School Bus Practice Test
Required to drive a school bus. Danger zones, the loading and unloading sequence, the eight-light warning system, evacuation, and the mandatory stop at every railroad crossing.
This is the S endorsement knowledge test. Passing it adds S to your commercial licence.
Do you need this test?
Optional — you only need it if you will actually be driving this way. Every CDL applicant takes the general knowledge test first.
Prerequisite: you need Passenger Transport before this one.
Entry-Level Driver Training is required first. Federal rules make ELDT theory training mandatory before you may take this knowledge test for the first time. It has to come from a provider listed on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry. Practising here does not satisfy that requirement — it prepares you for the test itself.
Practice now
Study the material, not just the questions
Protect students in the danger zone, at the stop, and at railroad crossings.
Open the School Bus moduleThe other tests you'll need
- General Knowledge — 50 questions · 80% to pass
- Air Brakes — 25 questions · 80% to pass
- Combination Vehicles — 20 questions · 80% to pass
- Hazardous Materials — 30 questions · 80% to pass
- Tank Vehicles — 20 questions · 80% to pass
- Doubles and Triples — 20 questions · 80% to pass
- Passenger Transport — 20 questions · 80% to pass
- LCV Doubles — 30 questions · 80% to pass
- LCV Triples — 30 questions · 80% to pass
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Sample School Bus questions
When should the outside mirrors on a school bus be checked and adjusted?
- A. Only after a passenger complains
- B. Before each trip, with the bus properly parked
- C. Once a month during servicing
- D. While driving between the first two stops
Show answer
B. Before each trip, with the bus properly parked — Mirror adjustment is part of the pre-trip inspection and must be done before the route begins, because a mirror set wrong hides the exact area where a child is most likely to be.
Universal rule · checked against FMCSA Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 10.1: Danger Zones and Use of Mirrors · verified 2026-07-29
How far from the bus should students stand while waiting at a school bus stop?
- A. On the roadway beside the front wheel
- B. Directly against the service door
- C. Within arm's reach of the front bumper
- D. At least 10 feet, out of the danger zone
Show answer
D. At least 10 feet, out of the danger zone — Keeping students at least 10 feet back puts them outside the danger zone and inside the driver's field of vision while the bus is arriving.
Universal rule · checked against FMCSA Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 10.2: Loading and Unloading · verified 2026-07-29
When must a school bus driver perform a post-trip inspection of the interior?
- A. Only before the annual state inspection
- B. Only on the last route of the week
- C. Only when a parent reports a lost item
- D. At the end of every route, checking every seat
Show answer
D. At the end of every route, checking every seat — Walking the aisle after every route catches a sleeping or hiding child before the bus is parked and locked, which is why the check is required each time.
Universal rule · checked against FMCSA Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 10.2: Loading and Unloading · verified 2026-07-29
Before crossing railroad tracks, a school bus driver should open the door and window in order to:
- A. Signal following drivers to wait
- B. Let fresh air into the bus
- C. Listen for an approaching train
- D. Check the outside temperature
Show answer
C. Listen for an approaching train — Opening the service door and driver window removes the engine and cabin noise that can mask a horn, so the driver hears as well as sees down the track.
Universal rule · checked against FMCSA Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 10.4: Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings · verified 2026-07-29
What is the best way for a driver to prevent most student behaviour problems?
- A. Keep the interior lights off during the route
- B. Assign every student a seat at the rear
- C. Set clear expectations at the start of the year
- D. Play music loudly to cover conversation
Show answer
C. Set clear expectations at the start of the year — Students who know the rules and the consequences from day one create far fewer incidents than any correction applied after a problem develops.
Universal rule · checked against FMCSA Commercial Driver License Manual — Section 10.5: Student Management · verified 2026-07-29
Frequently asked questions
How many questions are on the School Bus test?
20 multiple-choice questions, and you need 80% correct — so you can miss 4. The federal standard is consistent across nearly every state.
Do I need ELDT training for the School Bus endorsement?
Yes, if this is your first time getting it. Federal rules require entry-level driver training theory from a provider on the FMCSA Training Provider Registry before you can take the knowledge test. Practising here prepares you for the test; it does not replace that training.
Is this School Bus practice test free?
Yes. Every practice test here and everything in the DMV Prep app is free — no ads, no paywall, no account.
Where do these questions come from?
The FMCSA Commercial Driver's License Manual and 49 CFR. Every question carries its citation, which you can open from the answer explanation.
