CDL - Commercial Driver's License School Bus Endorsement S 4 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When securing the emergency door on a school bus during a pre-trip inspection, the driver should verify that the emergency door alarm is ________.
- disabled so it does not distract students
- functional and sounds when the door is opened (Correct answer)
- locked from the outside to prevent tampering
- covered with a protective panel when not in use
Correct answer: functional and sounds when the door is opened
Federal regulations require that school bus emergency door alarms be operational so the driver is immediately alerted if the door is opened while the bus is in motion.
Question 2: Before a school bus driver may move the bus with students on board, the driver must first ________.
- confirm all students are seated and the entry door is closed (Correct answer)
- turn on hazard lights until reaching 25 mph
- notify dispatch of the departure time
- activate the interior lighting system
Correct answer: confirm all students are seated and the entry door is closed
The driver must ensure all passengers are seated and the entry door is fully closed before moving, which is a core safety requirement for student transport.
Question 3: When a school bus driver activates the alternating flashing red lights, other vehicles are required to ________.
- slow to 15 mph and proceed with caution
- stop and remain stopped until the lights are turned off (Correct answer)
- yield only if students are visible outside the bus
- move to the left lane to pass safely
Correct answer: stop and remain stopped until the lights are turned off
Alternating flashing red lights signal that students are loading or unloading; all vehicles in both directions must stop and remain stopped until the lights are deactivated.
Question 4: The danger zone around a school bus is generally defined as the area within ________ feet of the bus in all directions.
- 5
- 10 (Correct answer)
- 15
- 30
Correct answer: 10
The danger zone extends 10 feet around all sides of the school bus, where students are at greatest risk of not being seen by the driver.
Question 5: If a school bus stalls on a railroad crossing with students aboard, the driver should ________.
- keep students seated and wait for the train to pass
- evacuate students and move them away from the tracks at a 45-degree angle (Correct answer)
- send students to the rear of the bus and crouch below the seats
- activate hazard lights and call dispatch before taking any action
Correct answer: evacuate students and move them away from the tracks at a 45-degree angle
When a bus is stalled on railroad tracks, students must be evacuated immediately and moved at a 45-degree angle away from the tracks in the direction of any oncoming train to stay clear of debris.
Question 6: During a school bus pre-trip, a driver checks the tires and finds one steer axle tire has a tread depth of 3/32 of an inch. This tire is ________.
- acceptable; steer axle tires only require 2/32 of an inch
- unacceptable; steer axle tires require a minimum of 4/32 of an inch (Correct answer)
- acceptable as long as there are no visible cuts or bulges
- unacceptable; all school bus tires must be replaced at 6/32 of an inch
Correct answer: unacceptable; steer axle tires require a minimum of 4/32 of an inch
Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations require a minimum tread depth of 4/32 of an inch on steer axle tires, so 3/32 is below the legal limit and the bus must not be driven.
CDL - Commercial Driver's License School Bus Endorsement S 4
When securing the emergency door on a school bus during a pre-trip inspection, the driver should verify that the emergency door alarm is ________.