School Bus Practice Test
The S endorsement is required to drive any school bus. The test covers the unique safety challenges of moving children: the danger zones around the bus, the loading and unloading sequence, use of mirrors and crossover mirrors, mandatory railroad-crossing stops, student management and discipline, evacuation drills, and post-trip checks for sleeping or hidden students. Federal background checks and a passenger (P) endorsement are prerequisites in every state.
How to use this practice bank
Read each question carefully before checking the answer. Most CDL questions are not designed to trick you, but they do test whether you know the specific rule — not just what feels safe. After reading the explanation, try to restate the rule in your own words; if you can, you've internalized it. If you can't, look up the corresponding chapter of your state's CDL handbook before moving on.
Pass scores vary slightly by state, but most jurisdictions require at least 80% correct on each knowledge exam. With 38 questions in this bank you have substantially more practice material than any single sitting of the real exam, which typically contains 20 to 50 questions per endorsement.
All 38 questions in this bank
- #1The most important thing in school bus driving is:
- #2The danger zones around a school bus are:
- #3Students should be instructed to walk a safe distance in front of the bus when crossing the street so the driver can:
- #4Students should board a school bus:
- #5When unloading students, the driver should:
- #6School buses use red flashing lights to signal:
- #7Yellow (amber) warning lights on a school bus indicate:
- #8A 'crossover mirror' on a school bus shows:
- #9The driver should perform a complete walk-around inspection:
- #10When approaching a railroad crossing in a school bus, the driver must:
- #11School bus emergency exits must:
- #12School bus drivers should never back the bus:
- #13The pre-trip inspection of the bus includes:
- #14When a school bus stops to load or unload students on a multi-lane road, traffic in the opposite direction:
- #15The school bus driver's mirrors should:
- #16When students are crossing the street in front of the bus, the driver should:
- #17A school bus driver should be especially aware of:
- #18The proper procedure for evacuating a school bus is to:
- #19School bus drivers must report any accident:
- #20A 'post-trip' inspection of the school bus is important to:
- #21School bus drivers should not allow students to:
- #22A 'student management plan' helps the driver:
- #23When students misbehave on the bus, the driver should:
- #24Speed limits in school zones:
- #25School bus drivers should never:
- #26When a vehicle illegally passes a stopped school bus with red lights flashing, the driver should:
- #27School bus drivers should always check that:
- #28When approaching a stop on a country road, the driver should:
- #29Students should sit:
- #30The 'use of mirrors' on a school bus is critical because:
- #31When a school bus is involved in an accident, the driver should:
- #32School bus drivers should never:
- #33A 'tag-along' adult or aide:
- #34Student passengers must enter or leave the bus only:
- #35When a student is being unruly, the driver may:
- #36School bus drivers should always:
- #37The driver's fitness, training, and licensing for a school bus include:
- #38A school bus driver should always know:
About the School Bus exam
The School Bus knowledge test is a multiple-choice exam administered at every state CDL testing site. The questions on this page are seeded from the AAMVA Commercial Driver License Manual — the same source that state agencies use when writing their official questions — and from the corresponding sections of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Real test questions are randomly selected from a much larger pool, so practice covers the rules and concepts rather than the wording of any one item.
The most efficient way to study is to work through this bank twice. The first pass identifies the rules you do not yet know; the second pass confirms recall. Drivers who have studied for years rarely miss a question, but newcomers should expect to need a week or more of repeated reading and quizzing before sitting the real exam. Combine this site with your state's printed CDL handbook for the most complete preparation.