The High Road™ Online CDL Training Program

The Most Effective CDL Test Preparation Course On The Planet

This program is 100% free for everyone!
  • Intro
  • Overview
  • Features
  • Testimonials
  • Tips/Advice

The High Road™ Online CDL Training Program Is Pure Awesomeness

We're not pulling any punches. We're going to say it like it is. This is the highest quality, most comprehensive online CDL training program ever created. As if that wasn't awesome enough, it also happens to be unconditionally free for everyone to use.

Our program has a ton of incredible features, and it's really user friendly. So grab a cup of coffee and strap yourself in because you're going to be blown away when you see what we have in store for you!

The Entire CDL Manual And Beyond

Our CDL training program has the entire CDL manual built right in. That alone will prepare you for all of the required written exams including the CDL learner's permit and all of the endorsement exams. Now that's pretty fantastic in itself, but as experienced drivers, we knew that wasn't nearly enough. No way.

Because passing the CDL exam isn't the real test. The real test begins when you're sitting behind the wheel of an 80,000 pound rig, and we want to make sure you have the knowledge it takes to survive out there in the trucking industry. So we've gone beyond the CDL manual and built several sections ourselves full of critical knowledge that will prepare you for a great start to your trucking career.

Who Designed This Training Program?

This training program was designed and built with the help of professional drivers, including certified CDL instructors with decades of safe driving experience. These experienced professionals know exactly what it takes to pass the CDL exams and become safe, productive drivers out on the road.

Our CDL training program has proven to be so effective that is has gone viral in the trucking community essentially overnight! We are blown away with the positive response to this program, and you're going to be amazed at how well it's put together. Take a couple minutes to browse the features, testimonials, and tips before you sign up and get going!

Features Of The High Road Training System

Includes The Complete CDL Manual & More

We've built the entire CDL manual right into our training system. But we didn't stop there! We've added several sections of our own to this training program so you'll be prepared for all of the written exams and life on the road.

This training system was built by experienced drivers and trainers who know there's a lot more to life on the road than what the CDL manual covers. We've added our own sections covering Logbook Rules and Weight & Balance so you'll be ready to tackle some of the toughest aspects of life in the trucking industry.

Sophisticated Review System

Repetition is the key to memorizing large amounts of information. By continuously analyzing your scores on each question as you progress through the program, our review system will determine which questions you are having the most trouble with.

These high priority questions will be repeated as many times as is necessary to reinforce the correct answers. This system is capable of determining each person's strengths and weaknesses and gives you continued reinforcement where you need it most.

Intelligent Halt System

Yellow Peterbuilt on the highway

When we find that you are beginning to struggle, we temporarily stop giving you new materials and have you review the questions you're having the most trouble with.

What would be the point of feeding you new materials if you're having trouble with what we've given you so far? The point is to learn the materials, not just fly through the program as quickly as possible.

If you miss a particular question too many times or your overall average drops below 85% we will help you review the areas you're struggling with until we see you're ready to continue on to new materials.

Dynamically Built, Interactive Quizzes

tractor trailer driving down the road

The multiple choice quizzes given on each page include questions from the page being loaded and review questions from pages you've already completed. The order of the questions and answers are randomized, and the answers to review questions from previous pages can be lookup up in an instant.

The quizzes are designed to work as a tool to help reinforce the information, not simply as a way to test your knowledge. We don't want you guessing at the answers, because guessing isn't learning. In fact, guessing can inhibit learning by reinforcing an incorrect answer.

When taking a quiz, the answer to each question can be quickly found in the content of the page, or in the case of review questions, with the click of a link which reveals the answer. This allows you to quickly find the correct answer, reinforces the information, and saves tons of precious time trying when having to look something up.

Complete The Materials In Any Order At Your Own Pace

We've designed our training program to be very flexible. You can complete the course materials in any order at your own pace. Simply jump to a different section of the program when you're ready for a change of pace.

The optimal experience means being able to work on the materials you're interested in learning at the moment, and working when you feel fresh and ready to take on a challenge. Instead of forcing everyone to work on the same materials at the same pace, our program allows you the flexibility to choose the materials you're working on and set your own schedule.

