CDL School Bus Endorsement — All Questions

What is the 'danger zone' around a school bus?

• a.The interior aisle where students stand while boarding
• b.The 50-foot lane reserved for the bus at the curb
• c.Only the space directly behind the rear bumper
• d.The area on all sides of the bus where children are in the most danger of being hit✓

The danger zone is the area on all sides of the bus, extending as much as 30 feet from the front bumper and 10 feet on the other sides, where children are at the greatest risk of being struck. A driver may not be able to see students who are within this zone. Extra caution and mirror checks are essential before moving.

How far in front of the bus should students walk before crossing so the driver can see them?

• a.At least 10 feet✓
• b.About 3 feet
• c.About 6 feet
• d.At least 25 feet

Students should be taught to walk at least 10 feet ahead of the bus (about five giant steps) before crossing so they stay in the driver's line of sight. Walking too close to the front bumper puts the child in a blind spot. The driver should be able to see the student's feet clearly.

The most dangerous part of the school bus route for students is usually:

• a.Getting on and off the bus✓
• b.Sitting at the bus stop bench
• c.Riding inside the bus
• d.Waiting for the bus far from the road

Statistically, students are in the most danger while getting on and off the bus, especially when crossing the road. More students are killed in the loading and unloading zone than inside the bus. This is why danger-zone awareness and proper procedures are heavily emphasized.

When approaching a bus stop, you should activate your alternately flashing amber (yellow) warning lights:

• a.At least 100 to 300 feet before the stop, per state law✓
• b.Just as the door opens
• c.Only after the bus has fully stopped
• d.Only if students are already at the roadside

Amber warning lights should be turned on at least 100 to 300 feet before the stop, depending on your state's law and speed. These lights warn following traffic that you are about to stop. The red flashing lights and stop arm are then activated when the bus is stopped and loading or unloading.

Before students board, the mirrors should be adjusted so that you can see:

• a.Only the interior aisle of the bus
• b.The front bumper, the sides of the bus, and the ground around it✓
• c.Only the traffic approaching from behind
• d.Nothing but the road far ahead

Mirrors must be adjusted so you can see the area around the front and sides of the bus, including the ground where a small child could be crouching. Outside flat and convex mirrors together should let you monitor the danger zones. A proper mirror check before moving can prevent a fatal collision.

The outside left and right flat mirrors are mainly used to monitor:

• a.The dashboard warning gauges
• b.Traffic and the sides and rear of the bus✓
• c.The area directly in front of the bumper
• d.The interior of the passenger compartment

The outside flat mirrors are used to monitor traffic, check clearances, and see students along the sides and to the rear of the bus. They are mounted to give a view down the sides and behind. Convex mirrors, by contrast, are used for a wide-angle view of the danger zones close to the bus.

The convex mirrors on a school bus are used primarily to:

• a.Check tire pressure while driving
• b.Give a wide-angle view of the danger zones and children near the bus✓
• c.See far down the highway behind you
• d.Read the dashboard instruments

Convex mirrors give a wide-angle, close-up view of the sides of the bus and the danger zone areas where children may be present. They make objects appear smaller and farther away than they really are. They are essential for spotting a child close to the bus who would otherwise be hidden.

The crossover mirrors (mounted at the front) are used to see:

• a.The front bumper area and the danger zone directly in front of the bus✓
• b.Your own reflection to check appearance
• c.Overhead traffic signals
• d.The rear license plate

Crossover mirrors are mounted on the front corners of the bus to let the driver see the front bumper area and the danger zone directly in front. This is where a small child crossing could be completely hidden below the windshield. They must be checked before pulling away from any stop.

If a student drops something near the bus while crossing, you should teach them to:

• a.Crawl under the bus to retrieve it
• b.Kick it out of the way toward the curb
• c.Quickly grab it before traffic comes
• d.Leave it and tell the driver, never bend down to pick it up✓

Students should be taught never to stop to pick up a dropped object near the bus, because bending down puts them in the driver's blind spot. Instead they should tell the driver, who can keep them in view or retrieve it safely. Reaching under or near the bus is extremely dangerous.

When students must cross the road after leaving the bus, they should cross:

• a.Diagonally to save time
• b.Only after the bus has driven away
• c.In front of the bus where the driver can see them✓
• d.Behind the bus, out of traffic

Students who must cross should always cross in front of the bus, at least 10 feet ahead, where the driver can see them and control traffic with the stop arm and red lights. Crossing behind the bus hides them from the driver and from traffic. The driver should signal the student when it is safe to cross.

