20 Passenger & School Bus (P/S) Practice Questions & Answers

1. 1. A vehicle is designed to seat 15 passengers plus the driver. What is required to drive it?

   • A.A CDL with the air brake restriction removed, but no endorsement of any kind
   • B.A regular driver's license only, because fewer than 16 passengers are carried
   • C.A CDL with a passenger (P) endorsement, because the design capacity counts the driver and totals 16✓ Answer
   • D.A CDL with a school bus (S) endorsement only, with no P endorsement

   The federal definition of a bus counts the driver, so a P endorsement is required for any CMV designed to carry 16 or more persons INCLUDING the driver; 15 passenger seats plus the driver's seat reaches that threshold. The S endorsement is separate and cannot be issued unless the driver also qualifies for and passes the P endorsement tests.

   Source: 49 CFR 383.5 (definition of bus), 383.91(a)(3), 383.123(a)(1); AAMVA CDL Manual Sec. 4 introReport a problem with this question

2. 2. Besides a fire extinguisher and spare electrical fuses, which warning devices satisfy the requirement for a bus?

   • A.Six reflective triangles or three fusees
   • B.One triangle plus the hazard flashers, which may be used instead of warning devices
   • C.Two reflective triangles and two fusees
   • D.Three bidirectional reflective triangles, or six fusees, or three liquid-burning flares✓ Answer

   The rule gives three equivalent options so a stopped bus can be marked from both directions in any conditions: 3 bidirectional triangles, 6 fusees, or 3 liquid-burning flares, and each fusee must burn at least 30 minutes. Hazard flashers alone never substitute, and the extinguisher must be charged, UL-rated (at least 5 B:C, or 10 B:C for placarded loads) and securely mounted.

   Source: 49 CFR 393.95; AAMVA CDL Manual 4.1.1Report a problem with this question

3. 3. During the interior pre-trip inspection of a bus you find that the rear emergency exit door will not latch closed. What must you do?

   • A.Drive it as long as the red emergency door light is working
   • B.Drive the route but keep your speed below 35 mph
   • C.Tape the door shut and report it at the end of the shift
   • D.Keep the bus out of service until the exit is closed and secured; a bus must never be driven with an open emergency exit✓ Answer

   An emergency exit that cannot latch can swing open in a turn or a crash and eject riders, so the manual states you must never drive with an open emergency exit door or window, and all access panels must be closed before moving. The same interior check covers items other CMVs do not have: handholds and railings, step treads and floor covering, signaling devices including the restroom emergency buzzer, emergency exit handles, and seats securely fastened to the bus.

   Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 4.1 (Vehicle Inspection – bus interior and emergency exits)Report a problem with this question

4. 4. You are taking over a bus at the start of your shift. When may you sign the previous driver's vehicle inspection report?

   • A.Never; only a mechanic is allowed to sign that report
   • B.Only if you personally performed the repairs yourself
   • C.Only after the defects listed on it were certified as repaired or certified as not needing repair✓ Answer
   • D.As soon as it is handed to you, to show you received it

   Your signature certifies that the reported defects were corrected or formally certified as not needing correction, so signing earlier would put a known safety defect back on the road under your name. Reviewing the last report is a required part of the bus pre-trip.

   Source: 49 CFR 396.11 and 396.13; AAMVA CDL Manual 4.1Report a problem with this question

5. 5. Buses designed to carry standing riders must have a two-inch line marked on the floor. What does that line mean?

   • A.It marks where the brake-door interlock takes effect
   • B.Carry-on baggage must be stacked behind it
   • C.It marks the wheelchair securement area
   • D.No rider may stand forward of it; it marks the rear of the driver's seat area✓ Answer

   The standee line marks the rear of the driver's seat: riders standing ahead of it can block the driver's view and controls and are unprotected in a hard stop, so all standees must stay behind it. For the same reason nothing may be left in the aisle or a doorway where it could trip riders or block an exit.

   Source: 49 CFR 392.62 and 393.90; AAMVA CDL Manual 4.2Report a problem with this question

6. 6. Which of the following may a bus NEVER transport?

