Alabama CDL: School Bus Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is Pull over, secure the bus, and speak to the unruly students respectfully but firmly.

If a serious behavior issue occurs on your bus that can't wait, follow your local school board's procedures for handling such situations. Here are a few general guidelines: Pull over and secure the bus. Take your ignition key with you. Stand up and speak respectfully to the offending students. Speak in a courteous manner with a firm voice. Remind the offending students of the behavior that is expected of them. However, never put a student off the bus except at school or his or her designated bus stop. If you absolutely have to remove the student at another location, call a school administrator or the police to do it.

Not quite. The answer is Firmly tell the students what behavior you expect from them.

If a serious behavior issue occurs on your bus that can't wait, follow your school's procedures for handling such situations. Here are a few general guidelines: Pull over and secure the bus. Take your ignition key with you. Stand up and speak respectfully but firmly to the offending student about the behavior you expect on the bus. If a change of seating is needed, request that the student move to a seat near you. However, never put a student off the bus except at school or his or her designated bus stop. If you absolutely have to remove the student at another location, call a school administrator or the police to do it.

Not quite. The answer is Vehicles and drivers

It is much safer for a student to ride to and from school in a school bus than in a car. Every school bus is designed with numerous safety features, including bright colors, flashing red lights and stop sign arms, multiple mirrors, energy-absorbing seatbacks, and high crush resistance. School bus drivers undergo background checks and are trained with safety in mind.

Source: "School Bus Safety," National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, https://www.nhtsa.gov/road-safety/school-buses

Not quite. The answer is Special, Treat Equally, Attention, Restraints, Different Techniques

You will likely carry at least one student with a disability on your bus during your driving career. Because a bus operator may not even know he/she is transporting a student with a disability, all operators should be aware of the special concerns relating to these passengers. An easy way to remember these special concerns is with the word “START.” S = Special. You should get to know each one and learn their individual traits. Talk with the student, their parents, aides, and teachers to find out important information. The more you know about their needs, the better you can accommodate them. T = Treat Equally. Students with disabilities want to be treated the same as all other students. Although there are many differences, whenever possible, all students should be required to follow the same rules. A = Attention. You must pay specific attention to students with disabilities. Some students will behave poorly in order to get your attention. By paying attention to them when their behavior is appropriate, you may improve their behavior. R = Restraints. Students with physical disabilities often require special seats or restraining devices. If you are driving a bus equipped with these devices, learn to properly secure these students in their seats. Wheelchairs used by students need to be properly tied down. T = Different Techniques. If you are having trouble maintaining control of a student, change your method and try something new. Be sure to ask other drivers or your supervisor for helpful suggestions in working with particular students or situations. Even better, consult a behavioral specialist or school psychologist with expertise in this area.

Not quite. The answer is Do both of the above.

Never leave students outside or inside their home unless a parent or other responsible person is there. Since policies differ from area to area, local school district officials must establish specific procedures to follow when no responsible person is present where the student is to be unloaded.

Not quite. The answer is Call your dispatcher and ask for instructions.

A malfunctioning railroad crossing signal makes it too dangerous to proceed. If a police officer is at the crossing, follow the officer's directions. Otherwise, call your dispatcher, let them know about it, and ask for instructions.

Not quite. The answer is Type D

The Type D school bus is often called transit style, because it resembles a transit bus. The body is constructed upon a stripped chassis. The engine can be forward, next to the driver's seat; or it can be placed in the rear. Note that the passenger entrance door and the driver's position are forward of the front wheels. This can affect how you steer the bus.

Not quite. The answer is Tornado

In most extreme situations, it is safer for the students to remain inside the bus – but not in the case of a tornado. First, you can't hope to outrun a tornado. The tornado can skip from one point and touch down at another point unpredictably. Second, the tornado can destroy much of what lies in its path. Therefore, when a tornado is around, evacuate the school bus, and get everyone to shelter in the basement or other safe room of a nearby building. If no such shelter is available, get the students into a ditch or ravine (but not underneath a bridge or overpass), and instruct them to lie face down with their hands over their head. In the extremely unlikely event that lightning hits your school bus, it should pass around the metal exterior of the bus. However, stay off the radio. Lightning can travel down antennas and through electronic gear. Have your students stay inside the bus, and stay away from the sides of the bus.

Not quite. The answer is Secure the bus.

After you've determined the need to evacuate and decided on the type of evacuation, you must secure the bus to keep it from moving. Put the transmission in Park (or Neutral if there is no Park shift point). Set the parking brakes, turn off the engine, and remove the ignition key. Also activate the hazard warning lights.

Not quite. The answer is tell the students to remain seated until you signal them to exit.

When unloading the bus at school, secure the bus, tell the students to remain seated until you signal them to exit, and position yourself to supervise unloading. Only then should you signal the students to start exiting the bus in an orderly manner under your supervision. Count the students as they exit the bus.

Not quite. The answer is Call your dispatcher and follow local procedures.

If you have missed a student’s unloading stop, do not back up. Follow your district's local procedures for missed stops. Call your dispatcher for instructions. Never change the location of a bus stop without approval of the dispatcher.

Not quite. The answer is 400 feet

The blind spot behind a school bus usually extends 50 to 150 feet behind the bus, but it can extend up to 400 feet, depending on the length and width of the bus.

Not quite. The answer is only with the written approval of the school district.

Each school district establishes official routes and official school bus stops. Never change the location of a bus stop without written approval from the appropriate school district official.

Not quite. The answer is 70

Statistically, children are 70 times safer, riding in a school bus to school than riding in a car. School buses are designed to be highly visible, and they have high crush standards and rollover protection features built in. Children are at the greatest risk of an accident when they are entering or leaving the bus.

Not quite. The answer is both of the above.

The outside left and right side convex mirrors should be positioned so you can see the left and right sides of the bus up to the mirror mounts, at least one lane of traffic on each side, and the front of the rear tires touching the ground. However, bear in mind that convex mirrors can make objects look smaller and farther away than they really are.

Not quite. The answer is 30 feet

While the first 10 feet in front of a school bus are the most dangerous, the front danger zone can extend up to 30 feet in front, depending on the size and shape of the bus.

Not quite. The answer is in a lightning storm

Even if lightning hits a school bus, the lightning will pass around it to ground rather than inside it. The metal frame of the bus will act as an electrical conductor. If your bus catches fire, is stalled on a railroad track, or is in the path of a tornado, you must evacuate the bus for the students' safety.

Not quite. The answer is Swaying your body to see around obstructions

A vehicle's pillars help hold up the roof and maintain structural integrity of the vehicle. The pillars on a bus can be quite wide. Together with the side mirrors, they create obstructions to your vision that can be at least a foot wide, resulting in blind spots. A pedestrian (or even a small vehicle) can seem to disappear completely behind a pillar, which can be especially dangerous if you turn into the pedestrian's path. For this reason, your bus driving instructor may teach you to "rock and roll" when turning your bus: sway your body forward and backward and from side to side to help you see around the pillars and mirrors.

Not quite. The answer is do any of the above.

In case of emergency, use your CB radio to contact the dispatch office of your location, conditions and type of assistance needed. If there is no radio or the radio is inoperable, dispatch a passing motorist or area resident to call for help. As a last resort, dispatch two older, responsible students to go for help.

Not quite. The answer is a railroad crossing that has a traffic control device.

Unlike a passive railroad crossing, an active railroad crossing is controlled by a traffic control device such as some combination of bells, gates, or flashing red lights.