A Written Test Question

When taking written exam for truck (tractor trailer) will there be bus questions? Am I assuming correctly a CDL-A exam covers these as well?

No it doesn't, all the bus related questions are on the test for the passengers endorsement, at least thats how it is in Michigan. Most buses are class B vehicles to.

On the air brake section there are some bus questions. Especially dealing with a special dual air system.

I don't remember any bus questions that is a separate endorsement. And "dual air system"??? We have duel yanks on the truck.... Primary and secondary so what do u mean?

There is a question about buses that lets them use a secondary air system to "release the breaks for short moves". It thru me for a loop first time I tested.

Good to know. Not really interested in transporting people anyway.

There is a question about buses that lets them use a secondary air system to "release the breaks for short moves". It thru me for a loop first time I tested.

You will usually see this on the passenger endorsement section, and may even see it on the pre-trip of a bus (if it's equipped with one). I believe it's called a "reserve air system". Not even sure if buses are equipped with this any more.

Secondary Air System is the terminology used to refer to vehicles equipped with Dual Air Systems (which pretty much all are nowadays), that corresponds with the Primary Air System.

Air Brake written exams tend to be really system generic (as are 99% of air brake systems). I'm surprised you actually caught this one on a test.

I'm not sure if someone testing for a bus, wouldn't be surprised to see things related to "glad hands" on their test.

While CDL-A covers the ability to drive ALL CMV's from Class-8 Combinations on down - the "General Knowledge" is going to be generalized to all CMV's, the Air Brakes to all vehicles equipped with them, combination vehicles to TT configurations.

Passenger (Bus) endorsement, is pretty much all safety related in the written test - you have to pre-trip a bus. Not that much different, a few things on the interior all passenger/safety related - and you can't really get into the engine compartment all that much on a bus, and you can't really get under for a brake/slack inspection. There's no "yard skills" portion - and the road test is just driving, safe braking (including emergency stops) and how to deal with RR crossings.

I've got every endorsement except School Bus (YECH!) and I don't know that I'd want that one anyways.

Rick