Guides/Theory test
CPC Case Study Questions and Answers: 20 Real Truck and Bus Examples
Updated 3 September 2026 · 7 min read
Below are 20 real CPC case study questions with the correct answer and a one-line reason for each, ten for truck (category C) and ten for bus (category D). They come from the same 15 case studies and 574 questions we use in the free practice on this site. If you want the format explained first, read the case study test guide linked at the end. This page is the question bank.
The format in one table
| Element | Detail |
|---|---|
| Case studies | 3 per sitting, each a story about a working driver |
| Questions | 15 per case study, 45 in total |
| Pass mark | 28 out of 45 overall, and at least 5 out of 15 in every case |
| Time | 135 minutes |
| Where | A Prometric driver theory test centre, on screen |
| Fee | €72 |
The questions below are shown without their story. In the real test you read the scenario first, and several answers depend on a detail in it (a start time, a weight, how long ago a card was downloaded). Where that applies, the detail is in the question.
Truck (C) case study questions
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | What is the maximum number of hours Gavin is normally allowed to drive in one day? | 9 hours. | EU rules allow 9 hours of daily driving, extendable to 10 hours no more than twice a week. |
| 2 | What tachograph records must Gavin keep with him in the truck? | The current day and the previous 56 calendar days. | The 56-day rule has applied since 31 December 2024. Older notes say 28 days; if 56 is not offered, pick 28. |
| 3 | Jim downloaded his digital tachograph card five days ago. Within how many days must the card data be downloaded again so that the legal limit is not exceeded? | In 23 days. | Driver card data must be downloaded at least every 28 days, and 5 of those days are gone. |
| 4 | What is the maximum number of hours that Graham could drive in a week? | 56 hours. | The weekly limit is 56 hours, with no more than 90 hours in any two consecutive weeks. |
| 5 | When he was putting the pallets on the truck, what should Graham have set his tachograph to? | Crossed hammers. | Loading is "other work". The steering wheel is driving, the bed is rest. |
| 6 | Graham started driving at 7:00 am. He should have taken a break of at least 45 minutes by … | 11:30 am. | A 45-minute break is due after no more than 4.5 hours of driving. |
| 7 | Peter's empty truck weighed 8,000 kg and had two axles with conventional suspension. What is the maximum laden weight permitted for such a vehicle? | 18,000 kg. | A two-axle rigid is limited to 18,000 kg in Ireland. Air suspension only raises the limit for three- and four-axle rigids. |
| 8 | Over what weight of vehicle is a Road Haulage Operator's Licence required? | 3.5 tonnes. | Carrying goods for hire or reward in a vehicle over 3.5 tonnes maximum authorised weight needs the licence. |
| 9 | The headroom under the arch bridge was 3.9 metres and Robert's truck was 3 metres high. Why did he still scrape the bridge? | On an arch bridge the full headroom is only available in the centre of the arch. | Nearer the kerb the clearance is much lower, so keep to the centre. |
| 10 | What are the maximum speed limits for Liam's truck (over 3,500 kg) on a national road and on a motorway? | 80 km/h on a national road, 90 km/h on a motorway. | Goods vehicles over 3,500 kg: 90 km/h on motorways, 80 km/h everywhere else unless a lower limit is posted. |
Bus (D) case study questions
| # | Question | Answer | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | How often should John examine the bus's brakes? | Daily. | Brakes are a daily walk-around item, checked before taking passengers. It was the one check John skipped. |
| 12 | What was the maximum legally permissible speed at which John could have been travelling when the Garda stopped his bus? | 100 km/h. | A bus with no standing passengers may do 100 km/h on a motorway-standard road. John was doing 120. |
| 13 | What is the name of the designated area inside the bus where John secured the wheelchair? | Docking area. | The wheelchair is positioned and secured in the docking area, with the chair brake applied. |
| 14 | Which of the following actions did Alan correctly avoid after the front tyre blow-out? | Hard braking. | On a burst tyre you hold the wheel firmly, keep straight and slow gradually. Hard braking can tear the tyre apart. |
| 15 | When making the tight left turn into St. Margaret's Road, what important factor did Alan NOT take into account? | Rear overhang. | In a tight turn the body behind the rear wheels swings out the opposite way, into the path of the motorcyclist. |
| 16 | Michael knew that the unladen weight of the tour bus was 12 tonnes. To calculate the weight of the bus with 30 passengers, he would add about how many tonnes? | 2 | Allow about 1 tonne per 15 passengers. |
| 17 | What statutory safety equipment was missing from Michael's bus? | First aid kit. | The bus carried only a fire extinguisher and a warning triangle. A first aid kit is required. |
| 18 | What impact did the standing capacity have on Sean's journey? | Standing passenger capacity restricted Sean's upper speed limit. | A bus built to carry standing passengers has a lower maximum speed in Ireland, 65 km/h. |
| 19 | When travelling downhill, Ashling could have controlled the speed of the bus more effectively by … | Using the appropriate "holding" gear. | Holding gears keep an automatic in a low gear so engine braking controls the speed. Drive or neutral give no control. |
| 20 | Before grabbing the fire extinguisher, what should Ashling have done? | Switched off the main switch. | Cut the electrical master switch first so the fire is not fed and cannot reignite. |
Notice how few of these are pure memory. Questions 3, 6, 7 and 16 need a small calculation with a number from the story. Questions 11, 15 and 20 ask you to spot what the driver did wrong. That mix is the whole exam.
