Pamela Wallin, eat your heart out.

The host of Canada’s version of the Who Wants to be a Millionaire game show may be ready to stump Canadian contestants with general trivia knowledge this year, but we’ve crunched questions specific to your industry. And just like the questions asked on television game shows, some questions are easy, while others will bend your brain.

Test your skills and see how you do. The answers are on Page 87. (But no cheating.)

0-20: You know. Trucks. The big things with wheels that you drive down the highway.

21-40: Aw, come on. You can do better than that.

41-60: Not bad.

61-80: You know your stuff.

81-100: Maybe you should be auditioning for Millionaire.

1. What do you call the traditional manoeuver that you use to turn a tractor-trailer around a corner?

A. Buttonhook

B. Fly

C. Zipper

D. Cufflink

2. Which truck manufacturer makes the Columbia?

A. NASA

B. Volvo

C. Freightliner

D. Sterling

3. Which manufacturer builds the Silver Star?

A. Freightliner

B. Western Star

C. Sterling

D. None of the above

4. Which of the following medium-duty truck lines did Freightliner resurrect when it purchased Ford’s heavy truck division?

A. Cargo

B. FLD

C. Business Class

D. F Series

5. In which of the following cases are you not allowed to drive at a slow rate of speed on the highway?

A. When on a two-lane road

B. When on a four-lane road

C. When the road surface is slippery

D. When you block the normal and reasonable movement of traffic

6. The term “gross weight” refers to which of the following:

A. The weight your tires can support

B. The vehicle weight

C. The vehicle and load weight

D. A really ugly load of fish

7. If you look at a wheel hub like the face of a clock, to what positions should you fill it when you’re using a semi-fluid grease, according to rules published by the Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations.

A. 2 and 10

B. 3 and 9

C. 4 and 8

D. 5 and 7

8. Which of the following problems is not likely to be detected by tire pressure that increases by more than 10 to 15 psi during normal operation?

A. Underinflated tires

B. An overloaded rig

C. Mismatched tire sizes

D. Excessive idling

9. Which of the following is not one of the parts of a kingpin?

A. Base

B. Shank

C. Pipe

D. Head

10. What is the maximum height of a vehicle load in Ontario if you don’t have a special permit?

A. 4.15 metres (163 inches)

B. 1.5 metres (59 inches)

C. 2.5 metres (98 inches

D. 6.15 metres (242 inches)

11. Which country is widely credited for giving birth to the B-train?

A. Canada

B. U.S.

C. Australia

D. England

12. What does a flashing blue light indicate?

A. An ice truck

B. Snow removal equipment

C. A police car

D. A freighter

13. What is the maximum axle load of a 1.22-metre (48-inch) tandem in New Brunswick?

A. 18,000 kg

B. 17,500 kg

C. 14,500 kg

D. 19,000 kg

14. In which of the following jurisdiction was the “No Zone” program introduced to teach drivers about the blind spots around trucks?

A. Ontario

B. New York

C. New Jersey

D. Michigan

15. How much space must you maintain between yourself and another commercial motor vehicle if you’re traveling at more than 60 km-h (35 mph)?

A. 30 metres (100 feet)

B. 60 metres (200 feet)

C. 120 metres (300 feet)

D. 150 metres (500 feet)

16. What must you use to mark anything that projects more than 1.5 metres (five feet) from the rear of a vehicle?

A. A colored flag or sign during the day, with a flashing red light at night

B. A red flag or sign during the day and red light at night

C. A red flag or sign during the day, with a flashing amber light at night

D. A yellow flag during the day and a blue light at night

17. Which of the following is not to be considered a probably cause when your trailer sways too much during a turn?

A. Shifting cargo

B. Low speed

C. Underinflated or flat tires

D. Broken or shifted spring or spring hanger

18. You hear a loud bang and realize a steer tire has blown out. What should you do?

A. Grab the wheel tightly, speed up to stop the side force and regain control, and bring to a gradual stop

B. Grab the wheel tightly, slow down to stop the side force and regain control, and bring to a gradual stop

C. Grab the wheel tightly and steer for the ditch

D. Pray

19. What does the gold bulldog signify on the hood of a Mack Truck?

A. A rich owner

B. A Mack powertrain

C. An engine with more than 550 hp

D. A dog lover

20. What’s the first thing you need to do during a pre-trip inspection of air brakes?

A. Start the engine

B. Fan the brakes

C. Apply the brakes and hold

D. Drain the air tanks

21. The Fageol Truck and Coach Company always carried the moniker of Bill-Bilt as a homage to its president, W.H. Bill. What name did Alfred Peterman choose when he bought the Oakland, Ca. truck maker in 1939?

