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On the road: riders, curves, crossings, bridges and prohibited practices

Passenger (P)5 minManual section 4.3, 4.5, 4.6

Once the bus is moving, you are responsible for every person on board and for the people around you. This lesson covers rider rules, safe stops, the most common bus crashes, curves, railroad crossings, drawbridges, the things you must not do, and how the brake-door interlock works.

Supervising riders

Many charter and intercity companies have comfort and safety rules for riders. Explain the rules at the start of the trip (for example about smoking, drinking, or playing radios and music players). Saying it early prevents trouble later.

While you drive, scan the inside of the bus as well as the road ahead, to the sides and behind. You may need to remind riders of the rules or tell them to keep arms and heads inside the bus.

At stops and with disruptive riders

Riders may trip while boarding or leaving, and also when the bus pulls away or comes to a stop. Tell riders to watch their step when leaving. Wait until they sit down or brace themselves before you start. Start and stop as smoothly as possible.

Sometimes a rider is drunk or disruptive. You must protect that rider's safety as well as everyone else's. Do not put the rider off where it would be unsafe for them. It may be safer to wait for the next scheduled stop or a well-lighted area where other people are around. Many carriers have their own guidelines for this.

The most common bus crashes

Bus crashes often happen at intersections. Be careful even when a signal or stop sign controls the other traffic.

When school and transit buses leave a stop, they sometimes knock off a mirror or strike a vehicle going by. Keep in mind the clearance your bus needs, and look out for poles and low branches near stops.

Know the size of the gap your bus needs to speed up and merge. Do not leave the stop until that gap is there. Do not expect other drivers to slow down for you just because your signal is on or you begin to move.

Speed on curves

Deadly crashes on curves come from too much speed, often when rain or snow has made the road slippery.

Each banked curve is built for a safe design speed. On a dry day the posted speed works for cars, but for many buses it can be too fast, because a bus has a high center of gravity.

  • With good traction, a bus going too fast may roll over.
  • With poor traction, it may slide off the curve.

Slow down for curves. When you feel the bus lean outward on a banked curve, that is a sign your speed is too high.

Railroad crossings

A bus must stop between 15 and 50 feet before a railroad crossing.

Listen and look both ways for trains. Open your forward (front) door if it helps you see or hear a train coming.

After a train passes, check that no other train is coming the other way on another track before you cross.

With a manual transmission, never change gears while crossing the tracks. A missed shift could stall you on the rails.

You do not have to stop, but must slow down and check carefully for other vehicles:

  • At streetcar crossings. • Where a police officer or flagman is directing traffic. • If a traffic signal is green. • At crossings marked “exempt” or “abandoned”.

Drawbridges

Stop at drawbridges that have no signal light and no traffic control attendant. Stop at least 50 feet before the draw (the moving part) of the bridge. Before crossing, check that the draw is fully closed.

A full stop is not required (but you must still slow down and confirm it is safe) when the traffic light is green, or when an attendant or traffic officer is posted to control traffic each time the bridge opens.

Prohibited practices

  • Fueling: avoid fueling with riders on board unless it is absolutely necessary. With riders aboard, never refuel inside an enclosed building (fuel vapor and fire risk).
  • Distraction: do not talk with riders, or do anything else distracting, while driving.
  • Towing or pushing: do not tow or push a disabled bus with riders on board, unless getting off would be unsafe. Then tow or push it only to the nearest safe place to let riders off. Follow your employer's rules on towing or pushing disabled buses.

Brake-door interlocks

City mass transit coaches may be fitted with a brake and accelerator interlock.

When the rear door is open, the interlock applies the brakes and holds the throttle at idle. This stops the bus from moving while riders are using the rear door. The interlock releases when you close the rear door.

Do not use the interlock in place of the parking brake. When you park, set the parking brake. You do not need the rear door open to set the parking brake.

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: 4.3, 4.5, 4.6

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. When is the best time to explain rules about smoking, drinking or playing radios?
    1. Only after someone breaks a rule
    2. At the start of the trip
    3. At the first rest stop
    4. At the end of the trip
    Show answer
    At the start of the trip

    Explaining rules at the start helps avoid trouble later.

  2. Before pulling away from a stop, you should:
    1. Start quickly to stay on schedule
    2. Honk to warn riders
    3. Wait until riders are seated or braced
    4. Open the windows
    Show answer
    Wait until riders are seated or braced

    Wait for riders to sit down or brace themselves before starting, and start smoothly.

  3. A rider is drunk and disruptive. Where is the best place to have them leave the bus?
    1. At the next scheduled stop or a well-lighted area with other people
    2. Immediately, wherever the bus is
    3. On a dark highway shoulder
    4. At any railroad crossing
    Show answer
    At the next scheduled stop or a well-lighted area with other people

    Do not discharge a disruptive rider where it would be unsafe for them; a scheduled stop or well-lighted area with people is safer.

  4. Bus crashes often happen at:
    1. Rest areas
    2. Toll booths
    3. Truck scales
    4. Intersections
    Show answer
    Intersections

    Bus accidents often happen at intersections; be careful even when signals control other traffic.