Even our review system and halt mechanism have been designed to adjust to your preferences. You can take the course in any order you like and we'll send the proper review questions from sections you've already completed. If you begin to struggle, we'll halt your progress and force a review of the materials before allowing you to move on.

Insights, Tips, And Suggestions Built In

Throught the program you'll find important tips, insights, and suggestions wherever you see the purple question mark () to help you understand the materials better and gain an understanding for how that knowledge will fit into the overall picture.

Not all information is created equal. Certain bits of information may be critically important to the safe operation of the vehicle, and some information will almost certainly show up on the CDL exam. We want to go beyond just teaching the information. We want you to understand why this information is so important and how it will affect your CDL testing and your career in the trucking industry.

What People Are Saying About The High Road Training System

"My own experience with the course itself was nothing short of amazing. To come into the course with absolutely no prior knowledge of the subject, and to be able to grasp the information, understand it, and retain it, has taken quite a bit off stress off me. Now I know that when I do enroll in a school, I can focus on the driving aspects, and not have to worry about the classroom side of things.

Being able to study at my own pace and in my own time was extremely helpful to me. Being able to see what areas I was having difficulty with, and being able to spend more time on those sections was so beneficial. The way the information is broken down and presented topic by topic keeps the course from being overwhelming, and the layout of the program itself is condusive to a variety of learning styles."

- Ahmalia

tractor trailer

"My experience so far has been fantastic. It is set up in such a way that it learns and adapts to what the student needs to pay closer attention to. If the program notices you need to go over a certain subject again, it will halt you for a review so that you dont continuously get a subject wrong.

I love the way it pulls refresher questions from other parts of the course that you have already covered. It reinforces the information needed to not only pass the permit test, but engrains it so it almost becomes second nature.

After studying for a week, and taking the practice tests here for the basic info needed to obtain a CDL learners permit, I can consistantly pass the practice tests for General Knowledge, Air Brakes, Combination Vehicles, Doubles and Triples, and Passengers at my State DMV. My lowest score so far is 94%.

I feel that anyone who doesn't use this before attending a school or taking their permit test is wasting a valuable asset. Before taking the course, I was lucky if I had gotten anything above 68% by just studying the manual alone.

Thanks again Brett. I'm gonna pass this on to anyone who is looking to get their CDL."

- Skip

Hi Brett,

I just want to say thank you for putting online such a valuable resource.

I used your CDL training course to study for my CDL, and when I took my written tests the DMV administrator was amazed as I finished the test faster than anyone she had ever had in her facility, and with the highest scores she had ever seen. I took all of my endorsements (Hazmat, Doubles - Triples, Tanker, and Air Brakes) all in one sitting and without hesitation I knew all of the answers. Some were tricky and not in the Colorado Manual (which I had also read) however because of the knowledge I had gained from your course I was able to logically figure out the answers.

I can honestly say that had I simply read the CDL manual I would have struggled to pass the test at all. I am convinced your course made all the difference. I went in prepared and knew what to expect and how to answer.

Thanks again Brett. I'm gonna pass this on to anyone who is looking to get their CDL."

- Tom Cooper

I wanted to share something that just made me pat myself on the back today... I am currently attending the FFE Driving Academy (Now KLLM). Today was our final written exam for the school, tomorrow we go take the DPS written tests. Once the class tests were graded, our instructor told me that in the more than two years the school had been open and with all the hundreds of students that had gone through the program, I was the third person EVER to get a perfect score on all 5 written exams.

WOW!

Darn right I'm proud of myself, but I didn't do it alone. I can't express enough how helpful The High Road Training Program is, and can't thank Brett and TruckingTruth enough for putting it together.

- Joseph

"I think that the program is great! I love the way the halt feature works if it feels you're having a lot of trouble or just guessing, and the way the review system reinforces learning by re-introducing material in the form of review questions.

Even with the limited amount that I've completed thus far, I feel as if I was much more prepared when I began my schooling, and was amazed by the amount of material covered at school that I already knew just from having done this program here!"

