Bus Class

Which of these groups is responsible for funding most of the costs of transporting students?

A. South Carolina General Assembly
B. South Carolina Department of Public Safety
C. Local school districts
D. School district transportation departments

A. South Carolina General Assembly

Which of these groups is responsible for the safe transportation of students?
A. South Carolina General Assembly
B. Local school districts
C. South Carolina Department of Education
D. South Carolina Department of Public Safety
E. All of the above

Which of these groups is most responsible for ensuring a safe loading and unloading area for students at school?
A. School district transportation directors
B. School principals
C. School bus drivers
D. South Carolina Department of Public Safety

B. School principals

Which of these groups is responsible for mapping bus routes and hiring and training bus drivers?
A. South Carolina Department of Public Safety
B. School principals
C. School district transportation departments
D. South Carolina General Assembly

C. School district transportation departments

Which of these groups is responsible for reporting overgrowth of trees along the bus route during the school year?
A. School bus drivers
B. Law enforcement officers
C. School district transportation officials
D. Parents

A. School bus drivers

Which of the following is NOT a requirement to drive a school bus in this state?
A. Be at least eighteen years old
B. Meet height and weight requirements.
C. Pass tests to show can drive a bus
D. Agree to be tested at random for drugs and alcohol

B. Meet height and weight requirements.

Which of the following are required to keep your school bus driving privileges?
A. Maintain a valid driver’s license to operate a school bus type vehicle
B. Report any conviction of a traffic violation to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your school bus supervisor
C. Pass random tests for drug and alcohol use
D. All of the above.

D. All of the above.

Individuals who will operate a full-functional school bus to transport public school children to and from school or who will operate a multi-functional school activity bus to transport public school students on field trips are required to complete the SCDE School Bus Driver Training Program.

TRUE: Individuals must complete training to operate a school bus.

You are not required to complete annual school bus training to maintain your SCDE School Bus Driver Certification.

FALSE: Annual training is mandatory to maintain certification.

School bus inspections are important…

to protect students’ health
to reduce possibility of accidents
to prolong the life of the bus
Protect, reduce, prolong.

Three reasons to inspect the bus before, during, after operation

to comply with state regulations
to prevent breakdowns
to prolong the life of the bus

Comply, prevent, prolong

Listen for…

engine knocking, clicking, tapping; squeals; loud exhaust; engine backfiring, missing or popping

Look for:

gauges, excessive smoke from exhaust, smoke from hood, smoke from dash, smoke or fire from tires (SMOKE)

Feel for…

Excessive vibrations, shimmy, hard steering or steering wander, change in pedal tension

Smell for..

fuel, burning rubber, burning oil, exhaust fumes

Number the steps 1-5 for the order of actions you should take in securing the bus to leave it unattended.

Take the key with you
Set the parking brake
Turn the ignition off
Put the bus in neutral
Drain the air tank

1. Set the parking brake

2. Put the bus in neutral

3. Turn the ignition off

4. Take the key with you

5. Drain the air tank

If during the pre-trip, during-trip, or post-trip inspection you discover a problem that makes the bus unsafe to drive, what should you do?

Notify your supervisor immediately. DO NOT DRIVE THE BUS

If you discover a minor problem while conducting your inspections, what should you do?

If the problem does not require a service call, you should fill out the form to turn in to your supervisor. Once it is fixed, maintenance will sign the form and return.

You are required to check your bus at the end of the trip for students or other passengers who may still be on board.

TRUE

You don’t have to drain the air from your bus if you will only be inside the school for a few minutes to talk with your child’s teacher.

FALSE: You are required to drain ALL of the air from the braking system at ANY TIME you leave it unattended.

You discover a broken side window on your bus during you post-trip inspection following your afternoon route, so you put in a maintenance request. You will be able to drive the bus the next morning, even if the window has not been repaired.

FALSE

If your mirrors are properly adjusted, you will be able to see directly in front of the bumper

True

If your mirrors are properly adjusted, you will be able to see object 200 feet behind the bus.

True

Studies have shown that most mirrors are adjusted by the factory to meet the federal standard and should not be changed.

False: Mirrors should be adjusted as mirrors are subjective to driver.

The crossover convex mirrors should be adjusted so that the driver can see that the eight light warning system is working properly.

False: these mirrors should never point upward, but should be adjusted so that the driver can see the front bumper and the road in front of bus.