A. Al’s Pals

B. International

C. Kenworth

D. Peterbilt

22. What form of truck was Kenworth looking to design before it decided on the T600’s award-winning aerodynamic look?

A. Cabover

B. Long-nosed conventional

C. Bullet-shaped truck

D. Dump truck

23. Fifteen different companies and 50 members of the Society of Automotive Engineers came together to build one of the first trucks to incorporate standardized parts, for use in WW1. What was its name?

A. Liberty Class A

B. Liberty Class B

C. Liberty Class C

D. Axis Power

24. Which of the following is not a Freightliner truck?

A. FLB

B. FLD

C. Century Class

D. FLA

25. Western Star, a truck maker in Kelowna, B.C., is in the process of being sold to another truck manufacturer. Who is it?

A. Freightliner LLC

B. Paccar

C. Volvo Trucks of North America

D. International

26. To what do you line up your fifth wheel opening when coupling a tractor and trailer?

A. The trailer’s apron plate

B. The trailer’s kingpin

C. The loading dock

D. Your flagman

27. What should you do if your brakes aren’t applying evenly, but the air pressure appears OK?

A. Slow down

B. Pump the brakes

C. Stop, check them and adjust or arrange for adjustment if necessary?

D. Report the problem at the end of the trip

28. Nicolas Joseph Cugnot built a steam-powered contraption in 1770, largely considered to be the world’s first self-propelled wagon – an ancestor of today’s trucks. What was this vehicle supposed to move?

A. Building supplies

B. Cannon

C. Horses

D. Wine

29. What company first began to electronically control fuel injection in 1985?

A. Detroit Diesel

B. Cummins

C. Caterpillar

D. Mack

30. What European truck maker has links to North America’s Freightliner and Sterling?

A. Daf

B. Iveco

C. Mercedes-Benz

D. ERF

31. Which of the following should you do when rounding a right curve on a highway?

A. Keep the nose of the tractor in the centre of the lane

B. Keep the front of the vehicle in the centre of the road

C. Keep the front of the vehicle close to the right side of the highway.

D. Gear down

32. What does IFTA stand for?

A. Independent Federal Tax Agreement

B. International Fuel Tax Agreement

C. International Fuel Taxation Association

D. Independent Fun Truckers Association

33. The CVSA sets commercial vehicle out-of-service criteria, but what does the acronym stand for?

A. Commercial Visual Safety Association

B. Confederation of Vehicle Safety Administrators

C. Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance

D. Consider Vehicle Safety an Asset

34. Leyland James, the founder of Freightliner, began to build lightweight trucks for his own long-haul trucking firm. What fleet was it?

A. Consolidated Truck Lines

B. J.B. Hunt

D. Allied Transportation

C. Freight Haulers

35. What truck m
aker recently purchased Mack Trucks?

A. Freightliner

B. Volvo

C. Peterbilt

D. Western Star

36. In what gear should you start a tractor-trailer with a standard transmission and conventional tires if you are on glare ice?

A. Reverse

B. Low

C. High

D. Second

37. Edward K. Worthington was among investors who bought the Gerlinger Motor Car Company in 1917. What nameplate did he create with the addition of partner Harry Kent?

A. Peterbilt

B. Mack

C. Western Star

D. Kenworth

38. What manufacturer was known for producing the Big Horn?

A. Dodge

B. Mack

C. Ford

D. International

39. What is the most common out-of-service defect in Canada?

A. Out-of-adjustment brakes

B. Burnt-out lights

C. Missing paperwork

D. Low windshield washer fluid

40. Robert Simpson owned what is recognized as Canada’s first truck for deliveries in Toronto. In what year did he put the truck on the road?

