CDL Class A general knowledge — passed with an 88, here's my study plan

Great plan. I'd add: don't underestimate the hazmat section even if you're not planning to get the endorsement right away. A surprising number of general knowledge questions reference the hazmat placard system and the 9 DOT hazard classes. Takes maybe two extra days of study and dramatically helps your overall score. CDL driver regulations on hours of service are another heavy hitter — memorize the 11/14/70 hour rules cold.

This is exactly the kind of detailed breakdown I needed. I've been putting off starting because the handbook feels overwhelming — 150+ pages and every page feels critical. Knowing that a four-week plan is realistic makes this feel way more manageable. Quick question: did you use any specific CDL practice test site for the Alabama questions? I'm testing in Alabama and want to make sure the material matches what that state DMV actually uses.

Passed mine three years back and honestly the stuff I crammed and the stuff that actually stuck are two different lists. Congrats on the 88, by the way. Looking back, the questions people whiff on aren't the obscure ones — they're the ones that feel like common sense until the wording trips you. Following distance was the big one for me. You learn it as one second per 10 feet of vehicle length under 40 mph, then add a second over 40, and the test will absolutely hand you a 60-foot rig at highway speed to see if you do the math instead of guessing "three seconds."

The other thing hindsight taught me: don't treat the stopping distance and brake fade sections as trivia. I memorized perception distance plus reaction distance plus braking distance just to pass, rolled my eyes at it. Then I hit my first long downgrade loaded heavy and suddenly understood why they drill low gear before the hill and steady light brake pressure instead of riding them. The test is basically prepping you for the day that knowledge isn't theoretical. Same with weight distribution and high center of gravity — that's not a quiz fact, that's why you don't take an off-ramp at the posted car speed.

If I'd do anything differently, I'd have spent less time re-reading the whole manual and more time on the cargo, inspection, and combination vehicle chapters specifically, since that's where the points hide. Methodical beats cramming, you nailed that. Just aim your methodical at the right chapters.