  5. When pulling out from a bus stop, you should:
    1. Signal and assume traffic will let you in
    2. Wait for a gap large enough to accelerate and merge
    3. Pull out slowly so cars must stop
    4. Use the horn and go
    Show answer
    Wait for a gap large enough to accelerate and merge

    Know the gap your bus needs and wait for it; never assume others will brake for you.

  6. On a banked curve, your bus leans toward the outside. This means:
    1. The tires are overinflated
    2. The road is wet
    3. You are driving too fast
    4. The suspension is normal
    Show answer
    You are driving too fast

    If the bus leans toward the outside on a banked curve, you are going too fast.

  7. The posted speed on a curve in good weather is:
    1. Safe for cars but may be too fast for many buses
    2. Always safe for buses
    3. The minimum speed for buses
    4. Only for trucks
    Show answer
    Safe for cars but may be too fast for many buses

    The posted speed is safe for cars but may be too high for many buses; with good traction a bus may roll over.

  8. How far from a railroad crossing must a bus stop?
    1. 5 to 10 feet
    2. 15 to 50 feet
    3. 50 to 100 feet
    4. 100 to 200 feet
    Show answer
    15 to 50 feet

    Stop your bus between 15 and 50 feet before railroad crossings.

  9. At a railroad crossing, you should open the forward door if:
    1. The bus is too hot
    2. Riders want to get off
    3. A police officer tells you to
    4. It helps you see or hear an approaching train
    Show answer
    It helps you see or hear an approaching train

    Open the forward door if it improves your ability to see or hear a train.

  10. At which railroad crossing do you NOT have to stop, but must slow down and check carefully?
    1. A crossing with no signals
    2. A crossing on a curve
    3. A crossing marked “exempt”
    4. Any crossing at night
    Show answer
    A crossing marked “exempt”

    You need not stop (but must slow and check) at streetcar crossings, where an officer or flagman directs traffic, at a green signal, or at crossings marked exempt or abandoned.

  11. If your bus has a manual transmission, when crossing railroad tracks you should:
    1. Not change gears
    2. Shift up to gain speed
    3. Shift into neutral and coast
    4. Shift down in the middle of the tracks
    Show answer
    Not change gears

    Never change gears while crossing the tracks.

  12. At a drawbridge with no signal light and no traffic attendant, you must stop at least how far before the draw?
    1. 15 feet
    2. 50 feet
    3. 100 feet
    4. 200 feet
    Show answer
    50 feet

    Stop at least 50 feet before the draw and make sure it is completely closed.

  13. You do not need to stop at a drawbridge when:
    1. An attendant controls traffic whenever the bridge opens
    2. The bridge is short
    3. No boats are visible
    4. You are behind schedule
    Show answer
    An attendant controls traffic whenever the bridge opens

    You need not stop (but must slow and check) when the light is green or an attendant/officer controls traffic.

  14. When may you refuel a bus in a closed building with riders on board?
    1. When it is below freezing
    2. When the trip is long
    3. Never
    4. When riders agree
    Show answer
    Never

    Never refuel in a closed building with riders on board; avoid fueling with riders on board unless absolutely necessary.

  15. Your bus breaks down with riders aboard, and getting off is unsafe. What is allowed?
    1. Towing it to the garage with riders aboard
    2. Pushing it to the destination
    3. Letting riders walk on the highway
    4. Towing or pushing it only to the nearest safe spot to let riders off
    Show answer
    Towing or pushing it only to the nearest safe spot to let riders off

    Do not tow or push a disabled bus with riders unless exiting is unsafe, and then only to the nearest safe spot.

  16. Talking with riders while you drive is a prohibited practice.
    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer
    True

    Do not talk with riders or do anything distracting while driving.

  17. What does a brake-door interlock on a transit bus do when the rear door is open?
    1. Turns on the hazard lights only
    2. Locks the front door
    3. Applies the brakes and holds the throttle at idle
    4. Releases the parking brake
    Show answer
    Applies the brakes and holds the throttle at idle

    The interlock applies the brakes and holds the throttle in idle while the rear door is open.

  18. The rear door of a transit bus must be open to put on the parking brake.
    1. True
    2. False
    Show answer
    False

    False. The interlock is not a parking brake; set the parking brake normally. The interlock releases when the rear door closes.

  19. The brake-door interlock releases when you:
    1. Press the accelerator hard
    2. Set the parking brake
    3. Turn off the engine
    4. Close the rear door
    Show answer
    Close the rear door

    The interlock releases when the rear door is closed.

  20. While driving a passenger bus, you should scan:
    1. The inside of the bus as well as the road ahead, sides and rear
    2. Only the road ahead
    3. Only the mirrors at stops
    4. Only the passengers
    Show answer
    The inside of the bus as well as the road ahead, sides and rear

    Watch inside the bus too, not just the road in front, beside and behind you.

  21. A train has just passed a railroad crossing in front of your bus. Before you cross, you should:
    1. Cross right away because the train is gone
    2. Make sure no other train is coming the other way on another track
    3. Honk twice and go
    4. Wait exactly 5 minutes
    Show answer
    Make sure no other train is coming the other way on another track

    After one train passes, check that a second train is not coming from the other direction on another track.