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Passenger bus: license, pre-trip and after-trip inspection

Passenger (P)4 minManual section 4, 4.1, 4.4

A bus carries people, not boxes. Before you move, you must prove the bus is safe for them, and at the end of your shift you must report anything that broke. This lesson covers who needs the passenger endorsement and every item the test expects you to check.

Who needs a CDL and the P endorsement

You need a CDL to drive a bus that is designed to seat 16 or more people, counting the driver.

You also need the passenger endorsement (the letter P on your license). To get it you pass a knowledge test on Section 2 (general knowledge) and Section 4 (transporting passengers).

  • If the bus has air brakes, you must also pass the air brakes knowledge test (Section 5).
  • You must also pass the skills tests for the class of vehicle you will drive (Class A, B or C).

Start with the last driver's report

Before driving, read the inspection report the previous driver made. It tells you what problems were found.

Sign that report only if each defect listed has been certified as repaired, or certified as not needing repair. Your signature is your certification that the earlier defects were taken care of. If you sign without checking, you take responsibility for a bus that may still be unsafe.

Vehicle systems to check

Make sure each of these works correctly before you drive:

  • Service brakes, including the air hose couplings if the bus pulls a trailer or semitrailer.
  • Parking brake and steering mechanism.
  • Lights and reflectors, horn, windshield wiper(s) and rear-vision mirror(s).
  • Tires: the front wheels must not have recapped or regrooved tires. A front tire failure makes steering very hard, so front tires must be original tread.
  • Wheels and rims, and coupling devices if the bus has them.
  • Emergency equipment (see next part).

Emergency equipment

The law requires the bus to carry:

  • A fire extinguisher.
  • Emergency reflectors: 3 reflective triangles, or at least 6 fuses, or 3 liquid-burning flares.
  • Spare electrical fuses, unless the bus uses circuit breakers instead of fuses.

Doors, panels, interior and roof hatches

Outside: as you walk around, close any open emergency exits and any open access panels (baggage, restroom service, engine and so on) before driving.

Inside: people sometimes damage a bus that is left unattended, so always check the interior before you drive. Aisles and stairwells must be clear. These must be in safe working condition:

  • Every handhold and railing, and the floor covering.
  • Signaling devices, such as the restroom emergency buzzer on buses that have a restroom.
  • Emergency exit handles.
  • Seats: safe for riders and securely fastened to the bus.

Never drive with an emergency exit door or window open. The “Emergency Exit” sign on each emergency door must be easy to see. A red emergency door light, if fitted, must work; switch it on at night and whenever your outside lights are on.

Roof hatches: you may lock some emergency roof hatches partly open for fresh air, but do not leave them open as a regular practice. Remember that an open hatch makes the bus taller, so watch your overhead clearance.

Seat belt: the driver's seat should have a seat belt. Always wear it.

After-trip inspection

Inspect your bus at the end of each shift.

If you work for an interstate carrier, you must fill out a written inspection report for each bus you drove. The report must name each bus and list every defect that would affect safety or cause a breakdown. If there are no defects, the report must say so.

Riders sometimes break safety parts such as handholds, seats, emergency exits and windows. When you report the damage at the end of your shift, mechanics can fix it before the bus goes out again.

Mass transit drivers should also check that the passenger signaling devices and the brake-door interlocks work correctly.

References and scope

The topic reference is listed below. Sources support verification; the lesson itself is here. The current content needs technical and language review before public launch.

Manual reference: 4, 4.1, 4.4

Official CDL handbook · Utah ↗StatesOur editorial approach

Put it into practice

Educational questions with explanations. The answer review also works without the interactive quiz.

Preparing your questions…

Review questions with answers

  1. You need a CDL to drive a bus designed to seat how many people?
    1. 10 or more, not counting the driver
    2. 16 or more, including the driver
    3. 20 or more, including the driver
    4. 24 or more passengers
    Show answer
    16 or more, including the driver

    A bus designed for 16 or more people, counting the driver, requires a CDL.

  2. To get the passenger endorsement, you must pass a knowledge test on which manual sections?
    1. Sections 1 and 3
    2. Section 4 only
    3. Sections 5 and 6
    4. Sections 2 and 4
    Show answer
    Sections 2 and 4

    The P endorsement knowledge test covers general knowledge (Section 2) and transporting passengers (Section 4).

  3. If your bus has air brakes, what else must you pass besides the passenger tests?
    1. The air brakes knowledge test
    2. The hazardous materials test
    3. The doubles/triples test
    4. The tank vehicle test
    Show answer
    The air brakes knowledge test

    A bus with air brakes also requires passing the air brakes knowledge test.

  4. When should you sign the previous driver's inspection report?
    1. Always, before every trip
    2. Only if you plan to drive more than 100 miles
    3. Only if the listed defects were certified as repaired or not needing repair
    4. Never; only mechanics sign it
    Show answer
    Only if the listed defects were certified as repaired or not needing repair

    Your signature certifies that earlier defects were fixed or found not to need repair.

  5. Which tires are NOT allowed on the front wheels of a bus?
    1. Radial tires
    2. Recapped or regrooved tires
    3. Tires with tubes
    4. Tires with more than 4/32 inch tread
    Show answer
    Recapped or regrooved tires

    The front wheels of a bus must not have recapped or regrooved tires.

