Section 1

Question 1

Gross Combination Vehicle Rating (GCWR)

Answer 1

Gross Combination Vehicle Rating (GCWR)
is the value specified by the manufacturer
of the power unit if the value is displayed on
the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) certification label; or the sum of
the Gross Vehicle Weight Ratings (GVWRs);
or the Gross Vehicle Weights (GVWs)*
of the power unit and the towed unit(s); or
any combination that produces the highest
value.

Question 2

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)

Answer 2

Gross Vehicle Weight Rating (GVWR)
means the value specified by the
manufacture as the loaded weight of a
single vehicle.

Question 3

Exemptions

Answer 3

The law exempts four groups of drivers from the CDL:
• Farmers transporting farm equipment, supplies, or products to or from
a farm in a farm vehicle are exempted if the vehicle is:
– Operated by a farmer or a farm employee.
– Not used in the operation of a common or contract motor carrier.
– Used within 150 miles of the farm (in an air-mile radius).
Products include Christmas trees or wood products transported by
vehicles weighing no more than forty thousand pounds licensed
gross vehicle weight. The weight restriction applies only to
Christmas trees and wood products.
– Farmers may operate vehicles that meet the definition of a farmexempt vehicle between the states of Idaho and Oregon if they
meet all requirements of the farm exemption.
• Firefighters and law enforcement personnel operating emergency
equipment are exempted if they carry the certification card proving
they have completed the Emergency Vehicle Accident Prevention
(EVAP) or Emergency Vehicle Incident Prevention (EVIP) Programs.
• Recreational Vehicle (RV) operators are exempted when driving an RV
for non-commercial purposes. This group includes:
– Two-axle rental trucks.
– Horse trailers.
• Military commercial drivers are exempted only when they are
operating the proper military vehicles under a military license issued
by their branch of service.

Question 4

Mandatory Training Requirements
Washington State requires anyone getting an original CDL to complete
minimum training requirements per WAC 308-100-033.

Answer 4

There are two ways to meet this requirement:
• Complete a certified course from an approved commercial driver
training school.
– Schools must be recognized and curriculums approved by the
Department of Licensing (DOL).
– Hours of training must meet the requirements as outlined under
state law.
• Complete a course of commercial driver training as required by your
employer.
– Employers must be registered with DOL.

Question 5

1.5 – International Registration Plan/International

Fuel Tax Agreement

Answer 5

If you operate a CDL required vehicle in interstate commerce, the vehicle,
with few exceptions, is required to be registered under the International
Registration Plan (IRP) and the International Fuel Tax Agreement (IFTA).
These federally mandated programs provide for the equitable collection
and distribution of vehicle license fees and motor fuels taxes for vehicles
traveling throughout the 48 contiguous United States and 10 Canadian
provinces.

Question 6

IFTA

Answer 6

The basic concept behind IFTA is to allow a licensee (motor carrier) to
license in a base jurisdiction for the reporting and payment of motor fuel
use taxes.

Question 7

IRP

Answer 7

Under the IRP, jurisdictions must register apportioned vehicles which
includes issuing license plates and cab cards or proper credentials,
calculate, collect and distribute IRP fees, audit carriers for accuracy of
reported distance and fees and enforce IRP requirements.

Question 8

IRP Qualified Vehicle

Answer 8

A Qualified Vehicle is (except as provided below) any Power Unit that is
used or intended for use in two or more Member Jurisdictions and that
is used for the transportation of persons for hire or designed, used, or
maintained primarily for the transportation of property, and:
• has two Axles and a Gross Vehicle Weight or registered Gross Vehicle
Weight in excess of 26,000 pounds (11,793.401 kilograms), or;

• has three or more Axles, regardless of weight, or;
• is used in combination, when the Gross Vehicle Weight of such
combination exceeds 26,000 pounds (11,793.401 kilograms).

Question 9

IFTA Qualified Vehicle

Answer 9

IFTA means a motor vehicle
used, designed, or maintained for transportation of persons or property
and:
• Having two axles and a gross vehicle weight or registered gross
vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds or 11,797 kilograms; or
• Is used in combination, when the weight of such combination exceeds
26,000 pounds or 11,797 kilograms gross vehicle or registered gross
vehicle weight. Qualified Motor Vehicle does not include recreational
vehicles.

Question 10

Individual Vehicle Distance Record (IVDR), sometimes

times referred to as a Driver Trip Report.

Answer 10

The IVDR serves as the source document for the calculation of fees
and taxes that are payable to the jurisdictions in which the vehicle is
operated, so these original records must be maintained for a minimum of
four years.

In order to satisfy the requirements for Individual Vehicle Distance
Records, these documents must include the following information:
Distance
Per Article IV of the IRP Plan:
(i) Date of trip (starting and ending)
(ii) Trip origin and destination – City and State or Province
(iii) Route(s) of travel
(iv) Beginning and ending odometer or hubometer reading of the trip
(v) Total distance traveled
(vi) In-Jurisdiction distance
(vii) Power unit number or vehicle identification number.

