CDL Practice Tests: School Bus Endorsement
Choose A Section:
Go!Which of the following are NOT true about backing a school bus?
- Be sure that all students are in the bus before backing.
- If you must back up at a student drop-off point, be sure to unload students after backing.
- If you must back up at a student pickup point, be sure to pick up students before backing and watch for late comers at all times.
- Never post a lookout at the back of the bus to watch for people or obstacles
- Post a lookout. The purpose of the lookout is to warn you about obstacles, approaching persons and other vehicles. The lookout should not give directions on how to back bus.
- Signal for quiet on the bus.
- Constantly check all mirrors and rear windows.
- Back slowly and smoothly.
- If no lookout is available:
- Set the parking brake.
- Turn off the motor and take the keys with you.
- Walk to the rear of the bus to determine if the way is clear.
- If you must back up at a student pickup point, be sure to pick up students before backing and watch for late comers at all times.
- Be sure that all students are in the bus before backing.
- If you must back up at a student drop-off point, be sure to unload students after backing.
As a bus driver, anytime you leave the bus you must:
- Secure the control arm to the overhead fastener
- Open the rear safety door
- Put on the red flashing lights
- Turn off the ignition switch and remove the key
Secure the bus by:
- Turning off the ignition switch.
- Removing key if leaving driver’s compartment.
Which of the following DOES NOT describe the convex mirror on a bus?
- They provide a view of traffic, clearances, and students at the side of the bus
- They are normally located below the outside flat mirrors
- They are used to monitor the left and right sides at a wide angle
- They present a view of people and objects that accurately reflect their size and distance from the bus.
When stopping a school bus at a bus stop, what is the last thing you must do before completely opening the door and signaling students to approach?
- All these are correct
- Make a final check to see that all traffic has stopped
- Beep the horn to make sure students are paying attention
- Pump the brakes at least 5 times to reduce air pressure in the parking brakes
When stopping, you should:
- Bring the school bus to a full stop with the front bumper at least 10 feet away from students at the designated stop. This forces the students to walk to the bus so you have a better view of their movements.
- Place transmission in “Park” (if there is no “Park” shift point, place in “Neutral” and set the parking brake at each stop.
- Activate alternating red lights when traffic is a safe distance from the school bus and ensure stop arm is extended.
- Make a final check to see that all traffic has stopped before completely opening the door and signaling students to approach.
Which of the following is the proper procedure when at a railroad crossing in a school bus?
- Place the transmission in “Park” (if there is no “Park” shift point, use “Neutral”) and set the parking brake.
- Turn off all radios and noisy equipment and silence the passengers.
- Open the service door and driver’s window. Look and listen for an approaching train.
- All these are correct
At the crossing:
- Stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail, where you have the best view of the tracks.
- Place the transmission in “Park” (if there is no “Park” shift point, use “Neutral”) and set the parking brake.
- Turn off all radios and noisy equipment and silence the passengers.
- Open the service door and driver’s window. Look and listen for an approaching train.
- After you have determined that no train is approaching, close the service door and proceed with caution.
When students are loading the bus at the school campus you should:
- Remove key if leaving driver’s compartment
- Turn off the ignition switch
- Position yourself to supervise loading as required or recommended by your state or local regulations
- All these are correct
The loading procedure is essentially the same wherever you load students, but there are slight differences. When students are loading at the school campus, you should:
- Turn off the ignition switch.
- Remove key if leaving driver’s compartment.
- Position yourself to supervise loading as required or recommended by your state or local regulations.
Which of the following are NOT true about ABS?
- ABS will not necessarily shorten stopping distance. ABS will help maintain vehicle control but not always shorten stopping distance.
- ABS will not allow you to drive faster, follow more closely or drive less carefully.
- ABS will not increase or decrease ultimate stopping power — ABS is an “add-on” to your normal brakes, not a replacement for them.
- ABS will compensate for bad brakes or poor brake maintenance.
- ABS will not allow you to drive faster, follow more closely or drive less carefully.
- ABS will not prevent power or turning skids — ABS should prevent brake-induced skids but not those caused by spinning the drive wheels or going too fast in a turn.
- ABS will not necessarily shorten stopping distance. ABS will help maintain vehicle control but not always shorten stopping distance.
- ABS will not increase or decrease ultimate stopping power — ABS is an “add-on” to your normal brakes, not a replacement for them.
- ABS will not change the way you normally brake. Under normal brake conditions, your vehicle will stop as it always stopped. ABS only comes into play when a wheel would normally have locked up because of over braking.
- ABS will not compensate for bad brakes or poor brake maintenance.
- Remember: The best vehicle safety feature is still a safe driver.
- Remember: Drive so you never need to use your ABS.
- Remember: If you need it, ABS could help to prevent a serious crash.
When stopping a school bus at a bus stop, what two things must you do?
- Put the transmission in "park" or "neutral" and set the parking brake
- Swing the nose of the bus toward traffic a few feet and reach your arm out the window to signal your intentions to traffic
- Release the parking brake and activate the warning buzzer
- All these are correct
When stopping, you should:
- Bring the school bus to a full stop with the front bumper at least 10 feet away from students at the designated stop. This forces the students to walk to the bus so you have a better view of their movements.
- Place transmission in “Park” (if there is no “Park” shift point, place in “Neutral” and set the parking brake at each stop.
- Activate alternating red lights when traffic is a safe distance from the school bus and ensure stop arm is extended.
- Make a final check to see that all traffic has stopped before completely opening the door and signaling students to approach.
The blind spot behind the bus extends how far depending on the length and width of the bus?
