CDL Practice Tests: School Bus Endorsement
Choose A Section:
Go!When stopping a school bus at a bus stop, what is the last thing you must do before completely opening the door and signaling students to approach?
- All these are correct
- Make a final check to see that all traffic has stopped
- Beep the horn to make sure students are paying attention
- Pump the brakes at least 5 times to reduce air pressure in the parking brakes
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.
The blind spot behind the bus extends how far depending on the length and width of the bus?
- 300 to 500 feet and could extend up to 1000 feet
- 200 to 400 feet and could extend up to 600 feet
- 50 to 150 feet and could extend up to 400 feet
- 150 to 350 feet and could extend up to 500 feet
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 not allow you to drive faster, follow more closely or drive less carefully.
- 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 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 your school bus stalls on the tracks, get the students off the bus and move them where?
- Far from the bus at an angle, both away from the tracks and away from the train
- 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 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.
As a general rule, what is the best thing to do as a school bus driver for student safety and control during an emergency and/or impending crisis?
- Keeping students on the bus if doing so does not expose them to unnecessary risk or injury
- None of these are correct
- Always keep the students on the bus until help arrives
- Always get the students off the bus immediately
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 have a problem with your ABS system
- You have limited visibility
- You are in a construction zone or crossing railroad tracks
- You are waiting for children to cross the street
As a bus driver, anytime you leave the bus you must:
- Secure the control arm to the overhead fastener
- Turn off the ignition switch and remove the key
- Put on the red flashing lights
- Open the rear safety door
Secure the bus by:
- Turning off the ignition switch.
- Removing key if leaving driver’s compartment.
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.
How will you know if your school bus is equipped with ABS?
- Red ABS malfunction lamp on the instrument panel
- A yellow ABS malfunction light on the back of the bus below the brake lights
- Yellow ABS malfunction lamp on the instrument panel
- A yellow ABS sticker near the back emergency door
Describe the danger zones of a bus:
- The area to the left of the bus is always considered dangerous because of passing cars
- It may extend as much as 30 feet from the front bumper with the first 10 feet being the most dangerous
- All these are correct
- It extends 10 feet from the left and right sides of the bus, and 10 feet behind the rear bumper of the school bus
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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