New Hampshire Combination Vehicles CDL Practice Test
Below are 25 exam-style questions for the New Hampshire Combination Vehicles CDL knowledge test, modeled on the FMCSA-aligned content used by the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles. 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 They take more skill to back, couple, and uncouple
- B They have a higher rollover risk
- C They are heavier and longer
- D All of the above
- A Worn out tires
- B Driving too fast for conditions and/or too closely
- C Engine failure
- D Cargo movement
- A Backing too fast
- B All of the above
- C Failure to grease
- D Coupling with the trailer too high
- A Turn from the left lane
- B Stay in the right lane and swing the front of the tractor wide enough to clear the curb without inviting cars to pass on the right
- C Use the shoulder
- D Stop traffic by signaling left
- A Tug the trailer with the trailer parking brakes set
- B Look at the locking jaws only
- C Honk the horn
- D Listen for a click
- A Have the dispatcher in the cab
- B GOAL — Get Out And Look — and walk around the trailer first
- C Back at full speed
- D Use only mirrors
- A Connect any line first; order doesn't matter
- B Connect only air; electrical is optional
- C Connect electrical first, then air
- D Connect air emergency line first, then service line, then electrical (or per company policy) — verify with brake check
- A Asking a mechanic
- B Pressing the pedal once at startup
- C Listening to the brake light
- D Performing the seven-step air-brake check before each trip
- A Show up only at high speed
- B Can be detected during pre-trip inspection by visual and pressure checks
- C Need a mechanic to find
- D Are caused by low fuel
- A Released and visible after coupling
- B Locked and the safety latch in place after coupling
- C Tied with rope
- D Removed before driving
- A Replaces the fifth wheel on the tractor
- B Is used to convert a semitrailer into a full trailer for towing in combination
- C Is used only when triple-towing
- D Is part of the tractor
- A No specific order is required
- B Pull tractor away first, then disconnect lines
- C Lower landing gear, disconnect lines, release fifth wheel, pull tractor away
- D Release fifth wheel first, then connect lines
- A Apply trailer brakes momentarily
- B Test the trailer brakes
- C Hold the vehicle when parking
- D Both for parking and to prevent jackknife
- A Cargo placement
- B Air leakage in the supply line, low pressure, or a brake-balance issue
- C Engine wear
- D Driver fatigue
- A Drains the trailer reservoir
- B Sends air pressure to apply trailer service brakes
- C Sends supply air to the trailer reservoirs
- D Carries electrical power
- A Steering becomes easier
- B Stopping distances are normal
- C No effect on safety
- D Stopping distances increase and the trailer can swing
- A Cargo placement
- B Cuts, abrasions, and worn seals
- C Loose lug nuts only
- D Engine oil leaks
- A The trailer brakes lock up
- B A wheel bearing fails
- C The tractor brakes lock up
- D The fifth wheel breaks
- A Back as fast as practical
- B Always back to the right
- C Back to the left whenever possible because you can see better
- D Back without using mirrors
- A The trailer wheels follow a tighter arc than the tractor wheels in a turn
- B Driving off the road
- C Loss of traction
- D Sliding sideways
- A Brake fade
- B Wheel damage
- C No off-tracking
- D Off-tracking — the trailer wheels follow a tighter arc than the tractor
- A The drive wheels lock and the trailer pushes the tractor sideways
- B The brakes are released gently
- C You are driving slowly
- D The trailer wheels lock briefly
- A Either position is fine
- B First (closest to the tractor)
- C Loaded last
- D Last
- A Stops in the same distance
- B May actually take longer to stop because brakes are designed for the loaded weight
- C Stops only with parking brake
- D Stops faster than when loaded
- A Leave the engine running with the brakes off
- B Set only the tractor parking brake
- C Use the trailer hand valve
- D Set both tractor and trailer parking brakes
Study tips for the New Hampshire Combination Vehicles exam
The Combination Vehicles portion of the New Hampshire CDL exam is graded out of the bank of questions the New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles draws from each year. While the exact bank is not published, every question is sourced from the Combination Vehicles chapter of the New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles office.
Already comfortable with this endorsement? Drill another: NH General Knowledge · NH Air Brakes · NH Hazardous Materials · NH Passenger · NH School Bus · NH Tank Vehicle · NH Doubles / Triples
New to the CDL process in New Hampshire? Read How to apply for a CDL in New Hampshire for the document checklist and step-by-step timeline.