- 150 to 350 feet and could extend up to 500 feet
- 200 to 400 feet and could extend up to 600 feet
- 50 to 150 feet and could extend up to 400 feet
- 300 to 500 feet and could extend up to 1000 feet
Which of the following are true about backing a school bus?
- Backing a school bus is strongly discouraged
- You should never back a school bus when students are outside of the bus
- All these are true
- You should back your bus only when you have no other safe way to move the vehicle.
About The School Bus CDL Exam
The School Bus CDL Exam is required if you want to get a school bus or charter bus endorsement. It is not required for getting a Class A CDL to drive a big rig. Bus drivers must have a commercial driver's license if they drive a vehicle designed to seat 16 or more persons, including the driver.
Bus drivers must have a passenger endorsement on their commercial driver license. To obtain the endorsement, you must pass a knowledge test on the Safe Driving and (this section) portions of the CDL manual. If your bus has air brakes, you must also pass a knowledge test on air brakes. You must also pass the skills/drive tests required for the class and type of passenger vehicle you plan to drive.
This section covers:
- Vehicle Inspection
- Loading
- On the Road
- After-trip Vehicle Inspection
- Prohibited Practices
- Use of Brake-door Interlocks
Vehicle Inspection
Before driving your bus, make sure it is safe. You must review the inspection report made by the previous driver. Only if defects reported earlier have been certified as repaired or not needed to be repaired, should you sign the previous driver's report. This is your certification that the defects reported earlier have been repaired.
Make sure the following are in good working order before driving:
- Service brakes, including air hose couplings (if your bus has a trailer or semitrailer).
- Parking brake.
- Steering mechanism.
- Lights and reflectors.
- Tires (front wheels must not have re-capped or re-grooved tires).
- Horn.
- Windshield wiper or wipers.
- Rear-vision mirror or mirrors.
- Coupling devices (if present).
- Wheels and rims.
- Emergency equipment
Loading And Trip Start
Do not allow riders to leave carry-on baggage in a doorway or aisle. There should be nothing in the aisle that might trip other riders. Secure baggage and freight in ways that avoid damage and:
- Allow the driver to move freely and easily.
- Allow riders to exit by any window or door in an emergency.
- Protect riders from injury if carry-ons fall or shift.
Forbidden Hazardous Materials
Buses may carry small-arms ammunition labeled ORM-D, emergency hospital supplies and drugs. You can carry small amounts of some other hazardous materials if the shipper cannot send them any other way. Buses must never carry:
- Division 2.3 poison gas, liquid Class 6 poison, tear gas, irritating material.
- More than 100 pounds of solid Class 6 poisons.
- Explosives in the space occupied by people, except small-arms ammunition.
- Labeled radioactive materials in the space occupied by people.
- More than 500 pounds total of allowed hazardous materials and no more than 100 pounds of any one class.
Riders sometimes board a bus with an unlabeled hazardous material. Do not allow riders to carry on common hazards such as car batteries or gasoline. See Section 2 and Section 9 for additional information on hazardous materials.
Common Bus Accidents
Accidents In Intersections:
The Most Common Bus Accidents: Bus accidents often happen at intersections. Use caution, even if a signal or stop sign controls other traffic. School and mass transit buses sometimes scrape off mirrors or hit passing vehicles when pulling out from a bus stop. Remember the clearance your bus needs and watch for poles and tree limbs at stops. Know the size of the gap your bus needs to accelerate and merge with traffic. Wait for the gap to open before leaving the stop. Never assume other drivers will brake to give you room when you signal or start to pull out.
Speed In Curves
Accidents on curves result from excessive speed, often when rain or snow has made the road slippery. Every banked curve has a safe "design speed." In good weather, the posted speed is safe for cars but it may be too high for many buses. With good traction, the bus may roll over; with poor traction, it might slide off the curve. Reduce speed for curves. If your bus leans toward the outside on a banked curve, you are driving too fast.
Railroad Crossings
Bus drivers must stop at railroad crossings:
- - At streetcar crossings.
- - Where a policeman or flagman is directing traffic.
- - If a traffic signal is green.
- - At crossings marked as "exempt" or "abandoned.
Prohibited Practices
- Avoid fueling your bus with riders on board unless absolutely necessary. Never refuel in a closed building with riders on board.
- Do not talk with riders or engage in any other distracting activity while driving.
- Do not tow or push a disabled bus with riders aboard the vehicle, unless getting off would be unsafe. Only tow or push the bus to the nearest safe spot to discharge passengers. Follow your employer's guidelines on towing or pushing disabled buses.
Questions You Should Know For The Exam
- 1. Name some things to check in the interior of a bus during a pre-trip inspection.
- 2. What are some hazardous materials you can transport by bus?
- 3. What are some hazardous materials you cannot transport by bus?
- 4. What is a standee line?
- 5. Does it matter where you make a disruptive passenger get off the bus?
- 6. How far from a railroad crossing should you stop?
- 7. When must you stop before crossing a drawbridge?
- 8. Describe from memory the “prohibited practices” listed in the manual.
- 9. The rear door of a transit bus has to be open to put on the parking brake. True or False?
Why Join Trucking Truth?
- The High Road Training Program
- The High Road Article Series
- The Friendliest Trucker's Forum Ever!
- Email Updates When New Articles Are Posted
Apply For Paid CDL Training Through TruckingTruth
Did you know you can fill out one quick form here on TruckingTruth and apply to several companies at once for paid CDL training? Seriously! The application only takes one minute. You will speak with recruiters today. There is no obligation whatsoever. Learn more and apply here:
TT On Facebook