CDL Practice Tests: School Bus Endorsement
Choose A Section:
Go!If there is a behavior problem on the bus while unloading students, when should you handle it?
- Before the students leave the bus. If there is a problem, keep the students waiting on the bus while you handle the situation
- While the students are unloading. Let the students get off the bus on their own while you handle the situation
- Immediately. Do not let a situation on the bus continue, even during unloading
- Wait until the students unloading are safely off the bus and have moved away.
Which of the following is the proper procedure when at a railroad crossing in a school bus?
- Turn off all radios and noisy equipment and silence the passengers.
- All these are correct
- Open the service door and driver’s window. Look and listen for an approaching train.
- Place the transmission in “Park” (if there is no “Park” shift point, use “Neutral”) and set the parking brake.
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 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?
- Check to see if the red flashing lights on the bus are still flashing.
- Stop and look in all directions, making sure the roadway is clear and is safe.
- Wait for your signal before crossing the roadway.
- Stay very close to the front of the bus as they cross to make sure they are protected
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.
If you have an injured student with a possible head or neck injury, what should you do?
- Never move the student, no matter what. Let emergency responders do that
- None of these are correct
- Always get the student off the bus immediately
- Do not move a student you believe may have suffered a neck or spinal injury unless his or her life is in immediate danger.
If your school bus stalls on the tracks, what should get the students off the bus and move them where?
- Far from the bus and perpendicular to the tracks, both toward the tracks and toward the train
- Far from the bus and perpendicular to the bus, both along the tracks and away the train
- Far from the bus at an angle, both away from the tracks and away from the train
- Far from the bus at an angle, both away from the tracks and toward the train
Bus Stalls or Trapped on Tracks. If your bus stalls or is trapped on the tracks, get everyone out of the bus and off the tracks immediately. Move everyone far from the bus at an angle, both away from the tracks and toward the train.
When you have adjusted the flat side mirrors on the bus properly, you will see all the following EXCEPT:
- 200 feet or 4 bus lengths behind the bus
- The rear tires touching the ground
- Along the sides of the bus
- The area directly beneath the mirror
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.
How will you know if your school bus is equipped with ABS?
- Yellow ABS malfunction lamp on the instrument panel
- Red ABS malfunction lamp on the instrument panel
- A yellow ABS malfunction light on the back of the bus below the brake lights
- A yellow ABS sticker near the back emergency door
When unloading students on a school bus route, which of the following is NOT the correct procedure?
- 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.
- Have the children lined up at the front of the bus, but behind the white line as you approach the stop
- 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.
A school bus 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.
- Any of these situations occur
- The position of the bus may change and increase the danger.
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.
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.
- Use only the braking force necessary to stop safely and stay in control
- As you slow down, monitor your bus and back off the brakes (if it is safe to do so) to 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.
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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