Study guide · PDF · 57 pages · 2026 edition · updated November 2026
CDL permit test study guide: general knowledge, air brakes and combination vehicles
To get your commercial learner's permit you pass General Knowledge, and for most Class A jobs Air Brakes and Combination Vehicles too. This guide teaches the rules behind each test, with the numbers to know, the traps and 150 explained questions with three choices, like the real test.
For: Future truck and bus drivers preparing the CDL knowledge tests for their commercial learner's permit (CLP): General Knowledge, Air Brakes and Combination Vehicles.
What you get for $29, the moment you pay
- One chapter per test subject: the federal rules, the CDL manual and the numbers in tables
- The trap behind each type of question, in a table at the end of every chapter
- 150 original practice questions with explained answers, three choices like the real test (60 General Knowledge, 45 Air Brakes, 45 Combination)
- A one-page review sheet for each of the three tests
- A 7-day plan, the test-day steps, a score log and an error log
- PDF of 57 pages to read on any device or print, with 21 official and reference sources listed and dated
In brief: the CDL General Knowledge, Air Brakes & Combination Vehicles Study Guide: Everything on the Commercial Learner's Permit Tests is a 57-page PDF (2026 edition · updated November 2026) for $29, a one-off payment with nothing added at checkout. 8 chapters, 150 original practice questions with explained answers, checklists and fill-in templates; every fact is followed by its source. Instant download after payment.
What's inside: the real table of contents
- The three permit tests: who takes what and how they are scoredp. 4
- General knowledge 1: inspection, vehicle control and shiftingp. 8
- General knowledge 2: seeing, signals, speed and spacep. 14
- General knowledge 3: crossings, mountains, emergencies and the rulesp. 21
- Air brakes: the parts, the in-cab check and the numbersp. 29
- Combination vehicles: handling, trailer air brakes, coupling and inspectionp. 40
- Review sheets: one page for each testp. 50
- Your 7-day plan, test day and score logp. 53
- Sources (21, each with the date it was checked)
In pictures
Illustrative photos, published by their authors under free licences.
Who it is for
- Future truck and bus drivers who must pass the CDL knowledge tests to get their commercial learner's permit (CLP)
- Class A applicants who take General Knowledge, Air Brakes and Combination Vehicles in the same visit
- Class B applicants who need General Knowledge and Air Brakes (Chapters 1 to 5)
- Drivers who failed a knowledge test once and want the rules, the numbers and the traps in one place before the retake
- Non-native English speakers who want the manual's rules in short sentences, with the numbers in tables
Who it is not for
- Anyone looking for a replacement for their state CDL manual: your test is written from it, and you still need to read it
- Drivers preparing endorsement tests (hazmat, tank, doubles/triples, passenger, school bus): see our CDL endorsements study guide
- The skills test itself (pre-trip inspection, basic control, road test) and the entry-level driver training it requires
Questions before you buy
Isn't all of this in my state CDL manual for free?
Yes, the rules are in your manual, and you should read it. This guide does not replace it. It puts the three permit tests in order, turns the numbers into tables, shows the traps behind each type of question and where the manual and the current federal rules differ, and adds 150 explained practice questions, three review sheets and a 7-day plan.
Will it work for my state?
The knowledge tests follow federal standards and the state manuals follow a common model, so the content carries over. The guide is written from the New York manual and the federal rules, and shows where states differ (permit validity, languages, retakes). Your state's manual is the one your test uses.
Are these the real test questions?
No. The 150 questions are original, written by passmock from the manual and the federal rules cited in the guide. They are not questions from any real test.
I need a Class B. Is it still useful?
Yes: Chapters 1 to 5 cover General Knowledge and Air Brakes. Chapter 6 (Combination Vehicles) is for Class A.
How is it different from your CDL practice pack?
The pack gives you full-length timed practice tests online and in PDF. This guide teaches the rules behind them, chapter by chapter, with its own 150 practice questions. Many drivers use the guide first, then the pack.
Is it a subscription?
No. It is a one-off payment for a PDF you keep.
Can I use it on my phone?
Yes, it is a PDF that opens on any phone, tablet or computer, and it prints well if you prefer paper.
Practise the whole test too
How it works
- You pay on Stripe, by card or Apple Pay: one-off payment, your card details never pass through our servers.
- You download the PDF straight away on the confirmation page, get the link by email, and can find it again at any time (Find my purchases).
- Need help with your guide? Email administration@lacangel.fr with your order number: we answer every message.
Good to know before you buy
- Written by passmock from the official sources listed in the guide (21 sources, each with the date it was read). Rules and fees can change: the guide tells you where to check.
- passmock is not affiliated with or endorsed by FMCSA, the U.S. Department of Transportation, AAMVA or any state licensing agency.
- Want to try first? The free CDL Knowledge Tests practice test is free, with explained answers.
- Guaranteed as described: email administration@lacangel.fr and we fix it, replace it or refund you (refund policy).