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The air brakes endorsement applies to applicants who wish to drive a vehicle with air brakes in Class A, B, or C CDL. To drive a vehicle with air brakes, you must pass the air brake component of the Massachusetts CDL knowledge test. The MA CDL air brakes test consists of 25 questions, and you'll need at least 20 correct answers to pass (80%). The test covers the information found in the air brakes section of the Massachusetts CDL Manual. Take this MA CDL practice test now to prepare for the actual air brakes test!
1. It may not be safe to operate at legal maximum weights:
on two-way streets.
during bad weather or in mountains.
in hot weather.
on highways.
2. A driver distraction is anything that takes your attention away from driving, such as:
adjusting the radio.
billboards.
pedestrians.
All of the above.
3. Empty trucks have the best braking. True or False?
True.
It depends on the truck.
It depends on the cargo.
False.
4. One way to prevent hydroplaning is to:
take curves at higher speeds.
make sure you have enough tread on your tires.
have less than 4/32 inch tread depth in every major groove on front tires.
use the controlled braking method.
5. If your vehicle does not have automatic air tank drains, how often should you drain air tanks to remove moisture and oil?
Once a week.
At the end of each working day.
At least once a month.
Every 4 hours.
6. With a fully-charged air system, the leakage rates should be less than:
2 psi for single vehicles and 3 psi for a combination of two vehicles.
5 psi for single vehicles and 4 psi for a combination of two vehicles.
3 psi for single vehicles and 4 psi for a combination of two vehicles.
5 psi for single vehicles and 10 psi for a combination of two vehicles.
7. The low air pressure warning light is usually:
red.
orange.
blue.
yellow.
8. Front-end header boards:
protect drivers from spilled cargo.
reduce traction.
should never be used.
protect drivers from cargo in case of an accident or emergency stop.
9. When you pull hard on a slack adjuster and it moves more than about _____ where the push rod attaches to it, the slack adjuster probably needs adjustment.
1/4 inch
2 inches
1 inch
1/2 inch
10. To test the low pressure warning signal, you should:
check the air hoses connected to the brake chambers to make sure they aren't cut.
shut the engine off when you have enough air pressure, turn the electrical power on and step on and off the brake pedal until the low air pressure warning signal comes on.
manually let the air out of your brakes and see if the signal comes on.
pump the brakes while your vehicle is running.
 
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Frequently Asked Questions

To obtain a learner’s permit, you must be at least 16 years old. After holding your permit for six months with a clean driving record and completing a driver education program, you can apply for a junior operator license. Your class D driver’s license will be restricted until you reach 18 years old.
You can start your application online and you will receive an email to schedule an appointment at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) office you selected. If you prefer to complete the test at home, you are required to apply and visit a Service Center to provide identification documentation. Once the documentation has been verified, you'll receive login instructions to complete the test at home.
You are required to provide specific documents: 
  • Proof of identity.
  • Proof of Social Security Status.
  • Proof of Massachusetts residency.
  • Written consent from a parent/legal guardian (for applicants under 18).
Use this checklist and view the acceptable documents.


The RMV written test is provided in Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Burmese, Cape Verdean Creole, English, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer/Cambodian, Kiswahili, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Vietnamese. Audio exams are also available in these languages. If you need an oral exam, call 857-368-8105. 

You need to read the Massachusetts Driver's Handbook. The exam covers various topics, including road signs, safe driving practices, and road rules. Remember that you cannot use driver's manuals or personal notes, so study the manual carefully and take our free practice tests to verify your preparation.

The RMV written test consists of 25 multiple-choice questions. To pass, you must complete the test within 25 minutes. You have approximately one minute for each question, so carefully read each sentence before selecting your answer and moving on to the next question.

To pass the Massachusetts RMV written test, you need to reach a score of 72%. This means that you must correctly answer 18 questions and can miss a maximum of 7 questions. Sign up for DMV Premium to test your preparation and check if you are ready for the real exam.

All drivers under 18 are not permitted to use any mobile electronic device except for emergency calls. There are also other specific restrictions:
  • With a learner’s permit, you are allowed to drive only under the supervision of a licensed adult who is at least 21 years old, has held a driver's license for at least one year, and is seated beside you.
  • After obtaining a junior operator license, driving alone is permitted only between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. Furthermore, you cannot transport passengers under 18 unless accompanied by a driver who is at least 21 years old and has held a driver's license for at least one year (except when transporting siblings).

A learner’s permit in Massachusetts is valid for 2 years. If it expires, you'll have to apply again and retake the exam. After holding the permit for 6 consecutive months, you can get a junior operator license. If there's any suspension during this period, you'll need to wait another 6 months after the suspension ends.
Instructions will be provided at the end of the RMV written test on how to retake it. Keep in mind that a new fee must be paid. It's important to note that cheating during the exam will result in failure. Additionally, if you are taking the test online, you'll automatically fail if you leave the browser, if you have not clicked a button for more than 2 minutes, or if you exceed the 25 minutes available to complete the exam.

MA CDL Air Brakes Test

Number of questions: 25
Correct answers to pass:20
Passing score:80%
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