Inspect your bus at the beginning and the end of each shift.
You should make sure the service brakes, the parking brake, the steering mechanism and the lights and reflectors are in good working condition.
Each handhold and railing, the emergency exit handles and the signaling devices must be in safe working condition before you begin driving your bus.
While driving a bus, you should stop your bus 15 to 50 feet before railroad crossings.
The interlock applies the brakes and holds the throttle in idle position. The interlock releases the brakes when you close the rear door.
You should bring the school bus to a full stop with the front bumper at least 10 ft. away from the designated stop because this allows you to have a better view of the students as they are walking to the bus.
You should turn on the right turn signal indicator 100-300 ft. before pulling over.
When the outside left flat and right mirrors are adjusted properly, you should be able to see 200 ft. behind the bus.
To prevent accidents, tell your students to leave any dropped object, move to a point of safety out of the danger zones and attempt to get your attention to retrieve the object.
You should ensure the outside crossover mirrors are adjusted properly so you can see the right and left front tires touching the ground, the entire area in front of the bus from the front bumper at ground level to a point where direct vision is possible and the area from the front of the bus to the service door.
An active railroad-highway crossing has a traffic control device installed at the crossing.
Recognizing the type of hazard is the first and most important thing you should do during an emergency.
The antilock braking system works in addition to your normal brakes. It does not increase or decrease your normal braking ability. The ABS only activates when the wheels are about to lock. It does not shorten, necessarily, your stopping distance.
It's important to remember ABS will not prevent jackknifes or skids caused by going too fast in a turn or spinning the drive wheels.
The overhead inside rearview mirrors are mounted directly above the windshields on driver's side of buses.
The computerized system that keeps your wheels from locking up during hard brake applications is the antilock braking system (ABS).
Generally, the blind spot behind the bus extends in between 50 to 150 ft.
The Department of Transportation requires that buses built after 2000 are equipped with ABS.
On newer vehicles with ABS, the malfunction lamp comes on at start up for a bulb check and then goes out quickly.
School buses can have up to a 3 foot. tail swing.
If your vehicle's landing gear is power-operated, you will need to check for air or hydraulic leaks.
You need to make sure the electrical lines are not tangled, pinched or dragging against tractor parts.
You should carry fire extinguishers, warning devices for parked vehicles and spare electrical fuses (if the vehicle uses them).
All versions of the Class A Pre-trip inspection test will include an in-cab inspection, an engine start and an inspection of the coupling system.
The minimum tread depth for tires is 4/32 steering axle tires.