A. 1867

B. 1893

C. 1898

D. 1902

41. Who built the truck for him?

A. The Ford Motor Company

B. The Fischer Equipment Company

C. Mack Trucks

D. Freightliner

42. What powered the motor that moved its maximum payload of 200 lb.?

A. Gasoline

B. Diesel

C. Electricity

D. Wind

43. When don’t you have to fill out a logbook?

A. If you’re driving within 160 km (100 miles) of the place you report for work

B. If you’re driving within 320 km (200 miles) of the place you report for work.

C. When you don’t want to.

D. If you are on-duty for no more than three hours per day.

44. Daimler-Motoren-Gesellschaft produced the world’s first commercial truck line that was the Daimler-Motor-Lastwagen, available as a four-, six-, eight- or 10-hp model. When was it first built?

A. 1890

B. 1895

C. 1897

D. 1899

45. Your front right tire blows out. What should you do?

A. Ease off the fuel and pull the spike

B. Ease off the fuel and steer right

C. Ease off the fuel and steer straight ahead

D. Ease off the fuel and steer left

46. What did Mack Trucks’ first vehicle carry when it was unveiled in Manhattan?

A. Sightseers

B. Gravel

C. Ice

D. Bulldogs

47. Navistar International was born in 1831, when Cyrus Hall McCormick built his first grain reaper. But when did the company unveil its first truck – the Auto Wagon Express – that was designed to carry produce.

