Massachusetts CDL DMV Endorsement Tank 1

Hold the steering wheel firmly with both hands, placing them on opposite sides of the wheel.

A rollover happens as a result of a driver changing lanes or turning too quickly.

Driving while fatigued is dangerous. Warning signs of fatigue include difficulty focusing; repeated yawning or rubbing of the eyes; daydreaming or wandering thoughts; and drifting out of your lane.

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.

In general, a shipper is required to list an emergency response telephone number on hazardous materials' shipping papers. There are some exceptions to this rule.

When transporting hazardous materials, shipping papers should be kept in a pouch in the driver's side door, or in another location where the driver is able to easily reach them while their seat belt is fastened. The papers must be easily visible to anyone who is entering the cab.

Slow down and be very careful if you see foreign objects in your lane. Remember that even something that seems relatively light and harmless, like a cardboard box, could contain harder or heavier items that could cause damage to your vehicle.

At a minimum, emergency response information must include the basic descriptions and technical names of the materials being transported; immediate hazards to health; risks of fire or explosion; immediate precautions to be taken in the event of an accident or incident; immediate methods for handling fires; initial methods for handling spills or leaks in the absence of fires; and preliminary first aid measures.

Commercial vehicles should always carry the proper emergency equipment. Be sure your vehicle is equipped with at least one fire extinguisher; spare electrical fuses, unless the vehicle is equipped with circuit breakers; and warning devices for parked vehicles, such as warning triangles, fuses, or liquid burning flares.

Rust around wheel nuts may mean that they are loose. Check the tightness of the nuts if you see any rust in the area.

Rollovers happen when a vehicle is driven too fast. To reduce the risk of rollover, make sure the weight of cargo is loaded low to the ground, and that you take turns and curves slowly.

Before a trip, you should ensure that air reaches all air brakes on all trailers by opening up the rear emergency line and service line shut-off valves to listen for escaping air. Close both shut-off valves before beginning to drive.

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 it will only prolong the skid. The application of brakes is what caused the wheels to lock in the first place.

If you can't tell if your vehicle will have room to fit under a bridge or other overhead object, you should slow down and find an alternate route, if possible.

Combination vehicles require more space on the road than other vehicles. When entering or crossing traffic while driving a combination vehicle, it is especially important that there is a large enough gap in traffic for you to safely do so.

Escape ramps are constructed in areas with steep downgrades to allow a means of safely stopping runaway vehicles. They consist of a long bed of loose, soft material, and sometimes an uphill slope.

When inspecting a vehicle that is equipped with power steering, check the hoses, pumps, and fluid level. In particular, you should look for leaks in the hoses.

To maintain proper control of your vehicle, the steering wheel should be held firmly with both hands. Your hands should be positioned on opposite sides of the wheel.

If your vehicle breaks down on the road while you are transporting explosive materials, you must warn other drivers. Put out warning signals like reflective triangles or electric lights if you are carrying Division 1.1, 1.2, or 1.3 explosives. Do the same if you are driving a tank used to transport Class 3 flammable liquids or Division 2.1 flammable gases, even if the tank is empty. If transporting flammable materials, do not use warning signals that could cause your cargo to catch fire.

When backing a vehicle with a trailer, you must turn the steering wheel in the direction opposite of where you want to go. Once your trailer starts to turn, you should turn the steering wheel the other way to follow the trailer.