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California School Bus CDL Practice Test

Free School Bus practice questions tailored for California CDL applicants. The questions follow FMCSA standards used by the California Department of Motor Vehicles.

Why this matters in California

California publishes the Commercial Driver Handbook covering all CDL knowledge topics referenced on the state knowledge exam. If you are pursuing the School Bus portion of the California CDL exam, the California Department of Motor Vehicles will use the same federal core questions you practice here, plus any state-specific items the California Department of Motor Vehicles chooses to include.

What you will learn

The School Bus endorsement allows operation of school buses transporting students. It builds on the Passenger endorsement and adds danger zones, mirror adjustment, loading and unloading procedures, the use of the eight-light warning system, evacuation drills, and emergency egress.

Sample questions

• Q1. The School Bus (S) endorsement requires the driver to also hold the:
• Q2. The 'danger zone' around a school bus is generally:
• Q3. The greatest danger zone is in front of the bus because:
• Q4. Crossover mirrors are designed to show:
• Q5. Before activating the loading lights, the driver should:
• Q6. The eight-light warning system on a school bus typically includes:
• Q7. Amber warning lights should be activated:
• Q8. The stop arm is deployed when:
• Q9. When loading students, the driver should:
• Q10. When students cross the road in front of the bus, the driver should:
• Q11. After unloading, the driver should:
• Q12. A 'student check' or 'walkthrough' at the end of a route ensures:
• Q13. When approaching a railroad crossing, the school bus driver must:
• Q14. When stopped at a railroad crossing, do not:
• Q15. The required distance from the curb when loading or unloading is:
• Q16. A 'red light running' incident is when:
• Q17. A safe loading practice is to have students:
• Q18. When making a right turn at an intersection, the school bus driver should:
• Q19. The driver must enforce student conduct because:
• Q20. A student fight on the bus should be:
• Q21. A bus driver who notices a defect during pre-trip should:
• Q22. The proper sequence for loading at a stop is:
• Q23. When backing a school bus, you should:
• Q24. The fire extinguisher and first aid kit on a school bus must be:
• Q25. When approaching a stop, the driver should look for:

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California test logistics

The California Department of Motor Vehicles charges a permit fee of $45 and a license fee of $92. The minimum age is 18 (intrastate) / 21 (interstate). Schedule your knowledge test through the California Department of Motor Vehicles once you can score above 90% on this site's practice bank.