Before allowing students to cross, the driver should:

• a.Check all mirrors and make sure traffic in both directions has stopped✓
• b.Honk the horn twice
• c.Rev the engine to warn traffic
• d.Open the door and look only at the students

The driver must scan all mirrors and confirm that traffic in both directions has come to a complete stop before signaling students to cross. Only when the road is clearly safe should the driver give the crossing signal. The driver keeps students in view the entire time they are crossing.

You should count students at the stop and match them as they board and cross so that:

• a.You know when to refuel
• b.You can adjust the heater
• c.You can bill the school correctly
• d.You account for every student and know none is left in the danger zone✓

Counting the students waiting and confirming each one has boarded or safely crossed ensures no child is left in the danger zone before you pull away. If you counted fewer crossing than expected, a child may still be near the bus. This head-count habit prevents drag-and-run tragedies.

After loading, before you move the bus you should:

• a.Recheck all mirrors, ensure all students are seated, and confirm the danger zone is clear✓
• b.Sound the horn continuously
• c.Immediately accelerate to merge with traffic
• d.Turn off all lights and pull out

Before moving, do a final scan of all mirrors, verify every student is seated, and make sure the danger zone is completely clear of children. Only then release the parking brake and pull away slowly. A child returning for a dropped item is a common cause of loading-zone fatalities.

If you cannot account for a student who got off the bus, you should:

• a.Drive slowly and hope you see them
• b.Back up to look behind the bus
• c.Secure the bus and, if trained procedure allows, get out and check around and under the bus✓
• d.Continue the route and report it later

If a student is unaccounted for, never move the bus. Set the parking brake, secure the bus, and check around and in front of and under the bus following your district's procedure. Moving with a missing student unaccounted for risks running them over.

The red flashing lights and stop arm should be used:

• a.Only in bad weather
• b.At every intersection
• c.When the bus is stopped to load or unload students on a roadway✓
• d.Whenever the bus is moving

Red flashing lights and the extended stop arm are activated when the bus is stopped to load or unload students on the roadway, requiring surrounding traffic to stop. They must not be used as a courtesy or at other times, which would confuse motorists. Follow your state law on when they are required.

You should place the transmission in neutral (or park) and set the parking brake at a stop to:

• a.Prevent the bus from moving while students are loading or unloading✓
• b.Cool the engine faster
• c.Save fuel
• d.Reduce tire wear

Setting the parking brake and putting the transmission in neutral or park prevents any accidental movement while children are in the danger zone. This protects students who are boarding, exiting, or crossing. Relying only on the service brake with your foot is not safe during loading.

When a student is approaching the bus at the stop and is late, you should:

• a.Keep the bus secured and never move until the student is seated and accounted for✓
• b.Close the door and leave to stay on schedule
• c.Slowly roll forward to encourage them to hurry
• d.Wave them across from behind the bus

Never move the bus toward or past a late-arriving student; keep it fully secured until they are safely aboard and seated. Rolling forward can pull a running child under the wheels. Staying on schedule is never worth a student's safety.

The 'unloading' procedure differs from loading mainly because:

• a.Fewer lights are needed
• b.Students may need to cross and leave the danger zone, so you must confirm all are clear before moving✓
• c.Mirrors are unnecessary
• d.The stop arm is not used

During unloading, students exit and some must cross the road, so the critical step is confirming all students have moved out of the danger zone before you drive away. You must watch that every crossing student reaches the far side or curb. A miscount here is a leading cause of student fatalities.

When students are walking to the bus stop along the road, they should walk:

• a.In the middle of the road
• b.With their back to traffic
• c.Directly on the white edge line
• d.Facing traffic where possible and stay well back from the road✓

Students walking to a stop should, where there is no sidewalk, walk facing oncoming traffic and stay as far from the roadway as possible. This lets them see approaching vehicles and react. They should wait for the bus in a safe location back from the traffic lane.

A 'post-trip inspection' of the bus interior is important to:

• a.Adjust the mirrors for tomorrow
• b.Log your mileage
• c.Check fuel level
• d.Make sure no student is sleeping or left behind on the bus✓

A post-trip walk-through of the entire bus ensures no child has fallen asleep or remained on board after the route. Children have died from heat when left on a bus. Checking every seat, front to back, before leaving the vehicle is a required safety habit.