- Rob "Moe Rhonic"

"My stress was easily cut in half by taking TruckingTruth's High Road online CDL course. I've taken many courses online and never have I seen a better product that can produce better results! I have fond memories spending endless hours studying. It was simple, clear, and so well thought out. I have absolutely nothing to criticize.

If I were to try and put a price tag on it, $250-450 easily! You and your Team of Truckers, which I can now say I legitimately am one, are the greatest!"

- Jay

"I have taken several courses via computer (Navy, private/instrument pilot exams, and teacher courses) and this incorporates all of the best of each. It is obvious you have spent an incredible amount of time bringing all of this information together.

Great job!"

- Larry

Understanding The Review System

The High Road Training Program™ will continuously adjust to your strengths and weaknesses as you work your way through. Each page of the program has its own set of questions. Along with those questions you'll see a mix of review questions from pages you've already completed. These review questions were not selected at random. We track your scores throughout the program and choose the questions you're struggling with the most, and those are the ones you'll be reviewing.

For instance...say you're ready to begin page 10. Before page 10 loads we calculate your scores on every question you've done so far, including all review questions, and decide which questions you need the most help with right now. Those high priority questions from the previous 9 pages will be loaded along with the questions from page 10.

So you don't have to keep track of what you're learning well and what you need help with - we're already doing that for you. Just work your way straight through the program and focus on getting every single question correct. We'll feed you the review questions you need the most help with throughout the program.

Do Not Guess At The Answers - Look Them Up!

Consider the quizzes at the end of each page to be a learning tool as opposed to a way of testing your knowledge. Repetition is the key to learning a large amount of materials, and the quizzes will help reinforce the correct information time and time again.

Keep in mind that your goal is to learn the materials, and guessing is not learning. In fact, guessing wrong will reinforce the incorrect answer, requiring extra repetitions of the correct answer to force the incorrect answer out of your mind.

So when taking the quizzes, please look up the correct answers and shoot for a perfect score on every quiz. With every review question you will see a link that will say "This is a review question. Click here to look up the answer". Please do it! Do not guess at the answers. We've put that link there so you can quickly and easily look up the answer. We want you to look it up. It's not a weakness or a failure on your part to have to look up the answer - that's a victory! Getting a question wrong is the only failure. So shoot for a perfect score on each quiz by looking up the correct answers each and every time. You'll learn the materials better and get through the program more quickly.

The High Road Online CDL Training Program

Our High Road Online CDL Training Program is a complete CDL test preparation course. It has everything you'll need to pass the CDL permit exam, the endorsement exams, and prepare for the start of CDL training:

  • The entire CDL manual is built right in and split into small sections
  • A few multiple choice questions follow each section
  • Score tracking and progress reports throughout the program
  • A review system helps you learn by reinforcing the correct answers
  • A friendly and easy to use interface makes it a breeze to use

We've found a way to teach you the entire CDL manual faster and easier than you thought possible. By breaking it down into small sections and reviewing the questions several times you'll be well prepared for your CDL exams!

Random Questions From The High Road™ CDL Training Program

Review Questions - Click On The Picture To Begin...

These Questions Are From The Illinois CDL Manual

While driving a placarded vehicle and a tire overheats, what should you do?
  • Use a fire extinguisher to cool it
  • Use water to prevent a fire
  • Remove any overheated tire and place it a safe distance from the vehicle
  • Immediately call the emergency response number you were supplied with
This is a review question from page 74 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 102 Of The CDL Manual:

Remove any overheated tire. Place it a safe distance from your vehicle. Do not drive until you correct the cause of the overheating. Remember to follow the rules about parking and attending placarded vehicles. They apply even when checking, repairing or replacing tires.

TruckingTruth's Advice:

While in the real-world you probably won't ever have the capability to remove an overheating tire yourself, you can help prevent any overheating issues in the first place by making sure all tires are in proper working condition and properly inflated. An overheating tire can be extremely dangerous, especially with hazardous materials in close proximity.

Next
Which of the following can be used as part of the cargo securement system?
  • Blocking and bracing equipment.
  • Securing devices.
  • All of these are valid.
  • Vehicle structure.
This is a review question from page 121 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 2 Of The CDL Manual:

What is a securement system?

