District of Columbia CDL: Passenger Vehicles Practice Test

Not quite. The answer is While crossing, don't shift gears if your bus has a manual transmission.

You must stop at every railroad crossing except those marked "exempt" or "abandoned." If your bus has a manual transmission, do not shift gears while crossing a raised railroad crossing. Shifting gears on a raised railroad crossing increases the chance that your vehicle will stall and get stuck on the tracks.

Not quite. The answer is 500 pounds

Buses may carry small amounts of certain hazardous materials, such as small-arms ammunition labeled "Limited Quantity," emergency hospital supplies, and drugs. Buses may not carry more than 100 pounds of any hazard class or more than 500 pounds total.

Not quite. The answer is Zero

Federal regulations require all seats to be securely fastened to the bus. Temporary folding seats are not permitted on a bus unless it's carrying agricultural workers on short trips. [49 CFR 393.91],

Source: 29 CFR 500.105

Not quite. The answer is All of the above

Buses may carry small amounts of certain hazardous materials, such as small-arms ammunition labeled "Limited Quantity" (formerly "ORM-D"), emergency hospital supplies, and drugs. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, federal regulation 49 CFR 37.167 allows a passenger with a disability to bring portable oxygen equipment on board for medical use. Extra medical oxygen cylinders can be stowed in a baggage compartment, if they are designed for personal use.

Not quite. The answer is safe for cars in good weather.

Each curve has a safe "design speed," which is its safe speed for cars in good weather. However, at that speed, a bus is more prone to rolling over. And it may not be safe for any vehicles to travel at that speed in bad weather. In particular, a bus could go sliding right off the road. For safety on curves, slow down below the posted speed. If your bus is leaning outward on a banked curve, you are driving too fast.

Not quite. The answer is in front of the standee line.

No rider may stand forward of the rear of the driver’s seat. Buses designed to allow standing must have a two-inch line on the floor or some other means of showing riders where they cannot stand. This is called the standee line. All standing riders must stay behind it.

Not quite. The answer is not shift gears

If your bus has a manual transmission, do not shift gears while crossing a raised railroad crossing. Shifting gears on a raised railroad crossing increases the chance that your vehicle will stall and get stuck on the tracks.

Not quite. The answer is slow down.

You should always be able to stop within the distance you can see ahead. Your low-beam headlights let you see only about 250 feet ahead. At 55 mph, your vehicle will travel 250 feet in just 3.1 seconds – not enough time to notice and safely avoid a hazard that's within 250 feet of you. At 30 mph, your vehicle will travel 250 feet in 5.7 seconds.

Not quite. The answer is must never be left in a doorway or aisle.

Carry-on baggage must not be left in doorways or aisles because someone could trip over it or it could block the way to an emergency exit.

Not quite. The answer is driving safely and transporting passengers safely.

You must have a Passenger (P) endorsement on your CDL to drive a vehicle with 16 or more occupants including yourself. To obtain this endorsement, you must meet several requirements including passing a knowledge test and a skills test in a vehicle that is representative of the class of vehicle you will be driving professionally. The knowledge test covers safe commercial driving and safe transportation of passengers. These subjects are covered in chapters 2 and 4 of the Washington, DC Commercial Driver License Manual. Note: If you plan to drive buses with air brakes, you must also pass a separate knowledge test on air brakes, and the vehicle for the skills test must have air brakes. Otherwise your Washington, DC CDL will include a restriction limiting you to driving vehicles without air brakes.

Not quite. The answer is Whenever you're driving

Always wear your seat belt whenever your bus is in motion. In the event of a crash, your seat belt will keep you from being badly injured or thrown out of your seat, which would result in your losing control of your vehicle.

Not quite. The answer is All of the above

When changing lanes, check your mirrors at each of the following times: (1) before you change lanes, to make sure there is enough room; (2) after you have signaled, to check that no one has moved into your blind spot; (3) right after you start the lane change, to double-check that your path is clear; and (4) after you complete the lane change.

Not quite. The answer is your ability to drive safely is impaired by illness or fatigue.

Federal regulations prohibit you from operating a commercial motor vehicle if your ability to drive safely is impaired for any reason: fatigue, illness, or the side effects of medications you're taking.

Not quite. The answer is All of the above

The North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria includes the following critical inspection items for passenger vehicles, such as buses and passenger vans: (1) All required emergency exits must be present, fully operative, and unobstructed. (2) No passenger seats may be loose. (3) There must be no bare cables exposed in the battery compartment or engine compartment. (In this context, a cable is the power-conveying part of a high-wattage or high-voltage electrical system.) If any of these critical criteria are not met, your bus can be put out of service.

Not quite. The answer is Never

Never drive with an open emergency exit door or window. Keep it closed for your passengers' safety.

Not quite. The answer is All of the above

When arriving at the destination or intermediate stops, announce in a clear voice: the location, the reason for stopping, the next departure time, and the bus number.

Not quite. The answer is all of the above have been checked.

Before driving your passenger vehicle, you must also inspect the interior to ensure passenger safety. Make sure that the aisles and stairwells are clear, all emergency exits are closed and secured, all signaling devices are in working order, and the handles, handholds, and railings are securely fastened.

Not quite. The answer is 15

Under federal regulations, every bus transporting passengers must stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail at a railroad crossing.

Source: 49 CFR 392.10

Not quite. The answer is No, because it may distract the bus driver from driving.

Conversations with passengers represent a distraction from the driving task. The bus driver should avoid all potential distractions while driving the bus. The only real way to treat feelings of sleepiness is with sleep.

Not quite. The answer is 3 seconds

The formula for following distance is one second for every ten feet of vehicle length, plus an extra second if you are traveling over 40 mph. Therefore, for a 30-foot vehicle, you should leave a following distance of at least 30/10 = 3 seconds. Add an extra second (for a total of 4 seconds) if you're traveling over 40 mph.