Young children who wear neutral colors present a special danger to bus drivers.

True: They are harder to see

Poor depth perception
A. gets worse with age.
B. can cause you to misjudge the speed of another vehicle.
C. causes problems at intersections and railroad crossings.
D. requires drivers to use reference points.
E. all of the above.

E. All of the above

What is the one action the driver must always repeat at least twice before putting the bus in motion?
A. check emergency brakes
B. check hazard lights
C. check student-loading signals
D. check mirrors

D. check mirrors

Joan is going 45 mph when she sees a car stop in front of her. It takes her several seconds to stop her bus. Most likely the delay in stopping is caused by

A. the time it takes Joan to see, react, and apply the brakes
B. Joan’s lack of training to stop quickly.
C. Joan’s speeding in a school zone.
D. brakes that need to be adjusted.

A. the time it takes Joan to see, react, and apply the brakes

The driver should be able to estimate a length of 100 feet because
A. the bus needs 100 feet to stop if it is going 55 mph.
B. the four-way hazard lights should be applied at least 100 to 300 feet before stopping for a railroad crossing or before stopping to back.
C. turn signals should be applied at least 100 to 300 feet before the turn.
D. both B and C.

D. both B and C.

The brakes should be lightly tapped to
A. warn other drivers that you are planning to slow down or stop. B. test the brakes to see if the air pressure is at the appropriate level.
C. warn other drivers that students are boarding the bus.
D. all of the above.

A. warn other drivers that you are planning to slow down or stop.

When making a left turn with two lanes for vehicles turning left, you should usually turn from the
A. left-most turning lane.
B. right-most turning lane

B. right-most turning lane

When making a right turn you must avoid
A. turning wide as you go into the turn.
B. using the right side mirror.
C. pulling into the right-most lane.
D. turning wide as you complete the turn.

A. turning wide as you go into the turn

When following another vehicle on the open road, your following distance should be
A. at least 100 feet behind a bus and 300 feet behind a car.
B. so that you can see where the rear tires of the other vehicle meet the road.
C. 100 feet.
D. at least 300 feet behind a bus and at least the distance you will travel in 4 seconds behind a car.

D. at least 300 feet behind a bus and at least the distance you will travel in 4 seconds behind a car.

How far should you look ahead when driving on the open road?
A. the distance you will travel in 12 to 15 seconds
B. about a quarter of a mile
C. the distance you will travel in 6 to 9 seconds
D. both A and B.

D. both A and B

If there are two turning left lanes, and you are turning left, you need to use…

the far-right turning lane to go into the far-right receiving lane

If you are making a left turn with only one turning lane, you need to

turn left into the lane closest to you.

If you are turning left turn onto a four way, you need to

turn into the lane closest to you

If you are making a left turn with only one lane into a two lane, you need to

turn into the lane closest to you

If you are turning from a four lane onto another four lane, you need to

use the far right turning lane, then turn into the same lane (2nd to 2nd)

If you are making a right turn from a single lane onto a two lane, you need to

turn into the lane furthest from you.

If you are making a right turn from a two lane onto another two lane, you need to

turn from the far right turning lane into the far left

If you are turning right from a two lane onto a four lane, you need to

turn into second land

Depending on the manufacturer’s specifications, the low air pressure warning system (red light and buzzer) will activate when the psi drops below
A. 60 psi.
B. 100 psi.
C. 40 psi.
D. 20 psi.

A. 60 psi.

If the low aur pressure warning system activates when the psi drops below 60m you need to

stop quickly and safely

If the low air pressure warning should come on, you
A. can proceed with your run because the second system will operate until the brakes are serviced.
B. should use your parking brake to stop immediately.
C. should allow the emergency braking system to stop the bus for you.
D. none of the above.
E. only B and C

D. none of the above (immediately stop the bus and safely pull over.)

Emergency brakes on a bus with air brakes are activated by the A. loss of air pressure.
B. driver’s pushing a knob.
C. service brake pedal.
D. hydraulic pressure

A. loss of air pressure.

The service brakes are activated by the
A. emergency braking system.
B. driver pushing a knob on the dashboard.
C. driver pressing on the brake pedal with his or her foot. Just like in your car, you push down on the brake pedal to slow or stop.
D. parking brake lever.

C. driver pressing on the brake pedal with his or her foot

Depending on the manufacturer’s specifications, the emergency braking system will stop the bus when the air pressure
A. drops below 60 psi.
B. builds past 125 psi.
C. warning light comes on.
D. drops between 20 and 45 psi.