A. 1889

B. 1899

C. 1909

D. 1919

48. What was the first vehicle built by Volvo founders Assar Gabrielsson and Gustav Larson?

A. car

B. boat

C. truck

D. motorcycle

49. Why do you depress the clutch when starting a truck engine?

A. To keep the vehicle from rolling forward or backward

B. Relieve the starter of the extra load associated with turning the transmission’s gears

C. Prevent wear on the clutch facing

D. Prevent wear on the clutch release bearing

50. If your right wheels drop off the shoulder of the road, what should you do?

A. Crank the steering wheel to the left

B. Apply your brakes

C. Take your foot off the gas and turn back once the vehicle has slowed down.

D. Apply your brakes and steer hard to the left.

51. How old is Mack Trucks?

A. 50 years

B. 75 years

C. 100 years

D. None of the above

52. Which truck maker builds the VN?

A. Volvo

B. Sterling

C. Mack

D. Freightliner

53. In what community did Sterling build its first company-owned store in Canada?

A. St. Thomas, Ont.

B. Toronto, Ont.

C. Montreal, Que.

D. London, Ont.

54. In what Canadian community does PACCAR build medium-duty trucks?

A. Ste. Therese, Que.

B. Kelowna, B.C.

C. Saskatoon, Sask.

D. Winnipeg, Man.

55. Where does Sterling have an assembly plant?

A. Ste. Therese, Que.

B. Kelowna, B.C.

C. St. Thomas, Ont.

D. Ottawa, Ont.

56. In what Canadian community are Western Star trucks built?

A. Kelowna, B.C.

B. Mississauga, Ont.

C. Ste. Therese, Que.

D. Toronto, Ont.

57. What U.S. company recently purchased Rentway’s truck leasing business?

A. Purolator Courier

B. Ryder International

C. Consolidated Fastfrate

D. Penske Truck Leasing

58. According to the Society of Automotive Engineers, what is a wiring harness?

A. A group of two or more cables that are bundled together

B. An entire wire, from end to end

C. The ties used to bundle wires

D. Something you use on a horse

59. According to the Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations, what does a tire’s ply accomplish?

A. It transmits all of the load forces between the wheel and tire tread

B. It transmits all of the braking forces between the wheel and tire tread

C. It transmits all the steering forces between the wheel and tire tread

D. All of the above

60. In which of the following cases will a spring brake not release during normal operating conditions?

A. There is insufficient air pressure

B. A spring is broken

C. A and B

D. None of the above

61. Who is the vice-president of the Canadian Trucking Alliance?

A. Graham Cooper

B. David Bradley

C. Al Palladini

D. Rebecka Torn

62. Which of the following companies has not produced trucks?

A. Diamond T

B. Diamond S

C. Reo

D. Leyland

63. Which of the following provinces requires regular emission tests?

A. Ontario

B. Newfoundland

C. Alberta

D. Quebec

64. Where is Challenger Motor Freight headquartered?

A. Mississauga, Ont.

B. Calgary, Alta.

C. Cambridge, Ont.

D. Montreal, Que.

65. What is the maximum shift length allowed under existing federal hours of service rules.

A. 10 hours

B. 12 hours

C. 13 hours

D. 15 hours

66. What is the URL of the Truck News Web site?

A. www.trucknews.com

B. www.trucker.com

C. www.itsyoursitecomeonover.com

D. www.whatisaurl.com

67. Which truck maker builds the Classic XL?

A. Peterbilt

B. Sterling

C. Freightliner

D. Volvo

68. Which of the following is not the model of a Peterbilt truck?

A. 379

B. 378

C. 387

D. 319

69. What does COE stand for, when referencing a truck design?

A. Cab Over Engine

B. Cab Over Egress

C. Cab On Engine

D. Cab On Elephant

70. What colors of conspicuity tape are allowed in Canada?

A. Red and white

B. White

C. Yellow and white

D. All of the above

71. Who is the president of the British Columbia Trucking Association?

A. Paul Landry

B. Louise Yako

C. David Kosub

D. David Bradley

72. What Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance region encompasses Canada?

A. 1

B. 3

C. 5

D. 7

73. What links Hwy. 401 to the Ambassador Bridge linking Windsor, Ont. and Detroit, Mich.?

A. Huron Church Road

B. An unmarked gravel path

C. Main Street

D. Route 40

74. What is the name of Mack Trucks’ newest aerodynamic tractor?

A. Vision

B. VM

C. Vigia

D. Victory

75. What is the busiest commercial crossing along the international border?

A. Rainbow Bridge

B. Lewiston-Queenston Bridge

C. Peace Bridge

D. Ambassador Bridge

76. Who among the following is not a columnist in Truck News?

A. Dave Holleman

B. Blair Gough

C. John G. Smith

D. Hunter S. Thomson

77. Which of the following sources is most likely to be the cause of white exhaust smoke?

A. Incompletely burned fuel

B. Water in the combustion chamber

C. Lube oil being burned in the combustion chamber

D. Irregular fuel distribution

78. In the regular Mark Dalton: Owner/Operator fiction serial that appears in Truck News, what type of truck does our hero drive?

A. Peterbilt 379

B. Kenworth W900L

C. International Eagle

D. Yugo

79. It’s widely believed that the idea for an engine retarder first originated in 1934. Who is the inventor that’s credited with the concept?

A. Rudolf Diesel

B. Stephen Jacobs

C. Clessie Cummins

D. Albert Einstein

80. Who is the president of the Atlantic Provinces Trucking Association?

A. Ralph Boyd

B. Claude Pigeon

C. David B
radley

D. Mark Messier

81. To meet tightening emission standards, engine makers are expected to introduce EGR systems on trucks. What does EGR stand for?