If a vehicle fails to stop for your red flashing lights while students are crossing, you should:

• a.Keep students on the curb or bus and do not signal them to cross until it is safe✓
• b.Assume the driver will stop at the last second
• c.Signal students to hurry across quickly
• d.Sound the horn and wave them across anyway

If traffic does not stop, hold the students, do not release them to cross, and only allow crossing once you are certain all traffic has stopped. Never rely on an approaching vehicle stopping. Note the vehicle's plate to report the violation if you safely can.

The recommended hand signal to a student who needs to cross is given:

• a.Only after you have verified traffic has stopped and it is safe✓
• b.Before checking mirrors
• c.While the bus is still rolling to the stop
• d.As soon as the door opens

The crossing signal is given only after the driver has scanned mirrors, confirmed all traffic has stopped, and determined it is safe to cross. Giving the signal too early can send a child into moving traffic. The driver watches the student until they are safely across.

Loading students takes longer than an ordinary passenger stop mainly because:

• a.Fuel must be checked each time
• b.You must protect children in the danger zone and control surrounding traffic✓
• c.Doors are heavier
• d.Buses have weaker brakes

School bus loading requires extra time to activate warning lights, secure the bus, control traffic, and safely guide children through the danger zone. Rushing any of these steps endangers students. Patience during loading and unloading is a core school-bus safety principle.

To reduce the chance of a student being in a blind spot, you should:

• a.Keep the windows fogged for privacy
• b.Only use the interior mirror
• c.Adjust and use all outside flat, convex, and crossover mirrors together✓
• d.Rely on your memory of where students stood

Using the full mirror system, flat, convex, and crossover, together gives the widest possible coverage of the danger zones and reduces blind spots. No single mirror covers every area around the bus. Regular mirror adjustment and scanning is the driver's best defense against loading-zone accidents.

At a railroad crossing, a school bus must:

• a.Stop only when carrying students
• b.Stop, whether or not it is carrying passengers, unless the crossing is exempt✓
• c.Slow down but may roll through if no train is visible
• d.Never stop, to avoid stalling on the tracks

School buses are required to stop at railroad crossings whether or not students are aboard, except at crossings marked exempt or where a police officer or signal directs otherwise. The driver stops, looks, and listens before proceeding. This rule exists because of the catastrophic consequences of a train collision.

The school bus should stop before a railroad crossing:

• a.Right on the first rail
• b.Within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail✓
• c.At least 100 feet past the tracks
• d.Only at the crossing gate itself

The bus must stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail, where the driver has the best view down the tracks. Stopping too close or on the tracks is dangerous, and stopping too far reduces visibility. From this position the driver looks and listens in both directions.

Before crossing the tracks, the driver should:

• a.Keep the bus in a high gear
• b.Turn up the radio to stay alert
• c.Signal students to stand up
• d.Open the door and window, look and listen in both directions✓

The driver opens the service door and driver's window, then looks and listens carefully in both directions for an approaching train. Reducing interior noise helps the driver hear a train horn. Only when certain no train is coming should the driver proceed.

You should never shift gears while:

• a.Approaching the stop line
• b.The bus is empty
• c.The bus is crossing the railroad tracks✓
• d.Turning on the warning lights

Never change gears while crossing the tracks, because if the bus stalls or hesitates mid-crossing it could be struck by a train. Select a gear before the crossing that will pull you completely across without shifting. Cross steadily and do not stop on the tracks.

You should only start across the tracks if you are sure you can:

• a.Shift into a lower gear on the rails
• b.Beat an approaching train
• c.Completely clear the tracks without stopping✓
• d.Stop halfway if a car cuts in

Never start across until you are certain you can get completely across without stopping. If traffic ahead might force you to stop on the tracks, wait until there is room on the far side for the entire bus. Being trapped on the tracks is a deadly situation.

The distance a fully loaded bus needs to clear the tracks is important because:

• a.It affects fuel economy
• b.A stalled or trapped bus on the tracks can be struck by a train✓
• c.It determines the warning-light timing
• d.It changes the gear ratio

You must be sure there is enough room on the other side for the entire length of the bus before starting across. If the far side is blocked, the bus could become trapped on the tracks. Allow at least the length of the bus plus 15 feet of clearance beyond the far rail.

