Virginia Combination Vehicles Practice Test

Required for a Class A license — tractor-trailers, truck-and-trailer combinations, anything articulated. The test concentrates on what makes combinations dangerous in ways straight trucks aren't: trailer sway and rollover thresholds, off-tracking in turns, jackknife causes and recovery, and the coupling/uncoupling sequence with fifth wheel, kingpin, and air/electrical lines. Expect several questions on the order of coupling steps and on glad-hand and trailer air-supply behavior, because getting those wrong in the real world drops a trailer.

Who needs it: Class A applicants. Class B drivers moving up to combinations take it then.

Sample practice questions

At the end of coupling, you raise the landing gear by:

Answer: Low gear to break the weight free, then high gear to finish, and secure the handle — Start in low gear to free the weight, switch to high gear to crank up, then secure the handle.

Piling cargo high raises the center of gravity, which:

Answer: Makes the rig easier to roll over — A higher center of gravity makes the vehicle tip over more easily.

Before coupling, the fifth wheel should be:

Answer: Greased, tilted down toward the rear, jaws open, release handle unlocked — It must be greased, tilted down to the rear, jaws open, and the release handle in the unlocked position.

Common mistakes on the Combination test

  • Learning coupling steps out of order — the exam tests the sequence, not just the parts
  • Missing that the trailer hand valve is for TESTING, not for normal braking or parking
  • Underestimating rearward amplification — the crack-the-whip effect on the last trailer
  • Forgetting to check trailer height before backing under: too low crushes the nose, too high misses the kingpin

Studying with the full Truckcess course does double duty: the theory counts toward the federal ELDT requirement (Truckcess is listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry).

Official source: Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles

CDL licensing in Virginia is administered by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Fees, scheduling, forms, and the official Virginia CDL manual live on the official site: Virginia DMV — official CDL page (verified 2026-08-09).

Truckcess is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles. Our practice tests cover the federal CDL knowledge standards (49 CFR Part 383) that every state exam is built on; exact question counts, fees, and procedures vary by state and change over time — the official site is always the authority.

More Virginia practice tests

Full prep courses are one-time from $59 with 12 months of access — mytruckcess.com/cdl.

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