CDL Practice Tests: School Bus Endorsement
Choose A Section:
Go!When students are loading the bus at the school campus you should:
- Remove key if leaving driver’s compartment
- Position yourself to supervise loading as required or recommended by your state or local regulations
- All these are correct
- Turn off the ignition switch
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.
If you are caught in strong winds in a school bus you should:
- You should slow down to lessen the effect of the wind or pull off the roadway and wait.
- Keep a strong grip on the steering wheel. Try to anticipate gusts.
- Contact your dispatcher to get more information on how to proceed.
- All these are correct
If you are caught in strong winds:
- Keep a strong grip on the steering wheel. Try to anticipate gusts.
- You should slow down to lessen the effect of the wind or pull off the roadway and wait.
- Contact your dispatcher to get more information on how to proceed.
If there is a serious behavior problem on the bus, which of the following is NOT the proper way to handle it?
- Stop the bus. Park in a safe location off the road, perhaps a parking lot or a driveway.
- Put the student off the bus immediately, regardless of location along the route.
- If a change of seating is needed, request that the student move to a seat near you.
- Stand up and speak respectfully to the offender or offenders. Speak in a courteous manner with a firm voice. Remind the offender of the expected behavior. Do not show anger but do show that you mean business.
Tips for handling serious problems:
- Follow your school’s procedures for discipline or refusal of rights to ride the bus.
- Stop the bus. Park in a safe location off the road, perhaps a parking lot or a driveway.
- Secure the bus. Take the ignition key with you if you leave your seat.
- Stand up and speak respectfully to the offender or offenders. Speak in a courteous manner with a firm voice. Remind the offender of the expected behavior. Do not show anger but do show that you mean business.
- If a change of seating is needed, request that the student move to a seat near you.
- Never put a student off the bus except at school or at his or her designated school bus stop. If you believe that the offense is serious enough that you cannot safely drive the bus, call for a school administrator or the police to come and remove the student. Always follow your state or local procedures for requesting assistance.
When loading students onto a bus, which of the following is NOT the procedure to follow?
- If you cannot account for a student outside, send a student outside to check around and underneath the bus
- Have the students board the school bus slowly, in single file, and use the handrail. The dome light should be on while loading in the dark.
- Wait until students are seated and facing forward before moving the bus.
- Count the number of students at the bus stop and be sure all board the bus. If possible, know names of students at each stop. If there is a student missing, ask the other students where the student is.
- Count the number of students at the bus stop and be sure all board the bus. If possible, know names of students at each stop. If there is a student missing, ask the other students where the student is.
- Have the students board the school bus slowly, in single file, and use the handrail. The dome light should be on while loading in the dark.
- Wait until students are seated and facing forward before moving the bus.
- Check all mirrors. Make certain no one is running to catch the bus.
- If you cannot account for a student outside, secure the bus, take the key and check around and underneath the bus.
When approaching a bus stop in a school bus you should:
- All these are correct
- Continuously check mirrors to monitor the danger zones for students, traffic and other objects.
- If the school bus is so equipped, activate alternating flashing amber warning lights at least 200 feet (100 in an urban area) or approximately five to 10 seconds before the school bus stop or in accordance with state law.
- Look for pedestrians, traffic or other objects before, during and after coming to a stop.
When approaching the stop, you should:
- Approach cautiously at a slow rate of speed.
- Look for pedestrians, traffic or other objects before, during and after coming to a stop.
- Continuously check all mirrors.
- If the school bus is so equipped, activate alternating flashing amber warning lights at least 200 feet (100 in an urban area) or approximately five to 10 seconds before the school bus stop or in accordance with state law.
- Turn on right-turn signal indicator about 100-300 feet or approximately three to five seconds before pulling over.
- Continuously check mirrors to monitor the danger zones for students, traffic and other objects.
- Move as far as possible to the right on the traveled portion of the roadway.
When you have adjusted the flat side mirrors on the bus properly, you will see all the following EXCEPT:
- The area directly beneath the mirror
- Along the sides of the bus
- The rear tires touching the ground
- 200 feet or 4 bus lengths behind the bus
Ensure that the mirrors are properly adjusted so you can see:
- 200 feet or 4 bus lengths behind the bus.
- Along the sides of the bus.
- The rear tires touching the ground.
There is a blind spot immediately below and in front of each mirror and directly behind the rear bumper.
Approximately how far before a railroad crossing should you activate the school bus hazard lights to warn people you are stopping?
- 1000 ft
- 200 ft
- 500 ft
- 50 ft
If a student drops an object near the school bus, what should you instruct the student to do?
- None of these are correct
- 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
- Leave the object there and let the bus driver get it
- Grab the object quickly and get out of danger
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 are NOT true about ABS?
- 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 necessarily shorten stopping distance. ABS will help maintain vehicle control but not always shorten stopping distance.
- 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 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.
If the school bus is in the direct path of a sighted tornado and evacuation is ordered, what should you do?
- Take them far enough away from the bus so the bus cannot topple on them
- Avoid taking them to areas that are subject to flash floods
- Escort students to a nearby ditch or culvert if shelter in a building is not readily available and direct them to lie face down, hands covering their head
- You can do all of these
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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