Which term describes a commercial vehicle that tends to swing wide in a turn?

Which term describes a commercial vehicle that tends to swing wide in a turn?

• A. Over tracking
• B. Off tracking
• C. Under tracking
• D. Plowing

Answer: (B)

When a long vehicle with a trailer turns, the rear part doesn’t follow the exact same path as the front tires. That difference in path is called off tracking. It happens because the trailer pivots at the hitch and its wheels trace a different radius than the tractor’s front wheels. As a result, the rear end can swing outward and the turn ends up needing more space than you might expect. This is why you’ll hear about off tracking in CDL training: it explains why the vehicle tends to swing wide in a turn and why extra room is needed on the outside of the curve. For context, the opposite idea would be under tracking, where the rear wheels run inside the front path and the turn would be tighter. Plowing refers to a different handling issue (often about pushing the nose into softer surface) and isn’t describing turning path.

When a long vehicle with a trailer turns, the rear part doesn’t follow the exact same path as the front tires. That difference in path is called off tracking. It happens because the trailer pivots at the hitch and its wheels trace a different radius than the tractor’s front wheels. As a result, the rear end can swing outward and the turn ends up needing more space than you might expect. This is why you’ll hear about off tracking in CDL training: it explains why the vehicle tends to swing wide in a turn and why extra room is needed on the outside of the curve.

For context, the opposite idea would be under tracking, where the rear wheels run inside the front path and the turn would be tighter. Plowing refers to a different handling issue (often about pushing the nose into softer surface) and isn’t describing turning path.