a trailer may cause the trailer to lean to that side, increasing the risk of a rollover during turns and lane changes.

If you are unsure of your path while you are driving in reverse, you should stop, exit the vehicle, and recheck your path of travel.

Rollovers are caused by operators turning too fast. To avoid rolling over, drive slowly on entrance ramps, on exit ramps, and around corners. Avoid making quick lane changes when towing trailers.

Bobtail tractors are tractors that are not attached to any semitrailers. When operating a bobtail, you should be aware that stopping can be difficult and that it will take a longer distance to come to a complete stop than a tractor attached to a loaded semitrailer.

The trailer hand valve, also called the trolley valve or Johnson bar, is used to work the trailer brakes. It should be used only to test the brakes. Using it while a vehicle is in motion could cause a skid.

Driving combination vehicles requires more skill than driving single commercial vehicles. Combinations are generally longer, generally heavier, and are more vulnerable to rollover.

If a parked trailer does not have spring brakes, wheel chocks should be used to prevent it from moving.

Air lines are sometimes color-coded to help drivers avoid mistakes when coupling glad hands. Typically, blue is used for service lines and red is used for emergency lines.

When coupling, make sure you couple matching glad hands. They are often color-coded to help drivers avoid mistakes. Typically, blue is used for service lines and red is used for emergency lines.

Be sure to test the trailer emergency brakes before beginning a trip. After ensuring that the trailer rolls freely, you can test the emergency brakes by pulling out the trailer air supply control, or placing it in the "emergency" position. Pull forward slightly with the tractor and make sure the trailer does not move.

If a trailer begins to jackknife, you should release the brakes and allow the trailer wheels to regain traction with the road. Do not apply the trailer hand brake to attempt to straighten out the rig because the application of brakes is what caused the wheels to lock in the first place.

Push in the trailer air supply control to supply the trailer with air. Pull out the trailer air supply control to turn off the air supply and activate the emergency brakes.

The service air line carries air and is controlled by either the foot brake or trailer hand brake. The service air line is attached to relay valves, which allow the trailer brakes to be applied quickly.

Railroad-highway crossings may be difficult to cross when pulling a trailer with a low underneath clearance. In particular, both low-slung units and single-axle tractors pulling long trailers are especially challenging to drive over raised crossings.

Cargo weight should be evenly distributed within a trailer to reduce the risk of a rollover. Do not place too much weight on one side of a trailer.

Combination vehicles need more space on the road than other commercial vehicles because they are longer and need more space to turn and stop. It is especially important to properly manage space when you are operating a combination vehicle.