Fuel
Per Section P560 of the IFTA Procedures Manual:
.300 An acceptable receipt or invoice must include, but shall not be
limited to, the following:
.005 Date of purchase
.010 Seller’s name and address
.015 Number of gallons or liters purchased;
.020 Fuel type
.025 Price per gallon or liter or total amount of sale
.030 Unit number or other unique vehicle identifier
.035 Purchaser’s name
An example of an IVDR that must be completed in its entirety for each
trip can be found in Figure 1.3 below. Each individual IVDR should be
filled out for only one vehicle. The rules to follow when trying to determine
how and when to log an odometer reading are the following:
• At the beginning of the day
• When leaving the state or province
• At the end of the trip/day
Not only do the trips need to be logged, but the fuel purchases need
to be documented as well. You must obtain a receipt for all fueling and
include it with your completed IVDR.

Question 11

1.6 – Washington State Laws and Rules

Answer 11

All commercial drivers are required to know the state laws limiting the
size and weight of vehicles and loads. You must stop at open weigh
stations for weighing and inspection. Washington State Patrol (WSP)
Troopers, Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers (CVEO), and local
law enforcement officers all have the authority to stop drivers on the road
to conduct inspections. Violations for being oversized or overweight, for
operating defective equipment, or for lacking the proper licenses and
permits can result in citations and fines. If you ignore open weigh stations
you may be cited and fined.

Question 12

Maximum legal length:

Answer 12

• For school buses and other single motor vehicles, except certain
municipal transport buses, is 40 feet.
• For auto stages is 46 feet and includes front and rear bumpers.
• For a single vehicle or trailer in a combination, with or without load, is
53 feet.
• For double-trailer combinations can’t exceed a total of 61 feet for the
combined length of the trailers.
• For truck and trailer combinations or log truck and stinger-steered pole
trailers, with or without load, cannot exceed an overall length of 75
feet

Question 13

Length exceptions:

Answer 13

The above limitations do not apply to:
• Vehicles transporting poles, pipes, and machinery.
• Vehicles transporting structural objects that cannot be taken apart.
• Vehicles operated by a public utility when making emergency repairs
of public services or properties.
Loads may not extend more than 15 feet behind the center of the last
axle or more than 3 feet beyond the front bumper. Any load extending
beyond the sides or more than 4 feet beyond the rear of the vehicle must
have the extending portion marked with either 12-inch red flags or with
red lights. If visibility is poor, red lamps and reflectors are required. When
you haul objects such as poles or logs you must place a red light at the
most extended point of the load. This light must be a combination light
visible from the back and both sides.

Question 14

Load Securement

Answer 14

Drivers operating any type of vehicle transporting a load on public
highways must securely fasten the load and the load’s cover from
becoming loose, detached, or a hazard to other drivers.
Vehicles loaded with dirt, sand, or gravel which does not maintain at least
six inches of freeboard must have a secured cover. For uncovered loads,
the six inches of freeboard shall be maintained after the load has settled.
Any vehicle with deposits of mud, rock, or other debris on the vehicle’s
body, fenders, frame, undercarriage, wheels, or tires shall be cleaned
of debris before driving on a paved public highway. A broom and shovel
should be carried in the truck for cleaning purposes

Question 15

Width

Answer 15

No vehicle, with or without its load, may be more than 8-1/2 feet–102
inches–wide. Rearview mirrors may extend to no more than 5 inches
beyond the extreme limits of the body. All other equipment, including all
safety equipment and parts such as door handles, door hinges, mud
flaps, fender extensions, and turn-signal brackets may reach no more
than 3 inches beyond the extreme limits of the body.

Question 16

Height

Answer 16

No vehicle, including its load, may be more than 14 feet high. This limit
does not apply to emergency vehicles or utility repair equipment.
Even though you know the height of your vehicle or load, always make
sure there is enough clearance, especially when driving in unfamiliar
areas or in bad weather. When you are approaching a tunnel or an
overpass on a new route, and there is no clearance sign visible, safely
pull off the road and check the clearance height. Ice, snow, or road
repairs may reduce a clearance that is normally enough to pass beneath

Question 17

Weight

Answer 17

The allowable gross weight of a bus or truck depends on tire size, the
number of axles, and the spacing of axles (or axle groups). No vehicle
may operate on public highways with a gross weight– including load–that
is more than 600 pounds per inch of tire width concentrated on 1 tire.
For example, a tire size 10.00 – 22 is 10 inches wide and may carry
6,000 pounds. Axles carrying more than 10,000 pounds and equipped
with single tires are limited to 500 pounds per inch of tire width. For
exemptions, contact WSP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement.