At an 'exempt' railroad crossing sign, a school bus:

• a.Is not required to stop, but the driver should still be cautious✓
• b.Must reverse and find another route
• c.Must still make a full stop
• d.Must sound the horn continuously

An 'exempt' sign indicates a crossing where a stop is not required, often an abandoned or industrial track. Even so, the driver should slow, look, and remain alert. Local policy may still require caution, and the driver should never assume no train can appear.

If your bus stalls or gets trapped on the tracks with a train coming, you should:

• a.Immediately evacuate everyone and move away from the tracks toward the oncoming train at an angle✓
• b.Call dispatch first, then evacuate
• c.Wait for help to arrive
• d.Stay in the bus and try to restart the engine

If trapped on the tracks with a train approaching, get everyone out and away immediately, moving toward the oncoming train but off to the side at an angle to avoid flying debris after impact. Never stay to restart the bus. Once everyone is at a safe distance, call for help.

When you move toward the oncoming train to evacuate, you angle away from the tracks because:

• a.Debris from the collision will fly forward, away from the train's direction of travel✓
• b.The train crew can see you better
• c.It is the shortest path to the road
• d.Trains stop quickly

You move toward the train but at an angle away from the tracks so that when the train strikes the bus, the debris is thrown forward in the train's direction of travel, away from you. Running away from the train in the same direction it moves would put you in the path of scattering wreckage. This roughly 45-degree angle toward the train is the standard escape direction.

'Storing enough room' at a railroad crossing means:

• a.Room in the aisle for standing students
• b.Keeping fuel in reserve
• c.Leaving space behind you for other buses
• d.Having enough space on the far side to fit the entire bus beyond the tracks✓

Before crossing, confirm there is enough space on the far side for the whole bus to clear the tracks without stopping. If traffic or a signal ahead could force you to halt on the rails, wait behind the crossing. Never enter a crossing you might not be able to exit.

At a crossing with multiple tracks, after one train passes you should:

• a.Speed up to beat any second train
• b.Look again in both directions, as a second train may be coming on another track✓
• c.Cross immediately since the danger is over
• d.Assume all tracks are now clear

A passing train can hide a second train approaching on another track from the opposite direction. After the first train clears, look and listen again before crossing. Never assume the tracks are safe just because one train has gone by.

Placing the transmission in the correct gear before a crossing matters because:

• a.It saves brake wear
• b.It reduces exhaust
• c.It keeps students quiet
• d.You must not shift on the tracks and need a gear that pulls you fully across✓

Choose a gear before starting across that will move the bus completely over the crossing without needing to shift. Shifting on the tracks risks stalling and getting stuck. Manual-transmission drivers especially must plan the gear in advance.

When stopped at a railroad crossing, the bus's hazard warning flashers should generally be:

• a.Replaced by the red student-loading lights
• b.Alternated with the headlights
• c.Turned on to warn traffic behind you that you are stopping✓
• d.Turned off to avoid confusion

Activating the hazard flashers as you slow and stop at a crossing warns following drivers that the bus is stopping, since they may not expect it. Do not use the red student loading lights, which are only for loading and unloading. Follow your state and district policy on flasher use at crossings.

If a railroad crossing gate is down or lights are flashing, you must:

• a.Drive around the gate if no train is visible
• b.Cross quickly before a train arrives
• c.Reverse and find another route immediately
• d.Wait until the gate rises and lights stop before crossing✓

Never drive around a lowered gate or cross while warning lights are flashing; wait until the gate is fully raised and the lights have stopped. Going around a gate is illegal and deadly. Trains can be closer and faster than they appear.

A common misjudgment drivers make at crossings is that:

• a.Trains are slower than they look
• b.Crossing gates always work perfectly
• c.Buses accelerate faster than cars
• d.A train's large size makes it look farther away and slower than it actually is✓

Because of their large size, trains appear to be moving slower and to be farther away than they really are. This optical illusion causes drivers to misjudge the time available to cross. Never try to beat a train; if you see one coming, wait.

The safest practice regarding stopping distance for a train is to remember that a train:

• a.Can stop within a few feet
• b.Cannot stop quickly and may take a mile or more to halt✓
• c.Always sounds its horn in time
• d.Can swerve to avoid the bus

A loaded freight train may need a mile or more to stop, so it cannot stop for a bus on the tracks. The responsibility to stay clear rests entirely with the bus driver. Assume the train cannot and will not stop for you.

