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

1. 1. When approaching a railroad crossing in a school bus (even when empty of passengers unless your state rules say otherwise), what must the driver do?

   • A.Slow to 5 mph, keep rolling across if no train is visible
   • B.Shift into a higher gear before crossing to clear the tracks faster
   • C.Stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail, open the service door and driver's window, look and listen, then proceed only when it is safe✓ Answer
   • D.Stop only if the crossing has flashing lights or gates

   The CDL manual requires school bus drivers to stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail, open the service door and driver's window, and look and listen so that the sound of the bus does not mask an approaching train's horn. You never shift gears while crossing, because a missed shift could stall the bus on the tracks.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.3.5 (Railroad-Highway Crossings)Report a problem with this question

2. 2. The 'danger zone' around a school bus is best described as:

   • A.Only the area directly behind the rear bumper
   • B.The area on all sides of the bus, extending up to 10 feet in front, behind and on each side, where children are in the most danger of being hit✓ Answer
   • C.The 200-foot approach zone where other traffic must slow down
   • D.The interior aisle where students walk

   The danger zone is the area on all sides of the bus (front, rear, and both sides) extending up to 10 feet, where the driver's direct vision is limited and children are most likely to be struck. Because of this blind area, drivers must rely on their mirrors and account for students who could be hidden close to the bus.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.2.1 (Danger Zones and Use of Mirrors)Report a problem with this question

3. 3. After a school bus driver has unloaded students at a stop, a student drops a book near the front of the bus. What is the correct action?

   • A.Tell the student, using a signal, to leave it and move away; do not let the student reach for it near the bus✓ Answer
   • B.Open the door and let the student crawl under the front bumper to retrieve it
   • C.Honk the horn so the student hurries to pick it up
   • D.Quickly wave the student in to grab it before traffic comes

   A student who bends down to pick up a dropped object can disappear into the driver's blind spot in the danger zone directly in front of the bus and be struck when the bus moves. The manual instructs drivers to signal the student to move away and leave the object, so the child never re-enters the danger zone close to the bus.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.2.4 (Loading and Unloading)Report a problem with this question

4. 4. As a general rule in the CDL manual, backing a school bus is:

   • A.Permitted only on interstate highways
   • B.Required at every student stop to check the road behind
   • C.Discouraged and should be avoided; if you must back, use a lookout or student helper outside the danger zone to guide you✓ Answer
   • D.Encouraged whenever it saves time on the route

   Backing a school bus is dangerous because the area behind the bus is a large blind spot where children can be hidden, so the manual says to avoid it whenever possible. When backing is unavoidable, a posted lookout positioned outside the danger zone helps ensure no child is behind the bus before it moves.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.2.6 (Backing)Report a problem with this question

5. 5. Why must a school bus driver perform a post-trip inspection and walk the aisle to the back of the bus at the end of each route?

   • A.To rewind the wheelchair lift and nothing else
   • B.Solely to adjust the mirrors for the next driver
   • C.Only to count how many students rode that day for attendance records
   • D.To check that no students are still on board (sleeping or hiding) and to look for damage, articles left behind, or open windows✓ Answer

   The end-of-route walk-through exists chiefly to make sure no child is left behind asleep or hiding, which has caused deaths when children were locked in unattended buses. The driver also checks for damage, sleeping students, articles left behind, and open windows and doors during this post-trip inspection.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.4 (After-Trip Bus Inspection)Report a problem with this question

6. 6. A school bus should be evacuated when:

   • A.Any student is talking loudly in the back rows
   • B.The bus is running more than five minutes behind schedule
   • C.Traffic is heavier than usual on the route
   • D.The bus is stalled on or near a railroad crossing, its position may change and increase danger, there is a risk of fire, or there is a hazardous-materials spill✓ Answer

   The manual lists specific mandatory-evacuation situations: the bus is stopped on or near railroad tracks, its position could shift and increase danger, there is a risk of fire, or there is a hazardous-materials spill. In these cases the danger of staying aboard outweighs the risks of evacuating, so the driver must get students off the bus.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.3.9 (Mandatory Evacuations)Report a problem with this question

7. 7. When loading passengers, a bus (transit or school) must never be loaded beyond its rated capacity such that:

   • A.Passengers can see out of the side windows
   • B.The driver's mirror is folded in for city driving
   • C.Any seat near the rear remains empty
   • D.Riders or baggage block the aisle, the front door, or an emergency exit✓ Answer

   The manual prohibits loading a bus so that riders or their baggage block the aisle or any doorway, because a blocked aisle or exit prevents rapid evacuation in an emergency. Standees, when allowed, must stay behind the standee line and must never obstruct the front door or emergency exits.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.2.1 (Loading and Trip Start) and 9.4.1 (Standee Line)Report a problem with this question

8. 8. Under FMCSA rules, refueling a bus while passengers are on board is:

   • A.Required to be done only inside an enclosed garage
   • B.Permitted only if passengers open all the windows first
   • C.Prohibited in a closed building, and must be avoided with passengers aboard unless absolutely necessary✓ Answer
   • D.Always allowed as long as the engine keeps running

   The manual states you must never refuel a bus in a closed building with passengers aboard, and you should avoid fueling with passengers on board at all unless absolutely necessary, because fuel vapors can ignite and passengers would be trapped. Fueling in an enclosed space is especially dangerous due to vapor buildup.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.5.2 (Prohibited Practices)Report a problem with this question

9. 9. Which practice is prohibited while transporting passengers on a bus?