D. drops between 20 and 45 psi.

Controlled braking means that the driver
A. uses low gears to control the speed of the bus going down steep hills.
B. applies the brakes all the way without locking the wheels, if the wheels lock, then reapplies the brakes as soon as possible.
C. controls both the speed and direction of the bus by using strong pressure on the pedal.
D. applies the brakes all the way and releases them when the wheels lock up.

B. applies the brakes all the way without locking the wheels, if the wheels lock, then reapplies the brakes as soon as possible.

All vehicles with air brakes have these three systems:
A. emergency brakes, parking brakes, and service brakes.
B. S-cam brakes, spring brakes, and emergency brakes.
C. parking brakes, brake pedal, and service brakes.
D. brake pedal, dual emergency brakes, and alcohol evaporators.

A. emergency brakes, parking brakes, and service brakes

When the air pressure warning light comes on, the driver should A. deploy the emergency brake system and find a safe place to stop.
B. use the service brakes to stop immediately in a safe area.
C. use the parking brake and brake pedal to stop the bus in a safe place.
D. use a low gear, pump the brakes to increase pressure, and turn on the four-way flashers.

B. use the service brakes to stop immediately in a safe area.

Joan is driving her bus on a city street when the air pressure warning system activates. She is only a few minutes from the school, so she continues driving. As the air pressure continues to drop, Joan knows that
A. the bus will stop immediately and suddenly, even if she does not want it to stop.
B. she must call maintenance before starting a new run, to have them pump in more air pressure.
C. she will have to use her parking brakes to stop if the service brakes stop working.
D. she will have enough pressure to make it to the school, but she must have the brakes repaired then.

A. the bus will stop immediately and suddenly, even if she does not want it to stop.

Ralph’s school bus has air brakes. According to state policy, how often will Ralph need to drain the air tanks?
A. whenever the alcohol level gets too low
B. only when the temperature might drop to freezing or below
C. whenever his bus is parked and left unattended
D. under normal driving conditions in moderate weather, the maintenance department will drain the tanks

C. whenever his bus is parked and left unattended

Depending on the bus manufacturer’s specifications, at what amounts of air pressure does the air compressor go on and off if the governor is working correctly?
A. between 60 and 100 psi
B. between 20 and 40 psi
C. between 100 and 140 psi.
D. between 150 and 160 psi

C. between 100 and 140 psi

Which of the following statements is true about drinking alcohol? A. Younger men and women are less affected by alcohol than people in their 50s and 60s.
B. A cup of coffee after late-night drinking will help sober up a person for driving.
C. A couple of beers have about the same effect as a couple of shots of whiskey.
D. all of the above

C. a couple of beers have about the same effect as a couple of shots of whiskey.

What is the best way to handle tailgaters?
A. Tap lightly on your brake pedal to warn them.
B. Speed up slightly so you can put distance between you and the other vehicle.
C. Slow down so you can increase your following distance.
D. Pull off the road and let faster vehicles pass you.

C. Slow down so you can increase your following distance

Which of the following statements is true about driving and weather?
A. On a wet road, you should reduce your speed by one-third.
B. On a snow-filled road, you should reduce your speed by half. C. When the road is icy, you will likely have difficulty taking off, steering, and stopping.
D. all of the above.

D. all of the above

When driving down a long, steep road you should always
A. reduce your speed by half.
B. use the braking effect of the engine.
C. shift to a low gear if you are going too fast.
D. use steady pressure on the brake pedal.

B. use the braking effect of the engine.

When driving at night you should
A. drive with your headlights on low beam to reduce the glare.
B. keep your eyes focused on the right edge of the road.
C. drive with high beam headlights anytime it is legal and safe.
D. keep your dashboard lights as bright as you can.

C. drive with high beam headlights anytime it is legal and safe.

Which of the following might cause your bus to hydroplane?
A. driving too fast for conditions
B. underinflated tires
C. tires that have very little tread
D. all of the above.

D. all of the above

You are driving at night with your headlights on low beam. You can see about 200 feet ahead. You should drive no faster than
A. the speed that will allow you to stop within 200 feet.
B. the speed limit.
C. ten miles under the speed limit.
D. the speed that will allow you to stop within 100 feet

A. the speed that will allow you to stop within 200 feet.

Brake fade is
A. the time between when you decide to stop and the actual stop. B. when you have to apply more and more pressure to the pedal to get the same braking power.
C. lack of braking power due to loss of brake compressor.
D. brakes losing their ability to stop because the brake drum needs tightening.