After the bus has safely crossed the tracks, the driver should:

• a.Stop just past the rails to check students
• b.Turn on the red loading lights
• c.Continue smoothly and get fully clear of the crossing✓
• d.Reverse to confirm the tracks are clear

Once across, keep moving to get the entire bus completely clear of the crossing and out of any second track's path. Do not stop immediately past the tracks where the rear of the bus could still be in danger. Then resume normal driving.

A driver approaching a railroad crossing should turn off or reduce:

• a.The stop arm
• b.Radios, fans, and other noise so the driver can listen for a train✓
• c.The mirrors
• d.The parking brake

Before a crossing the driver should silence or reduce noise from the radio, fans, and heaters and quiet the students so a train's horn or bell can be heard. Opening the door and window further improves hearing. Listening is a key part of the stop-look-listen routine.

The most important consideration in deciding whether to evacuate the bus is:

• a.Whether the radio is working
• b.Whether staying on the bus or leaving it is safer for the students✓
• c.How close you are to the school
• d.How many students are aboard

The key question in any emergency is whether the students are safer remaining on the bus or evacuating it. In many situations, staying seated on the bus is the safest choice. Evacuation itself carries risk, so it should be chosen only when remaining aboard is more dangerous.

You should evacuate the bus immediately if:

• a.The bus is a few minutes behind schedule
• b.There is a fire or danger of fire, or the bus is in an unsafe position such as on the tracks✓
• c.The heater is not working
• d.A student is talking loudly

Immediate evacuation is required when there is fire or risk of fire, the smell of raw or leaking fuel, the bus is stopped over or near a railroad track, its position may shift and increase danger, or there is a risk of collision. In these cases staying aboard is more dangerous than leaving. In many other situations it is safer to remain on the bus.

In general, if there is no immediate danger, students are usually safest:

• a.Walking down the road for help
• b.Standing outside next to the bus
• c.Remaining on the bus, seated and calm✓
• d.Sitting in the roadway

When there is no fire, hazardous position, or other immediate threat, students are generally safest staying on the bus, which offers protection and keeps them out of traffic. Unnecessary evacuation into a roadway can be more dangerous than the original problem. The driver assesses each situation before ordering an evacuation.

Before evacuating, if time and safety permit, the driver should:

• a.Rearrange the seats
• b.Secure the bus by setting the parking brake, shutting off the engine, and taking the emergency equipment and student roster✓
• c.Restart the engine
• d.Refuel the bus

If circumstances allow, the driver secures the bus by setting the parking brake, turning off the ignition, removing the key, and activating hazard lights, then takes the first-aid kit, fire extinguisher if needed, and student roster. This prevents the bus from moving and helps account for all students. In a sudden fire, however, speed of exit takes priority.

Two mandatory evacuation situations are:

• a.A flat tire and a dead battery
• b.Fire or risk of fire, and the bus stalled on railroad tracks✓
• c.Rain and heavy traffic
• d.A late schedule and a cold cabin

Mandatory evacuations include any fire or danger of fire and any time the bus is stalled on or near railroad tracks. Other mandatory cases are the position of the bus creating a hazard, or the danger of collision. In these the risk of staying aboard clearly outweighs the risk of leaving.

When evacuating, the driver should direct students to a safe location:

• a.Underneath a nearby overpass
• b.Directly behind the rear bumper
• c.Into the nearest ditch regardless of water
• d.At least 100 feet off the road in the direction of oncoming traffic, away from danger✓

Students should be moved to a safe spot at least 100 feet off the road, generally in the direction of oncoming traffic and away from the hazard, and kept together. On railroad tracks they move well away from the tracks. Keeping the group together and clear of traffic prevents further injury.

Appointing student helpers before an emergency is useful because:

• a.Trained older students can help open exits and lead others to safety✓
• b.It replaces the need for the driver to act
• c.It lets the driver leave the scene
• d.It reduces fuel use

Assigning and training responsible older students to help operate emergency exits and lead classmates to the safe area speeds an orderly evacuation. The driver cannot be everywhere at once. Practiced helpers reduce panic and help account for younger children.

The rear emergency exit door should be used when:

• a.The front door is simply more crowded
• b.The front exit is blocked or the situation calls for it, and helpers assist students down✓
• c.You want to save time on a normal stop
• d.It is closer to the school

The rear emergency exit is used when the front service door is blocked or when the emergency dictates, with helpers positioned to assist students to the ground safely. Students should sit and slide or be helped down because the rear exit is high off the ground. Regular evacuation drills teach students to use it correctly.