Texas (TX) CDL manual 2026
Reading the manual is not the same as passing the test on it. Practice it instead: every chapter below has real test questions you can answer right here, plus what Texas does its own way.
Practice the manual, chapter by chapter
State manuals are built on the same national model, chapter for chapter. One thing to know from each chapter, then real questions from it to answer — tap an option to check yourself.
- 1
Introduction
Everyone
If your privilege to operate your personal vehicle is revoked, cancelled, or suspended due to alcohol, controlled substance or felony violations, you will lose your CDL for one year.
This chapter has 26 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What is the disqualification for a first railroad-highway grade crossing violation?
A single crossing violation costs at least 60 days, rising to 120 for a second within three years and a year for a third.
Manual section 1.3.5
A passenger endorsement is required to drive a vehicle designed to transport how many people?
The threshold is a vehicle designed to carry 16 or more passengers, and the driver counts toward that total.
Manual section 1.2
- 2
Driving Safely
Everyone
Consider whether you are taking sedating medications such as antidepressants, cold tablets, or antihistamines.
This chapter has 290 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.What is the final action of the engine compartment step?
An unsecured hood or cab can come open at speed, which is why the step ends by closing and latching whatever was opened.
Manual section 2.1.5
How often should you take a break on a long trip?
Periodic breaks roughly every 100 miles or two hours are part of maintaining alertness, alongside keeping cool and avoiding heavy foods.
Manual section 2.11.2
- 3
Transporting Cargo Safely
Everyone
Stopping distance increases with overloading, and brakes can fail when forced to work too hard.
This chapter has 26 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Which term describes the combined weight of a powered vehicle, its trailer, and all of the cargo being carried?
Gross combination weight is the total weight of the tractor or power unit plus its trailer or trailers plus the cargo, measured as the rig actually sits.
Manual section 3.1
What does axle weight measure?
Axle weight is what reaches the road through that axle or axle set, which is what bridge formulas and scales are concerned with.
Manual section 3.2.1
- 4
Transporting Passengers
P endorsement (bus)
Drivers should watch for and refuse hazardous items riders try to bring aboard, such as car batteries or gasoline.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.You have finished loading at a curbside stop and are ready to rejoin traffic in your transit bus. What should you do first?
Before leaving a stop, the driver must check the mirrors to make sure the path is clear of vehicles, bicycles, and people walking near the bus.
Manual section 4.3
On buses designed to allow standing, how is the standee line marked?
A two-inch line on the floor, or some other equally clear means, shows riders how far forward they may stand.
Manual section 4.2.3
- 5
Air Brakes
Any vehicle with air brakes
The application pressure gauge shows how much air pressure is being applied to the brakes; this gauge is not on all vehicles.
This chapter has 148 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Where in the air brake system is the safety relief valve installed?
Putting the relief valve in the first tank downstream of the compressor means it sees the highest pressure in the system and can protect everything behind it.
Manual section 5.1.6
How is the cab control for a front brake limiting valve normally marked?
The two positions are labeled normal and slippery, reflecting the mistaken belief that cutting front brake pressure helped on poor surfaces.
Manual section 5.1.13
- 6
Combination Vehicles
Class A
Tractor protection valve controls or "emergency" valves on older vehicles may not operate automatically.
This chapter has 118 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.After the fifth wheel jaws lock during coupling, how do you confirm the connection with a tug test?
With the trailer brakes locked, easing the tractor forward in low gear puts a pull on the coupling; if the units stay together, the jaws are holding the kingpin.
Manual section 6.4.1
While backing into a dock you lose track of how much room remains behind the trailer. What should you do?
The GOAL rule, Get Out And Look, means physically checking the area whenever you are unsure of clearance while backing.
Manual section 6.1.6
- 7
Doubles and Triples
T endorsement
Drivers of long combinations must look far ahead so maneuvers can be gradual.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.You are finishing the coupling of a set of doubles. What is the correct final position of the rear trailer's landing gear?
Once the coupling is made and tested, the landing gear must come all the way up so it cannot strike the road, a curb, or a railroad crossing.
Manual section 7.2.1
How should you adjust your driving when pulling doubles in rain or snow?
Multi-trailer rigs are more vulnerable in bad weather, so slower speeds and added caution are required.
Manual section 7.1
- 8
Tank Vehicles
N endorsement
Tank vehicles have a high center of gravity, which makes them more prone to rollover.
This chapter has 62 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Besides leaks, what condition of the tank's body or shell does the inspection cover?
Dents in the shell are checked alongside leaks, because damage to the pressure boundary can be the beginning of a failure even where nothing is weeping yet.
Manual section 8.1.1
A tanker driver wants to avoid skids, which are especially dangerous when a liquid load is pushing on the tank. What causes most skids?
Most skids happen when a driver is going too fast for conditions and then brakes, steers, or accelerates harder than the available traction allows.
Manual section 8.3
- 9
Hazardous Materials
H endorsement
Table 2 lists 4.2 Spontaneously Combustible with the placard name Spontaneously Combustible.
This chapter has 234 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Within what period must carriers make detailed written reports of a hazardous materials incident?
The phone call to the National Response Center is immediate; the carrier's detailed written report follows within 30 days.
Manual section 9.7.5
On a portable tank holding less than 1,000 gallons, how tall must the shipping name letters be?
Below 1,000 gallons the letters may be one inch tall, half the height required on the larger portable tanks.
Manual section 9.5.1
- 10
School Buses
S endorsement
The convex mirrors are located below the outside flat mirrors.
This chapter has 98 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.A student who just exited your bus drops a book, and it slides underneath the bus. What should the student have been taught to do?
A child reaching or crawling near the bus disappears into the danger zones; students must leave dropped items and alert the driver rather than go after them.
Manual section 10.2
While a school bus is being driven on its route, what is the rule for the emergency exit doors?
Emergency exit doors exist for evacuations only; while the bus is in operation they must be fully closed and secured.
Manual section 10.3
- 11
Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspection
Everyone (skills test)
Inspect the stop arms, if equipped, are securely mounted to the vehicle frame and there are no loose, broken, or damaged parts.
This chapter has 200 more questions. Practice them in the app and see your pass chance.Which lights should you turn on before starting the exterior walk-around portion of your inspection?
Before the walk-around, turn on the low beam headlights and four-way emergency flashers so you can confirm those lamps work as you circle the vehicle.
Manual section 11.2.7
What is the stated function of the lug nuts?
That is the whole job, and it is why loose or missing nuts can end with the wheel leaving the vehicle.
Manual section 11.5.2
What’s different in Texas
Most of every state manual is the same federal material. These are the parts that are not.
- Skills test: the modernized skills test, since September 1, 2024.
- Checklist on the pre-trip: Yes. You may use a blank checklist as a memory aid during the vehicle inspection.
- Trailers with a gross weight over 4,500 pounds and not exceeding 15,000 pounds operated at 30 mph or less are not required to be equipped with brakes; above 30 mph they must have brakes on both rear-axle wheels.
- If the trailer and combination exceed 3,000 pounds, the combination must be able to stop within 50 feet when traveling 20 mph.
The official Texas CDL manual
Published free by Texas Department of Public Safety
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