A. Exhaust Gas Recirculation

B. Exhaust Gas Recovery

C. Exhaust Gas Riser

D. Exhausting Gas Research

82. What trailer maker recently announced plans to build its first Canadian plant in Quinte West, Ont.

A. Manac

B. Trailmobile

C. Great Dane

D. None of the above

83. What is the normal maximum air pressure in your air brake system?

A. 100 psi

B. 110 psi

C. 120 psi

D. 150 psi

84. What does the air brake application gauge indicate?

A. The amount of air pressure used when you push the brake pedal

B. The amount of air available in your reservoir

C. The amount of air available for a brake application

D. None of the above

85. Progressive shifting patterns will help you improve fuel economy. To what does this refer?

A. Shifting before you reach the maximum governed rpm

B. Shifting after you reach the maximum governed rpm

C. Revving the hell out of the engine

D. Coasting down hills

86. What does the term “bobtail” refer to in the world of trucking?

A. A tractor without its trailer

B. A tractor coupled to a trailer

C. A tractor coupled to a set of doubles

D. A lone semi-trailer

87. How many spokes are on a cast spoke wheel?

A. 3 or 4

B. 5 or 6

C. 6 or 7

D. None

88. From where does the “Jake brake” engine retarder derive its name?

A. Engineer Frances Jake

B. Jake Lamotta

C. Jacob’s Field

D. Jacobs Vehicle Equipment Company

89. What does the pigtail do?

A. Transmits power from a tractor to a trailer

B. Transmits air from a tractor to a trailer

C. Helps a pig maintain its balance

D. Couples the trailer to the tractor

90. A PTO is a Power Take-Off. But what does it do?

A. Transmits electrical power to auxiliary equipment

B. Transmits engine power to auxiliary equipment

C. Delivers air to your brakes

D. Helps your tractor-trailer take flight

91. What are you doing if you’re dead-heading?

A. Hauling equipment for members of the Grateful Dead

B. Hauling a half-loaded trailer

C. Hauling an empty trailer

D. Hauling hanging meat

92. What does JIT stand for in the world of trucking?

A. Just-In-Time

B. Just-In-Tact

C. Just-Installed-Tailgate

D. Just-In-Term

93. What is a pusher axle?

A. A non-powered axle that sits in front of a drive wheel

B. A powered axle that sits in front of a drive wheel

C. A non-powered axle that sits behind a drive wheel

D. A powered axle that sits behind a drive wheel

94. In what year did Canada begin to require ABS on new trucks?

A. 1963

B. 1972

C. 1998

D. 2000

95. What would cause a dull thud that you hear in time with your rig’s turning wheels?

A. A flat tire

B. A rock stuck between your dual wheels

C. A loose wheel

D. All of the Above.

96. If your oil pressure gauge begins to drop and your coolant temperature is on the rise, which has likely happened?

A. Your oil level is low because of a broken oil line, blown gasket or lost drain plug

B. Your coolant level is low

C. Your gauges are broken

D. None of the Above

97. In which case would a Canadian trucker be guilty of cabotage?

A. Picking up a load in Regina and delivering it to Los Angeles

B. Picking up a load in Los Angeles and delivering it to New York

C. Picking up a load in Los Angeles and delivering it to Calgary

D. None of the Above

98. Which of the following is not used to help calculate the “driveability” of a truck?

A. Geared speed

B. Startability

C. Gradeability

D. The comfort of the seat

99. According to Natural Resources Canada, which of the following would have the largest effect on the aerodynamics of a linehaul truck?

A. Full roof fairing

B. Air dam front bumper

C. Tractor side skirts

D. Bug deflector

100. At which point is a vehicle or vehicle combination out of service, according to the standards set by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.

A. When 20 per cent or more of its brakes are out of adjustment.

B. When 50 per cent or more of its brakes are out of adjustment.

C. When 10 per cent or more of its brakes are out of adjustment.

D. When all of its brakes are out of adjustment. n

Sources: Ontario Ministry of Transportation; KRTS; Big Rigs: In for the Long Haul; The Maintenance Council of the American Trucking Associations; Truck News, Natural Resources Canada.

Answers: 1a, 2c, 3c, 4a, 5d, 6c, 7b, 8d, 9c, 10a, 11a, 12b, 13a, 14d, 15b, 16b, 17b, 18a, 19b, 20a, 21d, 22a, 23b, 24d, 25a, 26b, 27c, 28b, 29a, 30c, 31b, 32b, 33c, 34a, 35b, 36d, 37d, 38a, 39a, 40c, 41b, 42c, 431, 44b, 45c, 46a, 47c, 48a, 49b, 50c, 51c, 52a, 53d, 54a, 55c, 56a, 57d, 58a, 59d, 60c, 61a, 62b, 63a, 64c, 65d, 66a, 67c, 68d, 69a, 70d, 71a, 72c, 73a, 74a, 75d, 76d, 77b, 78a, 79c, 80a, 81a, 82c, 83c, 84a, 85a, 86a, 87b, 88d, 89a, 90b, 91c, 92a, 93a, 94d, 95d, 96a, 97b, 98d, 99a, 100a