CDL Practice Tests: School Bus Endorsement

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Question #469 (1 of 10)

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When unloading students on a school bus route, which of the following is NOT the correct procedure?

  • Have the children lined up at the front of the bus, but behind the white line as you approach the stop
  • Tell students to exit the bus and walk at least 10 feet away from the side of the bus to a position where you can plainly see all students.
  • Count the number of students while unloading to confirm the location of all students before pulling away from the stop.
  • Have the students remain seated until told to exit.
  • Have the students remain seated until told to exit.
  • Check all mirrors.
  • Count the number of students while unloading to confirm the location of all students before pulling away from the stop.
  • Tell students to exit the bus and walk at least 10 feet away from the side of the bus to a position where you can plainly see all students.
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Question #500 (2 of 10)

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Which of the following are true about backing a school bus?

  • Backing a school bus is strongly discouraged
  • All these are true
  • You should back your bus only when you have no other safe way to move the vehicle.
  • You should never back a school bus when students are outside of the bus
Backing a school bus is strongly discouraged. You should back your bus only when you have no other safe way to move the vehicle. You should never back a school bus when students are outside of the bus. Backing is dangerous and increases your risk of a collision.
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Question #473 (3 of 10)

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As a bus driver, anytime you leave the bus you must:

  • Open the rear safety door
  • Put on the red flashing lights
  • Turn off the ignition switch and remove the key
  • Secure the control arm to the overhead fastener

Secure the bus by:

  • Turning off the ignition switch.
  • Removing key if leaving driver’s compartment.
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Question #482 (4 of 10)

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If you get into an emergency as a school bus driver and there is no radio to call for help, what should you do?

  • Sit a safe distance from the bus and wait for help. They will come looking for you when they discover you are late.
  • Keep all students on the bus no matter what and wait for help to arrive
  • Dispatch a passing motorist or area resident to call for help. As a last resort, dispatch two older, responsible students to go for help.
  • Lead the entire group of students in the direction you feel you can find help the fastest
If no radio or the radio is inoperable, dispatch a passing motorist or area resident to call for help. As a last resort, dispatch two older, responsible students to go for help.
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Question #492 (5 of 10)

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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.
  • 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.
  • Put the student off the bus immediately, regardless of location along the route.

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.
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Question #454 (6 of 10)

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Describe the danger zones of a bus:

  • All these are correct
  • It may extend as much as 30 feet from the front bumper with the first 10 feet being the most dangerous
  • The area to the left of the bus is always considered dangerous because of passing cars
  • 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 danger zone is the area on all sides of the bus where children are in the most danger of being hit, either by another vehicle or their own bus. The danger zones may extend as much as 30 feet from the front bumper with the first 10 feet being the most dangerous, 10 feet from the left and right sides of the bus, and 10 feet behind the rear bumper of the school bus. In addition, the area to the left of the bus is always considered dangerous because of passing cars.
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Question #456 (7 of 10)

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The blind spot behind the bus extends how far depending on the length and width of the bus?

  • 200 to 400 feet and could extend up to 600 feet
  • 150 to 350 feet and could extend up to 500 feet
  • 300 to 500 feet and could extend up to 1000 feet
  • 50 to 150 feet and could extend up to 400 feet
The blind spot behind the bus extends 50 to 150 feet and could extend up to 400 feet depending on the length and width of the bus
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Question #488 (8 of 10)

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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.
  • Open the service door and driver’s window. Look and listen for an approaching train.
  • All these are correct
  • Turn off all radios and noisy equipment and silence the passengers.

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.
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Question #494 (9 of 10)

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When you drive a vehicle with ABS, which of the following is NOT the proper procedure?

  • Brake the same way, regardless of whether you have ABS on the bus. However, in emergency braking, do not pump the brakes on a bus with ABS.
  • As you slow down, monitor your bus and back off the brakes (if it is safe to do so) to stay in control.
  • Use only the braking force necessary to stop safely and stay in control
  • Pump the brakes if you are in an emergency braking situation

When you drive a vehicle with ABS, you should brake as you always have. In other words:

  • Use only the braking force necessary to stop safely and stay in control.
  • Brake the same way, regardless of whether you have ABS on the bus. However, in emergency braking, do not pump the brakes on a bus with ABS.
  • As you slow down, monitor your bus and back off the brakes (if it is safe to do so) to stay in control.
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Question #466 (10 of 10)

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When loading students onto a bus, which of the following is NOT the procedure to follow?

  • Students should board the bus only when signaled to do so by the driver.
  • Students should wait in a designated location for the school bus, facing the bus as it approaches.
  • Begin to move the bus while the students are getting seated
  • Monitor all mirrors continuously
  • Perform a safe stop as described in Subsection 10.2.1.
  • Students should wait in a designated location for the school bus, facing the bus as it approaches.
  • Students should board the bus only when signaled to do so by the driver.
  • Monitor all mirrors continuously.
  • Wait until students are seated and facing forward before moving the bus.
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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:

  • Stop your bus between 15 and 50 feet before railroad crossings.
  • Listen and look in both directions for trains. You should open your forward door if it improves your ability to see or hear an approaching train.
  • Before crossing after a train has passed, make sure there is not another train coming in the other direction on other tracks.
  • If your bus has a manual transmission, never change gears while crossing the tracks.
  • You do not have to stop, but must slow down and carefully check for other vehicles:
    • - 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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