CDL Practice Tests: School Bus Endorsement
Choose A Section:
Go!When stopping a school bus at a bus stop, what two things must you do?
- All these are correct
- Swing the nose of the bus toward traffic a few feet and reach your arm out the window to signal your intentions to traffic
- Put the transmission in "park" or "neutral" and set the parking brake
- Release the parking brake and activate the warning buzzer
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.
If students must cross the roadway after getting off the bus, which of the following is NOT the correct procedure for them to follow?
- Stop at the right edge of the roadway. You should be able to see the student’s feet.
- Walk to a location at least 10 feet in front of the right corner of the bumper, but still remaining away from the front of the school bus.
- Stand within 3 feet of the bus near the convex mirror so you can see them
- Walk approximately 10 feet away from the side of the school bus to a position where you can see them.
If a student or students must cross the roadway, they should follow these procedures:
- Walk approximately 10 feet away from the side of the school bus to a position where you can see them.
- Walk to a location at least 10 feet in front of the right corner of the bumper, but still remaining away from the front of the school bus.
- Stop at the right edge of the roadway. You should be able to see the student’s feet.
When students have gotten off the bus and reach the edge of the roadway to cross the street, which of the following is NOT the correct procedure for them to follow?
- Wait for your signal before crossing the roadway.
- Check to see if the red flashing lights on the bus are still flashing.
- Stay very close to the front of the bus as they cross so they're just out of sight of the driver
- Stop and look in all directions, making sure the roadway is clear and is safe.
When students reach the edge of the roadway, they should:
- Stop and look in all directions, making sure the roadway is clear and is safe.
- Check to see if the red flashing lights on the bus are still flashing.
- Wait for your signal before crossing the roadway.
Which of the following are true about backing a school bus?
- You should never back a school bus when students are outside of the bus
- All these are true
- Backing a school bus is strongly discouraged
- You should back your bus only when you have no other safe way to move the vehicle.
Describe the danger zones of a bus:
- It may extend as much as 30 feet from the front bumper with the first 10 feet being the most dangerous
- It extends 10 feet from the left and right sides of the bus, and 10 feet behind the rear bumper of the school bus
- The area to the left of the bus is always considered dangerous because of passing cars
- All these are correct
There is a sign that marks the railroad crossing. It requires you to yield the right of way to the train. If there is no white line painted on the pavement, you must stop the bus before this sign. What is it called?
- Crossbuck sign
- Passive sign
- Setback sign
- Active sign
If a student drops an object near the school bus, what should you instruct the student to do?
- Grab the object quickly and get out of danger
- Leave any dropped object and move to a point of safety out of the danger zones and then attempt to get the driver’s attention to retrieve the object
- None of these are correct
- Leave the object there and let the bus driver get it
Students should be told to leave any dropped object and move to a point of safety out of the danger zones and then attempt to get the driver’s attention to retrieve the object.
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 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.
- They are normally located below the outside flat mirrors
When students have gotten off the bus and reach the edge of the roadway to cross the street, which of the following is NOT the correct procedure for them to follow?
- Cross far enough in front of the school bus to be in your view.
- Stay very close to the front of the bus as they cross to make sure they are protected
- Walk to the left edge of the school bus, stop and look again for your signal to continue to cross the roadway.
- Look for traffic in both directions, making sure the roadway is clear.
Upon your signal, the students should:
- Cross far enough in front of the school bus to be in your view.
- Walk to the left edge of the school bus, stop and look again for your signal to continue to cross the roadway.
- Look for traffic in both directions, making sure roadway is clear.
- Proceed across the roadway, continuing to look in all directions.
A school bus driver must evacuate the bus when:
- The bus is on fire or there is a threat of a fire.
- The position of the bus may change and increase the danger.
- The bus is stalled on or adjacent to a railroad-highway crossing.
- Any of these situations occur
Mandatory Evacuations. The driver must evacuate the bus when:
- The bus is on fire or there is a threat of a fire.
- The bus is stalled on or adjacent to a railroad-highway crossing.
- The position of the bus may change and increase the danger.
- There is an imminent danger of collision.
- There is a need to evacuate quickly because of a hazardous materials spill.
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?
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