   • A.Division 2.3 poison gas✓ Answer
   • B.Drugs and medicines
   • C.Emergency hospital supplies
   • D.Small-arms ammunition labeled ORM-D

   Poison gas can incapacitate everyone aboard a sealed passenger compartment before the bus can be stopped and evacuated, so buses may never carry Division 2.3 poison gas, liquid Class 6 poison, tear gas or irritating material. Buses may carry small-arms ammunition labeled ORM-D, emergency hospital supplies and drugs, but never more than 500 lbs of allowed hazardous materials in total and no more than 100 lbs of any one class.

   Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 4.2.1–4.2.2 (Hazardous Materials on buses)Report a problem with this question

7. 7. A bus carrying passengers comes to a railroad-highway crossing where a stop is required. Which procedure is correct?

   • A.Stop 5 to 10 feet from the nearest rail and downshift as you cross the tracks
   • B.Stop 100 feet before the tracks and coast across in neutral
   • C.Stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail, and do not change gears while crossing✓ Answer
   • D.Stop only if a train is in sight, then shift to a lower gear on the tracks

   The 15-to-50-foot window keeps the bus clear of the train's overhang while staying close enough to see down the track, and shifting on the tracks risks stalling the bus where it cannot be moved. Open the forward door if it helps you see or hear a train, look both ways, and after one train passes check that a second train is not coming on another track. No stop is required (though you must slow and look) at streetcar or industrial switching tracks in a business district, where an officer or flagman directs traffic through, at a functioning green traffic signal, or at a crossing marked exempt or abandoned.

   Source: 49 CFR 392.10; AAMVA CDL Manual 4.3.5Report a problem with this question

8. 8. Unless a green traffic light or an attendant or officer is controlling traffic, how must a bus handle a drawbridge?

   • A.Stop at least 15 feet before the draw, the same as at a railroad crossing
   • B.Slow to 10 mph and continue across without stopping
   • C.Sound the horn and proceed; a stop is required only for school buses
   • D.Stop at least 50 feet before the draw and make sure the draw is completely closed✓ Answer

   Stopping 50 feet back gives you room to see whether the draw is fully seated and to halt safely if it is not, because a bus that reaches a partly open draw cannot stop in time. The stop is not required where a green traffic light or a person controlling traffic shows the bridge is closed to boat traffic.

   Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 4.3.6 (Drawbridges)Report a problem with this question

9. 9. An intoxicated and disruptive adult rider has to be removed from your bus. What is the correct practice?

   • A.Never discharge him; simply finish the entire route with him aboard
   • B.Wait for a scheduled stop or a well-lighted area where other people are present, following your carrier's guidelines✓ Answer
   • C.Ask another passenger to escort him off wherever he wants to get out
   • D.Put him off at the first place you can pull over, even an unlit rural shoulder

   You are responsible for the safety of the disruptive rider as well as everyone else, and discharging an impaired person on a dark shoulder or an isolated spot can be more dangerous than the disruption itself. A scheduled stop or a well-lighted place with other people around meets both needs, and carrier guidelines tell you when to involve authorities.

   Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 4.3.2 (Common Accidents / disruptive riders)Report a problem with this question

10. 10. What does the end-of-shift (after-trip) inspection of a bus require?

    • A.A written report only in the month the bus is due for scheduled maintenance
    • B.Nothing further, as long as the pre-trip inspection found no defects
    • C.An oral report to the dispatcher is enough for interstate carriers
    • D.A written report identifying the bus and listing any defect that would affect safety (or stating there are none), plus a walk-through for sleeping riders and articles left behind✓ Answer

    The written report is what puts a defect in front of the mechanics before the bus goes out again, so it must identify the vehicle and list any safety defect or state that none was found. Riders routinely damage handholds, seats, emergency exits and windows, and transit drivers must also confirm the passenger signaling devices and the brake-door interlock work, remembering that the interlock is a safety feature and never a substitute for the parking brake.

    Source: 49 CFR 396.11; AAMVA CDL Manual 4.4 (After-trip inspection) and 4.6Report a problem with this question

11. 11. According to the AAMVA model manual, how far can the danger zone extend in front of a school bus?

