When may you raise the dump box to unload?

Only when the truck is on level ground

Once the guide waves you on, on any ground

Before leaving the site, what should you do about rocks on the tailgate and hitch?

Sweep or brush off all loose material

Leave them; they fall off at speed

A backing alarm is required around workers on foot. What must be true of it?

It is automatic and has no shut-off switch

It can be switched off on quiet sites

It must be louder than the horn

Alberta Class 1–4 overview

Alberta Class 1–4: Dump trucks and mixers

Three-point contact, securing a load before moving, backing and unloading a dump box safely, tip-over risks, concrete mixer stability and parking a single-unit truck on a hill.

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18 questions
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Dump trucks and mixers · Question 1Score 0/0

Your guide is directing you and you hit an object. Who is responsible for the vehicle's movement?

Tip: press 1–4 to answer and Enter for the next question.

Study reference: Commercial Driver's Guide (Spring 2023), Ch. 6 Operating Class 3 Vehicles — Loading and unloading dump vehicles, Mixer truck operators, Parking on a hill

All 18 questions in this test

Every question and its answer choices. The correct answers and explanations appear when you take the test above.

Your guide is directing you and you hit an object. Who is responsible for the vehicle's movement?
1. The guide
2. The site supervisor
3. The driver
4. The company owner only
To which side should you back a dump truck when unloading, for better visibility?
1. The driver's side (left)
2. Straight back only
3. The passenger side (right)
4. Whichever side has more room
When may you raise the dump box to unload?
1. When parked across a slope
2. Once the guide waves you on, on any ground
3. Only when the truck is on level ground
4. Whenever the tailgate is open
Before leaving the site, what should you do about rocks on the tailgate and hitch?
1. Sweep or brush off all loose material
2. Drive fast to blow them off
3. Report them at the scale
4. Leave them; they fall off at speed
A backing alarm is required around workers on foot. What must be true of it?
1. It can be switched off on quiet sites
2. It must be louder than the horn
3. It only sounds in low light
4. It is automatic and has no shut-off switch
Which ground conditions raise the risk of a dump truck tipping over?
1. Level asphalt pavement
2. Frozen, flat ground
3. Soft or uneven fill
4. Dry, well-packed gravel
You park a single-unit dump truck uphill on the right side of a road with no curb. Which way do the front wheels go?
1. Straight ahead
2. Toward the centre line
3. To the right
4. To the left
What must you check before raising the box near a site?
1. Overhead wires
2. The radio frequency
3. Only the tire pressures
4. The fuel gauge
The load is stuck in the raised box. What should you do?
1. Lower the box first
2. Climb in and loosen it with a shovel
3. Drive forward sharply to shake it loose
4. Raise the box higher and wait
What is three-point contact when getting out of a truck?
1. Three limbs always touching the vehicle
2. One hand on the door and two feet on the ground
3. Both feet and the seat stay on the vehicle
4. Jumping with knees bent to land safely
You park downhill on the right side of the road, with or without a curb. How do you turn the front wheels?
1. Straight ahead
2. To the left
3. Left with a curb, right without
4. To the right
Your municipality requires loads to be tarped. What should you watch for while covering the load?
1. The tarp colour matching the box
2. Exhaust fumes from the engine
3. Debris caught in the tarp
4. Rain on the windshield
Who decides whether the driver stays in the cab or stands outside during loading?
1. The loader operator only
2. The driver alone
3. Provincial law, always in the cab
4. Company policy
The material in your dump box is piled at one end. What must you do before moving?
1. Have it evenly distributed in the box
2. Raise the box slightly to level it
3. Drive slowly so it settles
4. Tarp it and leave as is
Why is a load stuck at the back of a raised box with the tailgate closed dangerous?
1. It only slows unloading
2. It can tip the truck over backwards
3. It makes the box lower by itself
4. It overloads the front axle
Where should your guide stand while you back up to unload?
1. Outside at the rear, in your view
2. In the passenger seat, watching the mirror
3. In front of the truck, facing you
4. Inside the dump box
Why does a loaded concrete mixer need special care on turns and ramps?
1. It is top-heavy and unstable
2. Mixers have no power steering
3. Its brakes are weaker than other trucks'
4. Concrete makes the tires lose pressure
You are about to dump into a hopper. What should you do first?
1. Back in quickly to save time
2. Check that the hopper is empty
3. Raise the box partway to test the hoist
4. Sound the horn three times

Dump trucks and mixers: key rules to remember

Our summary of what the official handbook says on this topic, in our own words. Read it before or after the practice questions above, then check the original chapter. Read the official chapter ↗

Loading dump vehicles (p. 63)

Follow company policy on whether the driver stays in the cab or stands outside during loading.
Leave the vehicle using three-point contact: two hands and one foot, or two feet and one hand, always on the vehicle; never jump down.
Wear the right protective equipment when outside the vehicle.
Do not move a loaded vehicle until the material is evenly distributed in the box.
The load must be secured so it cannot blow or fall off, as the Traffic Safety Act requires; tarp it where a municipal law requires, watching for debris caught in the tarp.
Tailgate, tailboards, doors, tarps, spare tire and other equipment must be fastened before moving.
Sweep loose material, debris and rocks off the tailgate, box sides, hitches and coupling devices.
Total dimensions and the weight on each axle must be within the limits of the jurisdiction you drive in.

Before unloading (p. 64)

Move slowly if you must back into position; in an unfamiliar area get out, look around and walk the route first.
Back toward the driver's side (left) for better visibility and keep checking the mirrors.
If the vehicle has a backing alarm, make sure it works; some rules require an automatic alarm with no shut-off switch around workers on foot (Occupational Health and Safety Code).
Use a guide when possible; the guide stays outside and to the rear, able to see the path and be seen; stop if you cannot see the guide.
Even with a guide, the driver is responsible for all vehicle movement.
Check for overhead wires and obstructions.
Do not raise the box unless the vehicle is on level ground.

During unloading (p. 64)

No vehicles or people may be inside the dumping radius of the raised box.
Before dumping into a hopper, get out and make sure it is empty.
Watch for tip-over hazards such as soft or uneven ground and poorly compacted fill.
The tailgate chain and the box angle control how fast material flows out.
A load concentrated at the rear of a raised box with the tailgate closed can tip the vehicle over backwards.
If the load sticks, lower the box first; never climb into a raised box.
Afterwards, lower the box and make sure the tailgate is latched.

Mixer truck operators (p. 65)

Class 3 mixer trucks need the same basic pre-trip inspection procedures, plus their vehicle-specific items.
The driver is responsible for the truck at all times and must assess conditions at each job site.
Loaded concrete mixers are top-heavy and unstable.
Because of the rotating drum and the nature of concrete, take special care with low-slump concrete on turns, corners and ramps.

Parking on a hill (p. 65)

Wheels no more than 50 cm from the curb; manual transmission in low gear or reverse, automatic in park, park brake on.
Downhill with or without a curb: front wheels turned right (right side of the road).
Uphill with a curb: front wheels turned left, rolled gently against the curb.
Uphill without a curb: a single-unit truck turns its front wheels to the right.
On the left side of a one-way road, turn the wheels the opposite way.

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