  6. Which set of emergency warning devices meets the bus requirement?
    1. 2 reflective triangles
    2. 4 fuses
    3. 3 liquid-burning flares
    4. 1 triangle and 2 fuses
    Show answer
    3 liquid-burning flares

    Acceptable choices are 3 reflective triangles, at least 6 fuses, or 3 liquid-burning flares.

  7. A bus must carry spare electrical fuses unless it:
    1. Uses circuit breakers
    2. Has a fire extinguisher
    3. Has LED lights
    4. Is less than 5 years old
    Show answer
    Uses circuit breakers

    Spare fuses are required unless the bus is equipped with circuit breakers.

  8. Air hose couplings must be checked during a bus inspection when:
    1. The bus has hydraulic brakes
    2. The trip is longer than 2 hours
    3. It is below freezing
    4. The bus pulls a trailer or semitrailer
    Show answer
    The bus pulls a trailer or semitrailer

    Service brake checks include the air hose couplings if the bus has a trailer or semitrailer.

  9. As you check the outside of the bus, what should you do with open access panels (baggage, restroom service, engine)?
    1. Leave them open to cool the engine
    2. Close them before driving
    3. Open them all for the next driver
    4. Only close the engine panel
    Show answer
    Close them before driving

    Close any open emergency exits and access panels before driving.

  10. Why should you always check the inside of a bus before driving?
    1. To count the seats for the logbook
    2. To set the heater
    3. People sometimes damage unattended buses
    4. Federal law requires a 30-minute interior check
    Show answer
    People sometimes damage unattended buses

    Unattended buses are sometimes damaged, so check the interior for rider safety.

  11. Which of these is part of the bus interior inspection?
    1. Handholds, railings and floor covering
    2. Fifth wheel locking jaws
    3. Cargo tie-downs on the roof
    4. Trailer landing gear
    Show answer
    Handholds, railings and floor covering

    Interior checks include handholds and railings, floor covering, signaling devices, emergency exit handles and seats.

  12. If a bus has a restroom, which signaling device must work?
    1. The rear door chime
    2. The fare box alarm
    3. The engine overheat buzzer
    4. The restroom emergency buzzer
    Show answer
    The restroom emergency buzzer

    Signaling devices, including the restroom emergency buzzer, must be in safe working condition.

  13. When must the red emergency door light be turned on?
    1. Only when the door is open
    2. At night or any time you use your outside lights
    3. Only during rain or fog
    4. Only when parked
    Show answer
    At night or any time you use your outside lights

    If the bus has a red emergency door light, it must work and be on at night or whenever outside lights are used.

  14. You may drive with an emergency exit window open if the weather is hot.
    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer
    False

    Never drive with an open emergency exit door or window.

  15. What is true about emergency roof hatches?
    1. They must always be fully closed
    2. They may be left open as a normal practice
    3. Some may be locked partly open for fresh air, but not as a regular practice
    4. They may be opened only while parked
    Show answer
    Some may be locked partly open for fresh air, but not as a regular practice

    Some roof hatches can be locked partly open for air, but not as a routine; remember the higher clearance.

  16. When you drive with a roof hatch partly open, you must remember that:
    1. The bus needs more overhead clearance
    2. The brakes will be weaker
    3. The bus will be lighter
    4. You must use the hazard lights
    Show answer
    The bus needs more overhead clearance

    An open roof hatch makes the bus taller, so keep its higher clearance in mind.

  17. When should you inspect your bus after a trip?
    1. Once a week
    2. Only after long trips
    3. Only if a rider complains
    4. At the end of each shift
    Show answer
    At the end of each shift

    Inspect your bus at the end of each shift so problems can be fixed before it goes out again.

  18. An interstate carrier's driver finds no defects on the bus at the end of the shift. The written report should:
    1. Be skipped because there is nothing to report
    2. State that there are no defects
    3. List only the mileage
    4. Be given only to riders who ask
    Show answer
    State that there are no defects

    The report covers each bus and lists safety defects; if there are none, it must say so.

  19. Mass transit drivers should check after the trip that which items work properly?
    1. Cargo doors and tie-downs
    2. Fifth wheel and kingpin
    3. Passenger signaling devices and brake-door interlocks
    4. Tire chains and sand spreaders
    Show answer
    Passenger signaling devices and brake-door interlocks

    Mass transit drivers also make sure passenger signaling devices and brake-door interlocks work.

  20. What must be true of the "Emergency Exit" sign on a bus emergency door?
    1. It may be covered by luggage on long trips
    2. It is needed only on school buses
    3. It must light up at all times
    4. It must be clearly visible
    Show answer
    It must be clearly visible

    The Emergency Exit sign on an emergency door must be easy to see.

  21. What does the manual say about the driver's seat belt on a bus?
    1. The seat should have a belt, and you should always wear it
    2. Bus drivers do not need seat belts
    3. Wear it only on highways
    4. Wear it only when riders are aboard
    Show answer
    The seat should have a belt, and you should always wear it

    The driver's seat should have a seat belt, and you should always use it.