    • A.10 feet, with the first 3 feet the most dangerous
    • B.Only as far as the driver's direct vision reaches over the hood
    • C.A full 50 feet in front of the bumper
    • D.Up to 30 feet, with the first 10 feet the most dangerous✓ Answer

    The danger zone is defined by where a child can be struck or lost from view rather than by the bumper line, and the model manual puts it at up to 30 feet in front (the first 10 feet being the most dangerous) and 10 feet on the left, right and rear. The left side is always dangerous because of passing traffic; note that some state manuals diagram the front zone as 12 feet, so follow your state's version on the road.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.1 (Danger Zones and Use of Mirrors)Report a problem with this question

12. 12. The outside left and right flat mirrors of a school bus should be adjusted so that you can see:

    • A.At least 200 feet — about four bus lengths — behind the bus, along the sides, and the rear tires touching the ground✓ Answer
    • B.The entire side of the bus up to the mirror mounts and one traffic lane on each side
    • C.The area in front of the bumper at ground level out to where direct vision begins
    • D.All of the students seated behind the driver's seat

    Flat mirrors are the driver's long-range rear view, so they are set for about 200 feet or four bus lengths back plus the rear tires at ground level, which lets you judge traffic overtaking the bus and confirm the tires' position. Even correctly set, they leave a blind spot directly behind the bus that runs from about 50 to 150 feet and can reach 400 feet; the front-bumper view belongs to the crossover mirrors, the side-of-bus view to the convex mirrors, and the student view to the overhead inside mirror.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.1.1 (Outside left and right side flat mirrors)Report a problem with this question

13. 13. Which mirrors let the driver see the area in front of the bus from the bumper at ground level out to where direct vision begins, both front tires, and the area up to the service door?

    • A.The outside flat mirrors
    • B.The overhead inside rearview mirror
    • C.The outside convex mirrors
    • D.The crossover mirrors mounted at both front corners✓ Answer

    Crossover mirrors exist because the hood and body hide a small child standing directly in front of the bus, so they are aimed to cover the ground from the bumper out to where direct vision starts, both front tires touching the ground, and the path from the front of the bus to the service door. The views of the left and right crossover mirrors must overlap so no child can be hidden between them.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.1.3 (Outside left and right side crossover mirrors)Report a problem with this question

14. 14. When approaching a school bus stop, when should the alternating flashing amber warning lights be activated?

    • A.Only after the bus has come to a complete stop at the loading point
    • B.About 50 feet before the stop, at the same moment the stop arm is extended
    • C.Only once students have started to cross the roadway
    • D.At least 200 feet (about 5 to 10 seconds) before the stop, or as state law directs✓ Answer

    The amber lights are an advance warning to traffic only, so they must come on far enough back — about 200 feet or 5 to 10 seconds — for following and oncoming drivers to slow and stop before the bus does. The right turn signal goes on about 100 to 300 feet (3 to 5 seconds) before pulling over; the amber distance is stated as 200 feet or in accordance with state law, and some state manuals use a shorter distance in urban areas.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.2.1 (Approaching the stop)Report a problem with this question

15. 15. When should the alternating flashing red lights be turned on and the stop arm extended?

    • A.Only after the bus is stopped and traffic is a safe distance away; then make a final check that all traffic has stopped before opening the door✓ Answer
    • B.At the same time as the amber lights, about 200 feet before the stop
    • C.Only after the students have finished boarding, to cover the departure
    • D.As soon as you switch on the right turn signal to pull over

    The red lights and stop arm are the actual signal that children are about to enter the roadway, so they are activated only when the bus is stopped and approaching traffic is far enough back to stop safely; using them too early trains drivers to ignore them. Bring the front bumper to a stop at least 10 feet from the waiting students so they must walk to the bus where you can see them, put the transmission in Park (or Neutral with the parking brake set), and only after a final check that all traffic has stopped do you open the door and signal the students to approach.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.2.1–10.2.2 (Stopping and loading procedures)Report a problem with this question

16. 16. Students who must cross the roadway after getting off should be taught to walk:

    • A.Behind the bus, where the driver can watch them in the rear-view mirror
    • B.About 3 feet in front of the bumper, crossing as soon as the red lights come on
    • C.Straight along the front bumper and across as soon as they step off
    • D.About 10 feet from the side of the bus, then to a point at least 10 feet in front of the right corner of the bumper, and to cross only on the driver's signal✓ Answer