A securement system is a securement method that uses one or a combination of the following elements:

  • Vehicle Structure.
  • Securing Devices.
  • Blocking and Bracing Equipment.
Prev
Next

Which violations have occurred in the below example?

Day 1

Day 2

  • There is a 14 hour violation and a 30 minute break violation
  • There is a 14 hour violation only
  • There is a 14 hour violation and an 11 hour violation
  • There is an 11 hour violation only
This is a review question from page 101 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 0 Of The CDL Manual:

Day 1

Day 2

Violations: There is an 11 hour rule violation from 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., and a 14 hour rule violation from 7:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., both on Day 2.

Explanation - 11 Hour Limit: After 10 consecutive hours off duty, the driver had 11 hours of driving time available at 10:00 a.m. on Day 1. The driver did not have another 10 hour break (or the equivalent) until 1:00 p.m. on Day 2, so the calculation point never changes. The driver accumulated 7 total hours of driving on Day 1 and reached the 11 hour limit at 11:00 a.m. on Day 2. The violation began when the driver continued driving after that limit.

Explanation - 30 Minute Break: Since the longest consecutive stretch of on duty time was only 6 hours, the driver was never required to take a 30 minute break on either Day 1 or Day 2.

Explanation - 14 Hour Limit: Calculation of the 14 hour limit starts at 10:00 a.m. on Day 1. The 14 hour limit was reached at midnight, and the driver violated the 14 hour rule by driving a CMV starting at 7:00 a.m. on Day 2.

To remain in compliance: The driver should have stayed in the sleeper berth for one additional hour during one of the two sleeper berth breaks. This would have given the driver the equivalent of 10 hours off duty, making him or her eligible for the sleeper berth provision. This would have moved the calculation point to the end of the first of the two breaks (10:00 p.m. on Day 1) and the driver would have remained in compliance on Day 2, in this example.

Prev
Next
In a Dual Air Brake System:
  • The low air warning should activate before pressure drops below 60 psi in either system
  • The low air warning should only activate when both systems drop below 60 psi
  • The low air warning should activate before 120 psi since it's a dual air brake system
  • The low air warning should not activate until 30 psi since there are two air brake systems
This is a review question from page 44 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 65 Of The CDL Manual:

The warning light and buzzer should come on before the air pressure drops below 60 psi in either system. If this happens while driving, you should stop right away and safely park the vehicle. If one air system is very low on pressure, either the front or the rear brakes will not be operating fully. This means it will take you longer to stop. Bring the vehicle to a safe stop and have the air brake system fixed.

TruckingTruth's Advice:

Regardless of whether your vehicle has a single air brake system or a duel air brake system, if any air pressure gauge reads below 60 psi, you should have a warning about low air pressure even if the second system is fully charged.

Prev
Next
What are Glad Hands?
  • A name for the yellow and red air valves in the cab of a truck
  • Coupling devices used to connect the service and emergency air lines from the truck or tractor to the trailer
  • Used to secure the trailer kingpin to the tractor 5th wheel
  • Caps which cover the valve stems on tires
This is a review question from page 50 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 73 Of The CDL Manual:

"Glad hands" are coupling devices used to connect the service and emergency air lines from the truck or tractor to the trailer.

Prev
Next
What is the main factor affecting the low-speed offtracking of a tractor trailer?
  • The distance from the steer axle to the drive axles
  • The ratio of the length of the tractor to the length of the trailer
  • The distance from the trailer kingpin to the center of the trailer rear axle
  • The length of the trailer, regardless of the position of the trailer tandems
This is a review question from page 111 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 0 Of The CDL Manual:

When a combination vehicle makes a low-speed turn - for example a 90-degree turn at an intersection - the wheels of the rearmost trailer axle follow a path several feet inside the path of the tractor steering axle. This is called low-speed offtracking. Excessive low-speed offtracking may make it necessary for the driver to swing wide into adjacent lanes to execute the turn (that is, to avoid climbing the inside curbs or striking fixed objects like telephone poles).

This performance attribute is affected primarily by the distance from the trailer kingpin to the center of the trailer rear axle, otherwise known as the wheelbase of the semitrailer. To prevent trucks from being too long to maneuvering safely around turns encountered in cities and towns, the maximum length allowed from the kingpin to the trailer tandems is set by the individual states.