How to study for the CPC case study test
- Read the whole scenario before you look at a single question. Most answers are in the text, not in your memory.
- Note every number as you read: start time, hours driven, weights, dates of last download or renewal. The calculation questions all hang off one of these.
- Learn the handful of legal figures that repeat across every case: 4.5 hours then a 45-minute break, 9 hours daily driving (10 twice a week), 56 hours a week, 11 hours regular daily rest, 45 hours regular weekly rest, card download every 28 days, records for 56 days.
- Do not skip a case. You need at least 5 out of 15 in each of the three, so a strong truck-loading case cannot rescue a bus-accessibility case you rushed. Spread your time.
- Practise under the clock. 135 minutes for 45 questions sounds generous until you re-read three long scenarios. Aim to finish a case in 40 minutes.
Is there a CPC case study questions PDF?
Not an official one. The RSA does not publish the case study question bank, and the "PDF download" results you see in Google are either training-school notes or scans of old revision sheets, some with figures that are out of date (28-day records, 21-day card downloads, a 36-hour weekly rest that was replaced in 2007). Our free practice covers all 15 case studies and 574 questions online, with the answers checked against the current regulations, and it works offline once you add the site to your home screen as an app.
Practise all 15 case studies free
Every truck and bus case study with questions and explanations, plus a timed exam simulation at /cpc/exam/truck and /cpc/exam/bus that applies the real 28/45 and 5-per-case pass rules.
Open CPC practiceFrequently asked questions
+What is a CPC case study test?
It is Step 2 of the Driver CPC qualification in Ireland, sat after the 100-question truck or bus theory test. You read three scenarios about a working driver and answer 15 multiple-choice questions on each, 45 in total, in 135 minutes at a Prometric test centre. The pass mark is 28 out of 45 with at least 5 correct in every case. The fee is €72.
+Where can I find CPC case study questions and answers for Ireland?
The 20 questions on this page are real examples with answers. The full set of 15 case studies (9 truck, 6 bus) and 574 questions is free to practise on this site, with an explanation for every answer. The RSA does not publish the question bank itself.
+Is there a CPC case study questions and answers PDF download?
There is no official RSA PDF. Files circulating online are training-provider notes, and several contain outdated figures such as 28-day tachograph records or a 36-hour reduced weekly rest. Our online practice covers all 15 case studies and works offline as an installed app, which does the same job without the stale answers.
+How hard is it to pass the CPC case study test?
The content is no harder than the theory test you have already passed. What catches people is the double pass rule: 28 out of 45 overall and at least 5 out of 15 in each case. Rushing one scenario can fail you even with a strong total. Drivers who have worked through realistic case studies with questions, rather than read the syllabus, tend to pass first time.
+How do I study for a CPC case study?
Read each scenario fully before the questions and note every number in it. Learn the repeating legal figures: 4.5 hours driving then a 45-minute break, 9 hours a day, 56 hours a week, 28-day card downloads, 56 days of records. Then practise complete cases under the 135-minute clock so re-reading long scenarios does not run you out of time.
+Are the bus and truck CPC case study questions different?
Yes. The format and pass rules are identical, but truck (C) cases cover loads, tachographs, ADR and operator licensing, while bus (D) cases cover passengers, wheelchair access, luggage, standing capacity and emergencies on board. You sit the case study test for the category you are qualifying in.