Alaska CDL practice test

Getting a commercial driver's licence in Alaska starts with the CDL knowledge tests. The content is federal: every state, Alaska included, writes its tests from the FMCSA CDL manual, so the general knowledge test has 50 questions, the endorsement tests have 20 to 30, and the passing score is 80% on each. The Alaska driver licensing agency administers the test; the rules behind it are published by the FMCSA. Try the free Alaska CDL practice questions below, then pick a full test.

50general knowledge questions
80%passing score on every test
8knowledge tests covered
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Free Alaska CDL practice questions

Five questions from the general knowledge, air brakes and combination vehicles banks, the three tests most Alaska Class A applicants take first. Show the answer to read the explanation.

Convex (curved) mirrors are useful because they:
- Make objects look closer than they are
- Show a wider area than flat mirrors, though objects look smaller and farther away
- Remove all blind spots on the right side
- Show the road directly behind the trailer
Show answer
Answer: B. Show a wider area than flat mirrors, though objects look smaller and farther away
A convex mirror bends the view to cover more area, which helps you find vehicles beside you. The trade-off is that everything in it looks smaller and farther away than it really is, so judge distance with care.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.4 (Seeing to the Sides and Rear)
When crossing railroad tracks you should never:
- Use a low gear
- Shift gears while on the tracks
- Look both ways
- Slow down before the crossing
Show answer
Answer: B. Shift gears while on the tracks
Shifting on the tracks risks missing the gear and stalling with the vehicle stopped across the rails. Pick the gear before you reach the crossing and keep it until you are fully across.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.15 (Railroad-Highway Crossings)
If you must drive in fog, which headlights should you use?
- High beams, to see farther
- Low beams
- Parking lights only
- Four-way flashers with no headlights
Show answer
Answer: B. Low beams
High beams reflect off the fog and bounce the glare back at you. Low beams light the road without lighting up the fog. The best choice in heavy fog is to pull off the road and wait.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.12 (Driving in Fog)
Before starting down a long, steep downgrade you should:
- Shift to neutral so the engine can cool
- Choose a gear low enough to hold your speed without heavy braking, before you start down
- Pick the same gear you would use to climb the hill, once you are already on the slope
- Turn on the retarder and rely on it alone
Show answer
Answer: B. Choose a gear low enough to hold your speed without heavy braking, before you start down
Pick the gear before the grade, not on it. It must be low enough that the engine holds your speed without the brakes doing all the work; with modern trucks that is often a lower gear than the one used to climb. Never coast in neutral, and a retarder is a helper, not a replacement for the right gear.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.16 (Mountain Driving)
The proper braking technique on a long downgrade is to:
- Keep light, steady pressure on the brakes the whole way down
- Brake hard until about 5 mph below your safe speed, release, and repeat when you reach the safe speed again
- Pump the brakes rapidly to keep them cool
- Use the brakes only in the last quarter mile
Show answer
Answer: B. Brake hard until about 5 mph below your safe speed, release, and repeat when you reach the safe speed again
This is snub braking. Apply the brakes firmly until you are about 5 mph below the safe speed, release them, and when speed climbs back to the safe speed, repeat. Light constant pressure lets the brakes overheat and fade.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 2.16 (Proper Braking Technique)

Every CDL test for Alaska drivers

Each page has ten free sample questions, the real question count, the 80% pass mark and what the test covers.

How the Alaska CDL knowledge test works

You take the general knowledge test first; it is required for every CDL class. Class A drivers add the combination vehicles test. Almost everyone takes the air brakes test, because skipping it puts an air brake restriction on the licence. Endorsements (hazmat, tanker, doubles/triples, passenger, school bus) each have their own knowledge test. Pass the tests and you hold a commercial learner's permit; the skills test in a truck comes later.

Fees, appointment rules and test centre locations are set by Alaska and change over time, so check the state driver licensing agency before you go. What does not change is the content, and that is what PassRig drills.

Alaska CDL test questions

How many questions are on the Alaska CDL test?

The Alaska CDL general knowledge test follows the federal model: 50 questions, 40 correct to pass. Endorsement tests are shorter: air brakes 25, hazmat 30, and combination vehicles, tanker, doubles/triples, passenger and school bus 20 each.

What is the passing score on the Alaska CDL permit test?

80% on every knowledge test, the same pass mark used across the United States.

Where do I take the CDL knowledge test in Alaska?

At the Alaska state driver licensing agency (the DMV, DOT or equivalent). Check its website for locations, appointments and current fees; the test content itself comes from the FMCSA CDL manual.

Does PassRig have Alaska CDL practice questions?

Yes. Pick Alaska in the app and you get practice sets and mock exams built from the knowledge test content your state uses, with the real counts and the 80% line.