   • A.Using the interior mirror to observe passengers
   • B.Requiring standees to stay behind the standee line
   • C.Announcing upcoming stops to passengers
   • D.Talking with riders or engaging in any distracting activity while driving✓ Answer

   The manual lists talking to riders and engaging in distracting activities while driving among prohibited practices, because distraction reduces the attention the driver needs to operate safely. The other listed actions—using the interior mirror, announcing stops, and enforcing the standee line—are correct, required behaviors.

   Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 9.5.2 (Prohibited Practices)Report a problem with this question

10. 10. Before a student who has been dropped off must cross the road in front of the bus, the driver should:

    • A.Let the student cross immediately without any signal to save time
    • B.Have the student walk about 10 feet ahead of the bus so the driver can see them, then have them wait for the driver's signal before crossing✓ Answer
    • C.Tell the student to cross behind the bus where drivers cannot see them
    • D.Have the student cross diagonally through the danger zone

    Students who must cross should walk at least 10 feet in front of the bus so they stay in the driver's line of sight and out of the front blind spot, then wait for the driver's signal to confirm it is safe. This keeps the child visible and prevents them from crossing while the driver's view is obstructed.

    Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.2.4 (Loading and Unloading — Crossing Procedures)Report a problem with this question

11. 11. The outside left- and right-side flat and convex mirrors on a school bus are used primarily to:

    • A.Read road signs behind the bus
    • B.Display the fuel level to the driver
    • C.See along the sides of the bus, check clearance, monitor the rear tires, and spot children in the danger zones alongside the bus✓ Answer
    • D.Watch the driver's own reflection while driving

    The flat outside mirrors show traffic and clearance along the sides and the rear tires, while the convex mirrors give a wider view to spot children and objects in the danger zones close to the bus. Together they compensate for the driver's limited direct vision so children near the bus are not missed.

    Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.2.2 (Outside Left and Right Side Flat/Convex Mirrors)Report a problem with this question

12. 12. During a school bus evacuation, when should the driver choose the rear emergency exit instead of the front service door?

    • A.When the front of the bus is blocked, on fire, or the danger is toward the front, so students move away from the hazard✓ Answer
    • B.Only when the bus has fewer than 10 students aboard
    • C.Never; the front door must always be used first
    • D.Always, because the rear exit is closer to most seats

    The choice of exit depends on where the hazard is: the driver directs students out the exit farthest from the danger, so if the front is blocked, on fire, or the collision damage is forward, the rear or side emergency exit is used. The goal is always to move occupants away from the hazard and out through the safest available exit.

    Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.3.9 (Types of Evacuation / Emergency Exits)Report a problem with this question

13. 13. When a school bus is stopped to load or unload and the red flashing lights and stop arm are activated, the driver should proceed only after:

    • A.The last student steps off the bottom step
    • B.Waiting exactly 3 seconds regardless of where the students are
    • C.Confirming with the mirrors that all students are safely away from the bus and out of the danger zone, and that all crossing students have reached their destination✓ Answer
    • D.Any following car flashes its headlights to signal it is safe

    Before moving, the driver must use the mirrors to account for every student, confirming they are all well clear of the bus and out of all danger zones and that any crossing students have safely reached the other side. Moving before accounting for each child is a leading cause of student fatalities at bus stops.

    Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 10.2.4 (Loading and Unloading Procedures)Report a problem with this question

14. 14. On a bus designed to permit standing passengers, what is the purpose of the 2-inch "standee line" on the floor?

    • A.It shows the maximum load line for baggage stored in the aisle
    • B.It marks where passengers should line up to board the bus
    • C.It marks the boundary behind which standing riders must remain, so no one stands forward of the rear of the driver's seat✓ Answer
    • D.It indicates the emergency exit path to the rear door

    Federal rules prohibit any rider from standing forward of the rear of the driver's seat. Buses built to allow standing must have a 2-inch standee line (or equivalent marking) on the floor; all standing riders must stay behind it so they do not block or distract the driver or fall into the entrance stepwell.

    Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 4.1.3 (Standee Line / prohibition on standing forward of the driver's seat)Report a problem with this question

15. 15. A charter bus driver may lawfully transport certain small quantities of hazardous materials. Which of the following is a bus PERMITTED to carry in the space occupied by people?

    • A.Labeled radioactive material
    • B.Division 2.3 poison gas
    • C.Tear gas or other irritating material
    • D.Emergency hospital supplies and small-arms ammunition labeled ORM-D✓ Answer

    The manual lists emergency hospital supplies, drugs, and small-arms ammunition labeled ORM-D as materials a bus may carry. It must NEVER carry, in the space occupied by people, Division 2.3 poison gas, liquid Class 6 (poison) material, tear gas or irritating material, or labeled radioactive material, because a leak or release in an enclosed passenger cabin could injure or kill the riders.

    Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 4.2 (Prohibited Practices / Hazardous Materials permitted and forbidden on buses)Report a problem with this question

16. 16. When approaching a railroad crossing that is not exempt, at what distance must a bus driver stop before the nearest rail?

    • A.At least 100 feet before the nearest rail
    • B.Between 15 and 50 feet before the nearest rail✓ Answer
    • C.Within 5 feet of the nearest rail
    • D.Anywhere before the crossing gate, distance does not matter

    A bus must stop between 15 and 50 feet before the nearest rail at a non-exempt crossing. This range keeps the bus clear of the tracks (overhang) while remaining close enough to see and hear an approaching train; the driver then looks and listens both ways before crossing and does not shift gears while on the tracks.

    Source: AAMVA/FMCSA CDL Manual, Section 4.3 (Railroad-Highway Crossings; stop 15–50 feet before nearest rail)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 →