Maximum weights for commercial vehicles in Washington are:
• 20,000 pounds on any single axle, depending on tire size.
• 34,000 pounds on tandem axles spaced less than 7 feet apart.
• 40,000 pounds for any single-unit vehicle supported by 3 or more
axles.
• 80,000 pounds for any combination of vehicles.

Question 18

Permits

Answer 18

The Department of Transportation may approve and issue permits to
allow oversized and overweight vehicles–other than school buses–to
operate on state highways. Contact the proper county or city official for
oversize and overweight permits on county roads or city streets.
To get a special permit, you must show that:
• The only practical means of transporting certain cargo is by motor
vehicle.
• The vehicle and load are properly licensed.
• The load cannot reasonably be taken apart.
Before a permit is issued, the application will be reviewed to assess any
possible:
• Disruption to traffic flows.
• Threat to public safety.
• Damage to the highway system.
If the application is approved, you will need to pay a fee based on the
length of the permit period and, for overweight vehicles, the amount of
weight that is over the legal maximum.
For information on special permits, you may request the publication:
Overweight/Oversize Vehicle Permits, from any Washington State
Department of Transportation Office or write to:
Permit Office
Maintenance and Operations Group
Transportation Building
Olympia WA 98504

Question 19

Tire chains

Answer 19

All vehicles or combinations of vehicles must carry enough tire chains
while operating in any mountain pass or in any “chain/approved
traction device control area” designated by either the Washington State
Department of Transportation or the Washington State Patrol. Chains
must be carried on all vehicles over 10,000 pounds (GVWR) from
November 1 to April 1 of each year or at other times when chains are
required for such vehicles.

Question 20

Speed limits

Answer 20

Unless otherwise posted, the maximum allowable speed for trucks and
buses is:
• 60 mph on interstate and Washington State highways–70 mph for
auto-stages.
• 50 mph on county roads.
• 25 mph on city and town streets.
• Posted signs showing lower limits must be obeyed.

Question 21

Right lane rule

Answer 21

When you are driving a heavy vehicle or combination, travel in the right
lane except when preparing to turn left or when passing another vehicle.

Question 22

Left lane rule

Answer 22

No vehicle or combination over 10,000 pounds may be driven in the
left-hand lane of a limited access roadway having 3 or more lanes for
traffic moving in one direction except when preparing for a left turn at an
intersection, exit, or onto a private road or driveway when a left turn is
legally allowed.

Question 23

Slow vehicle rule

Answer 23

If you are driving a slow-moving vehicle on a two-lane highway and five
or more vehicles behind you are delayed and unable to pass, you must
pull off the roadway at the first safe and available turnout. A turnout may
be an extended shoulder where you can keep your present speed, or a
small area off the roadway where you can stop before returning to the
roadway.
Don’t try to pass more than one vehicle at a time when you are driving on
a two-lane highway. When you are traveling with another truck or bus in a
convoy, leave enough space between vehicles in the convoy for others to
pull back into the lane safely.

Question 24

Hours of service

Answer 24

All commercial drivers of private or common carriers within the state of
Washington and all interstate commercial drivers must obey laws and
regulations governing maximum driving and on duty time.
Hours of service rules for property-carrying drivers are:
• You may drive a maximum of 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off
duty.
• You cannot drive beyond the 14th hour after coming on duty, following
10 consecutive hours off duty.
• You must not drive after 60 hours on duty in 7 consecutive days.
• You must not drive after 70 hours on duty in 8 consecutive days.
• A driver may restart a 7 or 8 consecutive day period after taking 34 or
more consecutive hours off duty.
• Commercial drivers using the sleeper berth provision must take at
least 8 consecutive hours in the sleeper berth, plus 2 consecutive
hours either in the sleeper berth, off duty, or in any combination of
both.
Hours of service rules for passenger-carrying drivers are:
• You must not drive more than 10 hours following 8 consecutive hours
off duty.
• You must not drive for any period after having been on duty for 15
hours following 8 consecutive hours off duty.
• You must not drive after having been on duty 60 hours in any 7
consecutive days.
• You must not drive after having been on duty 70 hours in any 8
consecutive days.
It is your responsibility to record–in duplicate–every 24-hour period of
duty status in a driver’s logbook. Keep a copy of each record of duty
status for the previous 7 consecutive days. This record must be in your
possession and must be available for inspection while on duty. Logbooks
are subject to inspection by law enforcement officials

Question 25

Accident reporting

Answer 25

If your vehicle is involved in a collision, stop immediately. If anyone is
hurt and needs or requests aid, help them. Exchange information with
everyone involved in the collision. If the collision caused injury to anyone
or if the damage amounts to $1,000 or more, file a state Vehicle Collision
Report within 4 days with the municipal police, the local sheriff, or the
Washington State Patrol.