Prev
Next
Which of the following is NOT allowed during your driving exam:
  • Resting your foot on the clutch pedal (riding the clutch)
  • None of these are allowed during the driving exam
  • Shifting in turns
  • "Floating" the gears (shifting without using the clutch pedal)
This is a review question from page 91 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 131 Of The CDL Manual:

Clutch usage (for manual transmission):

- Always use the clutch to shift.
- Double-clutch if vehicle is equipped with non-synchronized transmission.
- Do not rev or lug the engine.
- Do not ride the clutch to control speed, coast with the clutch depressed, or "pop the clutch."

Gear usage (for manual transmission):

- Do not grind or clash gears.
- Select a gear that does not rev or lug engine.
- Do not shift in turns and intersections.

TruckingTruth's Advice:

You are not expected to shift perfectly. You only need to prove you are safe and will not pose a hazard to the general public. However, there are some basic rules you must follow.

- Do not stall the truck! This may result in an immediate failure.
- You must shift the transmission using the clutch (they will check for this).

Grinding or clashing gears will NOT result in an automatic failure. But it's important for you to learn how to recover when missing a gear. If you lose too much speed or stall the truck, you may be forced to retest.

Prev
Next
What are Placards?
  • Seals placed on rear doors of box trailers or output devices on tankers to prevent hazardous materials from leaking
  • Signs put on the outside of a vehicle that identify the hazard class of the cargo
  • Small stickers placed on the drivers and passengers side window showing the driver has a hazardous materials endorsement
  • Stickers placed on shipping papers that identify the hazard class of the cargo
This is a review question from page 64 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 89 Of The CDL Manual:

Placards are used to warn others of hazardous materials. Placards are signs put on the outside of a vehicle that identify the hazard class of the cargo. A placarded vehicle must have at least four identical placards. They are put on the front, rear and both sides of the vehicle. Placards must be readable from all four directions. They are 10 3/4-inches square, square-on-point, in a diamond shape. Cargo tanks and other bulk packaging display the ID number of their contents on placards, or orange panels or white square-on-point displays that are the same size as placards, and placed near the placards.

TruckingTruth's Advice:

Always be sure to ask for an extra placard or two when leaving a shipper in case a placard is blown off the truck during transit.

Prev
Next
Placards must appear:
  • On the front and back of the vehicle
  • On both sides and ends of the vehicle
  • On the sides of the vehicle
  • On the rear of the vehicle only
This is a review question from page 68 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 94 Of The CDL Manual:

Placards must appear on both sides and ends of the vehicle. Each placard must be:

  • Easily seen from the direction it faces.
  • Placed so the words or numbers are level and read from left to right.
  • At least 3 inches away from any other markings.
  • Kept clear of attachments or devices such as ladders, doors and tarpaulins.
  • Kept clean and undamaged so that the color, format and message are easily seen.

TruckingTruth's Advice:

Make sure you grab an extra placard or two before leaving a shipper in case one of your placards blows away.

Prev
Next
What will be the ultimate limitation that prevents you from putting the trailer tandems as far to the rear of the trailer as possible?
  • The kingpin to trailer tandem length limitations
  • The hole structure of the trailer tandem slider rail
  • The load rating of the steer tires
  • The center of gravity of the cargo
This is a review question from page 114 - click here to look up the answer

Quote From Page 0 Of The CDL Manual:

The kingpin to trailer tandem length limitations will prevent you from going too far back with your trailer tandems
Prev
Finish
Please select an option
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About Us

TruckingTruth was founded by Brett Aquila (that's me!), a 15 year truck driving veteran, in January 2007. After 15 years on the road I wanted to help people understand the trucking industry and everything that came with the career and lifestyle of an over the road trucker. We'll help you make the right choices and prepare for a great start to your trucking career.

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Becoming A Truck Driver is a dream we've all pondered at some point in our lives. We've all wondered if the adventure and challenges of life on the open road would suit us better than the ordinary day to day lives we've always known. At TruckingTruth we'll help you decide if trucking is right for you and help you get your career off to a great start.

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