Between Nebraska’s constant output of beef, corn, soybeans, and combine threshers, and the huge conglomerate of Berkshire Hathaway centered in Omaha, being a transportation worker is one of the strongest occupations in the state. The Nebraska economy has remained stable making its need for those who transport goods and exports undiminished. Through 2022, job growth as a commercial trucker is expected to increase across the US, and projections go even higher for truckers in Nebraska. If you’re looking to cash in on this valuable job opportunity, you’ll first need to take a written knowledge test to get a commercial driver’s license. The written test can pull from hundreds of possible questions based on information in the 2023 Nebraska Commercial Driver’s License Manual, so you’ll need to study the manual hard to pass your test. The CDL written test is based on the Nebraska Commercial Driver License Manual about the rules of the road and safety precautions it takes to be a commercial trucker.
How to Prepare
Your very first step should be to download the NE CDL Manual and read the entire handbook. Sit down with a pencil and paper and take notes as you go along to make sure you don’t forget anything. To expand your job opportunities, you’ll most likely also want to take the additional written endorsement exams for topics like tankers, multi-trailers, air brakes, combination vehicles, passenger transport, and school bus driving. Make a note of which sections of the manual you need to study for your general test as well as the endorsements you want so that you don’t miss any information. Stay focused, as you don’t want to let your mind wander. All the questions on your test are from the manual, so if you pay attention to your reading, you can know all the answers. Once you’ve read the relevant sections of manual for your general knowledge test and the endorsement exams you want to take, look over your notes, and if you see any sections that still seem fuzzy or unclear, go back and reread those parts. These tests are to confirm that you can be a confident driver of a large commercial truck, so what you learn will keep you, your cargo, and others on the road, safe.
Final Steps
If you’re feeling ready to take your test, it’s helpful to read your notes and the manual one final time to keep it at the front of your mind, then head over to your local DMV. You’re almost ready to join the ranks of one of Nebraska’s top industries.