B. when you have to apply more and more pressure to the pedal to get the same braking power.

You are crossing an overpass, hit ice, and the rear end of your bus starts skidding toward the left lane. What should you do?
A. Lightly apply brakes and hold the steering wheel tightly.
B. Take your foot off the accelerator and turn the steering wheel clockwise.
C. Turn the steering wheel left, counter steer as needed, and keep your foot off the accelerator and brake.
D. Turn your steering wheel left and speed up slightly.

C. Turn the steering wheel left, counter steer as needed, and keep your foot off the accelerator and brake.

Which is the slickest road surface?
A. a surface with wet ice or wet snow.
B. a paved surface with heavy rainfall
C. a surface with dry, packed snow
D. a surface with dry ice

A. a surface with wet ice or wet snow.

Your bus is stopped at a red light when you hear an EMS siren. The light turns green. You may proceed through the intersection A. immediately, as long as you do not see the EMS vehicle.
B. if a police officer signals you to do so.
C. once the EMS vehicle has passed through the intersection and you see that the way is clear.
D. both B and C

D. both B and C

It’s okay to use your cell phone while driving a bus as long as no students are on board.

False: it is illegal and unsafe to use your phone period.

You can use tobacco products on the bus as long as there are no students on board

False: using tobacco products is prohibited on the bus at all times.

Transporting aerosol products or flammable liquids on the bus is okay as long as you remove them when you park the bus.

False: What?

Select the best answer. The reflective triangles should be used only
A. at night or during foggy, snowy, or rainy weather.
B. if the bus must stop on a hill or curve.
C. when the bus must stop on the roadway.
D. any time passing motorists need to be warned of potential danger from your stopped bus.

D. any time passing motorists need to be warned of potential danger from your stopped bus.

Beginning with the first thing that should be done, number the following steps in the order they should happen in the event of a mechanical breakdown on the way home from school:

If possible, place reflective triangles to warn other motorists.

Secure the bus.

Finish your route as soon as the bus is replaced or repaired.

Call or radio the appropriate transportation official to report the breakdown and your location.

3

1

4

2

Where to put reflective triangles on a single lane?

100 feet and 10 feet behind; 100 feet in front.

Where to put reflective cones on a two lane?

200 feet, 100 feet, 10 feet behind.

Where to put reflective cones if on a hill?

100-500 feet behind, 10 feet behind; 100 feet in front

Where to put reflective cones if on a curve?

100-500 feet behind the bus, 10 feet behind; 100 feet in front

Your air brakes warning alarm sounds. You should
A. apply the service brakes and find a place to stop immediately.
B. downshift to low gear, pump the brakes, and apply the emergency brakes.
C. grip the steering wheel, apply the emergency brakes, and try to get off the road.
D. give your emergency signal, try to find something soft to run into, and get off the road quickly.

A. apply the service brakes and find a place to stop immediately.

Your accelerator sticks even after you tap it with your foot. You must next
A. pump your brakes, turn off your ignition, and find a safe place to stop.
B. apply your hazard lights, turn on the right turn signal, and grip the steering wheel.
C. apply your service brakes, then your emergency brakes, and switch to neutral.
D. shift to neutral, apply your brakes, and find a safe place to stop.

D. shift to neutral, apply your brakes, and find a safe place to stop.

A rear tire blows out, causing the bus to sway. You must
A. apply your brakes firmly, give your turn signal, and find a safe place to stop.
B. grip the steering wheel firmly and stop immediately, using your service brakes.
C. turn on your hazard lights, give your right turn signal, and use the emergency brake to stop.
D. grip the steering wheel, step on the accelerator until you get the bus under control, and stop.

D. grip the steering wheel, step on the acceleratory until you get the bus under control, and stop.

If the front of the bus under the hood appears to be on fire, you must stop, secure the bus, and
A. evacuate all students, using the side or rear emergency doors.
B. evacuate all students, using all emergency exits.
C. first wait to see if the fire goes out when you cut the engine off; if not, evacuate students as quickly as possible.
D. use the fire extinguisher as the students are evacuating the bus.

A. evacuate all students, using the side or rear emergency doors.