CDL Practice Tests: School Bus Endorsement
Choose A Section:
Go!A school bus driver must evacuate the bus when:
- Any of these situations occur
- The position of the bus may change and increase the danger.
- The bus is stalled on or adjacent to a railroad-highway crossing.
- The bus is on fire or there is a threat of a fire.
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.
If there is a serious behavior problem on the bus, which of the following is NOT the proper way to handle it?
- Put the student off the bus immediately, regardless of location along the route.
- 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.
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 stopping a school bus at a bus stop, what two things must you do?
- 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
- Put the transmission in "park" or "neutral" and set the parking brake
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.
When stopping a school bus at a railroad crossing, where should you stop?
- 200 ft before the nearest rail
- No closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail, where you have the best view of the tracks.
- No closer than 50 feet and no farther than 100 feet from the nearest rail, where you have the best view of the tracks.
- 300 ft before the nearest rail
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.
- Wait for your signal before crossing the roadway.
- Stop and look in all directions, making sure the roadway is clear and is safe.
- Stay very close to the front of the bus as they cross so they're just out of sight of the driver
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 get into an emergency as a school bus driver and there is no radio to call for help, what should you do?
- 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.
- Sit a safe distance from the bus and wait for help. They will come looking for you when they discover you are late.
- Lead the entire group of students in the direction you feel you can find help the fastest
Which of the following IS NOT the proper procedure when at a railroad crossing in a school bus?
- When crossing a double set of tracks, stop before each set of tracks. Just because you cleared the first set doesn't mean a train isn't coming on the second set
- If the gate comes down after you have started across, drive through it even if it means you will break the gate.
- At a multiple-track crossing, stop only before the first set of tracks. When you are sure no train is approaching on any track, proceed across all of the tracks until you have completely cleared them.
- Cross the tracks in a low gear. Do not change gears while crossing.
- Check the crossing signals again before proceeding.
- At a multiple-track crossing, stop only before the first set of tracks. When you are sure no train is approaching on any track, proceed across all of the tracks until you have completely cleared them.
- Cross the tracks in a low gear. Do not change gears while crossing.
- If the gate comes down after you have started across, drive through it even if it means you will break the gate.
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?
- Stay very close to the front of the bus as they cross to make sure they are protected
- Look for traffic in both directions, making sure the roadway is clear.
- 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.
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.
When stopping a school bus at a bus stop you should stop with the front bumper how far from students, and why?
- All these are correct
- At least 50 feet away from students. This gives you time to set the parking brake
- At least 10 feet away from students. This forces the students to walk to the bus so you have a better view of their movements
- At least 100 feet away from students. This keeps traffic clearly visible in your mirrors
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.
Some school buses are equipped with roof-mounted, white strobe lights. If your bus is so equipped, the overhead strobe light should be used when:
- You are waiting for children to cross the street
- You are in a construction zone or crossing railroad tracks
- You have limited visibility
- You have a problem with your ABS system
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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