    Walking out 10 feet from the side and at least 10 feet ahead of the right bumper corner keeps the student out of the front and side blind spots, where the driver cannot see a child close to the body of the bus. The student stops at the right edge of the roadway where you can see their feet, checks that the red lights are still flashing, waits for your signal, crosses far enough in front to stay in view, stops again at the left edge of the bus for a second look and signal, and you must always assume a student may not do what was taught.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.2.3 (Unloading – students who must cross the roadway)Report a problem with this question

17. 17. A student drops a folder in the danger zone while crossing in front of your bus. What should students be taught to do?

    • A.Wait beside the front tire until the driver opens the door
    • B.Pick it up quickly before the bus starts to move
    • C.Never stop to pick it up: move out of the danger zone first, then get the driver's attention and follow the driver's directions✓ Answer
    • D.Ask a classmate still on the sidewalk to run out and get it

    A student who bends down or turns back for a dropped object drops below the hood line and disappears from the driver's view at the exact moment the bus is about to move, which is how children are killed in the front danger zone. Leaving the object and stepping clear keeps the child visible, and only the driver decides when it is safe to retrieve it.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.2.5 (Special dangers – dropped or forgotten objects)Report a problem with this question

18. 18. You are unloading at a route stop and one student who got off cannot be seen from your seat. What should you do?

    • A.Assume the student walked home and continue the route on schedule
    • B.Ease the bus forward slowly while looking for the student
    • C.Secure the bus — transmission in Park or Neutral with the parking brake set, engine off, key in hand — and check around and underneath the bus✓ Answer
    • D.Back up a few feet so you can widen your field of view

    A student you cannot see may be in a blind spot right against the bus or may have fallen underneath it, so the bus must be made incapable of moving before you go look; taking the key guarantees no one can move it while you are outside. Count students as they unload and confirm the location of every one of them before pulling away, and never back up — if you miss a student's stop, follow your local procedures instead of reversing.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.2.3 (Unloading on the route)Report a problem with this question

19. 19. You must back a school bus and a lookout is available. What is the lookout's job?

    • A.To stand behind the bus and give hand signals directing the maneuver
    • B.To warn you about obstacles, people and approaching vehicles — not to tell you how or when to steer and back✓ Answer
    • C.To step into the roadway and stop traffic while you reverse
    • D.To load the remaining students while you are backing

    Responsibility for the maneuver stays with the driver, so the lookout's only job is to warn of hazards; a lookout who gives steering directions can put the bus into something the driver never saw. Backing is strongly discouraged and must never be done while students are outside the bus — pick students up before backing and drop them off after backing — and if no lookout is available, set the parking brake, shut off the engine, take the keys and walk back to check the path yourself. Remember tail swing can reach 3 feet, so check the mirrors before and during every turning movement.

    Source: AAMVA CDL Manual 10.7 (Backing a school bus)Report a problem with this question

20. 20. Which situation makes evacuating the school bus mandatory?

    • A.The bus has a flat rear tire on a wide, level shoulder
    • B.A side window will not close in cold weather
    • C.The bus is stalled on or adjacent to a railroad-highway crossing✓ Answer
    • D.Two students are arguing loudly in the back of the bus

    Evacuation is required when staying aboard is more dangerous than getting out, and a bus stalled on or beside the tracks can be struck by a train at any moment, so everyone must get out at once and move away from the bus at an angle away from the tracks and toward the oncoming train, out of the debris path. The other mandatory conditions are fire or the threat of fire, a bus position that may change and increase danger, imminent danger of collision, and a hazardous materials spill; in all other cases student safety and control are usually best maintained by keeping students on the bus. When you do evacuate, move them at least 100 feet off the road in the direction of oncoming traffic (300 feet upwind for a hazmat spill).

    Source: 49 CFR 383.123(a)(2)(ii); AAMVA CDL Manual 10.3 (Mandatory evacuations)Report a problem with this question

Practice questions based on the AAMVA/FMCSA model CDL manual. Requirements vary by state — study your state's official CDL manual before your exam. Official CDL info →