Minnesota Combination Vehicles CDL Practice Test
Below are 25 exam-style questions for the Minnesota Combination Vehicles CDL knowledge test, modeled on the FMCSA-aligned content used by the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services. Try to answer each question on your own before reading the answer key directly under it. The questions and answer choices are shuffled deterministically per state and endorsement, so the order will stay the same on repeat visits — that lets you genuinely measure your improvement.
- A Stop on the tracks if traffic ahead slows
- B Honk and accelerate
- C Cross in a low gear without shifting
- D Shift in the middle of the track
- A The fifth wheel disengages
- B The drive wheels lose traction and the tractor begins to slide
- C The tractor parking brake fails
- D The trailer is too heavy
- A Connect only air; electrical is optional
- B Connect air emergency line first, then service line, then electrical (or per company policy) — verify with brake check
- C Connect electrical first, then air
- D Connect any line first; order doesn't matter
- A Back to the left whenever possible because you can see better
- B Always back to the right
- C Back without using mirrors
- D Back as fast as practical
- A Be in the stowed (high) position when traveling
- B Be in the low position when traveling
- C Be locked at half-height
- D Be removed
- A It is shorter than a straight truck
- B It uses air brakes
- C Its center of gravity is high
- D Its tires are wider
- A Steering wander only
- B Pulling, sticking, or unusual feel as you apply the brakes
- C Smoke from the cab
- D Engine knocking
- A No effect on safety
- B Stopping distances are normal
- C Stopping distances increase and the trailer can swing
- D Steering becomes easier
- A Loss of traction
- B The trailer wheels follow a tighter arc than the tractor wheels in a turn
- C Driving off the road
- D Sliding sideways
- A Drains the wet tank
- B Sends supply air to the trailer reservoirs and controls the trailer emergency brakes
- C Operates the parking brake only
- D Carries electrical signals
- A Brake adjustment levers
- B Manual transmission shifters
- C Coupling devices for connecting tractor air lines to the trailer
- D Electrical connectors
- A Fully raised before driving
- B Always halfway extended
- C Lowered to the ground while driving
- D Disconnected before driving
- A Pull tractor away first, then disconnect lines
- B Lower landing gear, disconnect lines, release fifth wheel, pull tractor away
- C No specific order is required
- D Release fifth wheel first, then connect lines
- A Loaded last
- B First (closest to the tractor)
- C Last
- D Either position is fine
- A Apply trailer brakes momentarily
- B Test the trailer brakes
- C Both for parking and to prevent jackknife
- D Hold the vehicle when parking
- A Two car lengths
- B A vehicle length
- C One second per 10 feet of vehicle length below 40 mph, plus one extra second above 40 mph
- D No specific rule
- A GOAL — Get Out And Look — and walk around the trailer first
- B Have the dispatcher in the cab
- C Back at full speed
- D Use only mirrors
- A Reduced visibility along the trailer
- B All of the above
- C Off-tracking on right turns
- D Trailer sway in crosswinds
- A Be loose
- B Be closed around the shank of the kingpin (not on the head)
- C Be open
- D Be missing
- A Triangular, green, marked SERVICE
- B Round, blue, marked TRACTOR
- C Octagonal, red, marked TRAILER AIR SUPPLY
- D Square, white, marked CHARGE
- A Brake balance is irrelevant
- B Trailer wheels lock more often than drive wheels in panic stops
- C Drive wheels never lock
- D ABS prevents jackknife in all cases
- A A separate compressor
- B Hydraulic brakes
- C Sensors at each wheel that release brake pressure when wheel lockup is detected
- D Hand valves
- A Swing wide to the right first to avoid hitting the curb
- B Swing left then right
- C Stop in the middle of the turn
- D Keep the cab close to the curb and swing the front out so following cars cannot squeeze beside you on the right
- A Air for the brakes
- B Hydraulic fluid
- C Electrical power for trailer lights and ABS
- D Fuel
- A Cracks in the kingpin
- B Loose or missing fifth-wheel mounting bolts
- C Misalignment between tractor and trailer
- D All of the above
Study tips for the Minnesota Combination Vehicles exam
The Combination Vehicles portion of the Minnesota CDL exam is graded out of the bank of questions the Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services draws from each year. While the exact bank is not published, every question is sourced from the Combination Vehicles chapter of the Minnesota CDL handbook, which itself is derived from the FMCSA Model Commercial Driver's License Manual. That means studying our practice tests, reading the corresponding handbook chapter, and re-reading the parts you got wrong is genuinely the most efficient route to a first-time pass.
Most successful applicants follow a simple cycle: take the practice test cold, write down every question you missed, open the matching chapter of the official Minnesota handbook, re-read the section that contains the right answer, then re-take the practice test 24 to 48 hours later. The 24-hour delay matters — sleep is when your brain commits new information to long-term memory, and CDL knowledge questions reward that kind of consolidated learning rather than cramming.
Pay particular attention to questions that include qualifier words like always, never, only, primary, or most. CDL test writers love to flip the right answer with a single qualifier. When two answer choices look almost identical, pay attention to the verb (is it must, should, or may?) and to any numbers (14 days, 100 air miles, 8 hours, 70/8 split). On endorsement tests in particular, watch for trick framing where a true statement about a different endorsement is offered as the "correct" answer to a question that is actually about Combination Vehicles.
Test-day logistics matter too. Bring photo ID, your Social Security card or birth certificate, your medical examiner's certificate (DOT card), and proof of state residency if you haven't already submitted those documents. The Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services will not let you sit for the knowledge exam without your documentation, and most offices charge an additional fee for re-attempts. Arrive early — the wait at most CDL testing offices runs 30 to 60 minutes — and silence your phone before the exam begins.
Finally, keep your General Knowledge fundamentals sharp even when you're focused on the Combination Vehicles exam. Many states administer multiple knowledge tests in a single sitting, and questions on weight definitions (GVWR, GCWR, GAWR), stopping distance, and the pre-trip inspection routine show up across endorsements. If you're unsure on the basics, sit a fresh Minnesota General Knowledge practice test before scheduling the real exam.
Next steps
Missed more than four questions? Re-read the Combination Vehicles study guide and the matching chapter in the official Minnesota CDL handbook. Then come back and re-take the test. Once you can score 22 of 25 or higher on three runs in a row, you're in good shape to schedule the real exam at your local Minnesota Driver and Vehicle Services office.
Already comfortable with this endorsement? Drill another: MN General Knowledge · MN Air Brakes · MN Hazardous Materials · MN Passenger · MN School Bus · MN Tank Vehicle · MN Doubles / Triples
New to the CDL process in Minnesota? Read How to apply for a CDL in Minnesota for the document checklist and step-by-step timeline.