How many emergency exits must you actually demonstrate on a bus?

At least one, and describe how the others work

Emergency exit release handles must work:

From both inside and outside the bus

If the bus has a wheelchair lift, during the inspection it must be:

Fully retracted and latched securely

What does a school bus safety (crossing) arm do?

Makes students cross well away from the front of the bus, about 10 feet, where the driver can see them

School bus student lights must be checked and demonstrated:

On both the front and back of the bus

Only from the dashboard indicators

When inspecting passenger seats, you check that:

Seat frames are not broken and are firmly attached to the floor, with cushions secured

To check the emergency exit warning devices, the key should be:

In the start position with the engine cranking

When you inspect a school bus stop arm, which of these must you check?

That it extends fully, its lights work, and the dash indicator works

That it stays folded when the red lights flash

That it is painted with reflective tape

Bus and school bus inspection items – CDL Skills test guide study guide

If you test in a passenger bus or a school bus, you inspect extra items inside the bus: the entry door and lift, seats, passenger mirrors and cameras, and emergency exits. A school bus adds the student warning lights, the stop arm and safety arm, and the first aid and body fluid kits.

Passenger entry and lift (passenger and school bus)

Every passenger must be able to get on and off safely.

The entry door(s) are not damaged, open and close smoothly, and close securely from the inside.
Handrails are secure. Step light(s) work, if equipped.
Entry steps are clear; the tread is not loose or worn.
If there is a wheelchair lift: look for leaks and damaged or missing parts, and explain how you would check that the lift works correctly. The lift must be fully retracted (stowed) and latched securely.

Say: I'm checking that the entry door opens and closes smoothly and closes securely from the inside.

Emergency exits, seating and passenger monitoring devices

Emergency exits (doors, roof hatches, push-out windows) are the escape route in a crash or emergency.

Every emergency exit has a label, shows no damage, opens and closes smoothly, and latches tightly when closed from inside.
Demonstrate at least 1 emergency exit: show it opens smoothly, closes securely, is not damaged, and that the exit and its warning work. Point out and describe how all the others work.
Release handles must work from both inside and outside the bus.
With the key on (or "charged"), check that the emergency exit warning devices (buzzers) work.

Passenger seating: no broken seat frames; frames are firmly attached to the floor; seat cushions are attached securely to the frames.

Passenger monitoring devices — inside mirrors, outside fender and crossover mirrors, and cameras — let you watch passengers while driving, loading and unloading. You must be able to see people getting on and off.

All inside and outside passenger mirrors and brackets are not bent, are mounted securely, and have no missing parts.
Mirrors are clean and properly adjusted. Cameras (if equipped) are clean, viewable from inside, and the screen works and is adjusted.
School bus only: inspect the student crossover mirrors.

School bus only: student lights, stop arm, safety arm, kits

Student lights tell other traffic that the bus is about to stop, is stopped, or is starting again. Check and demonstrate them on both the front and the back of the bus:

Strobe light (if equipped) works and is not broken; its dash indicator works.
Alternately flashing amber lights (if equipped) work, front and rear, not broken; the amber dash indicator works.
Alternately flashing red lights work, front and rear, not broken; the red dash indicator works.

Stop arm — warns drivers that the bus is stopping or stopped. If equipped, it is securely mounted to the frame, has no loose, broken or damaged parts, extends fully, its lights work, and its dash indicator works.

Safety arm (crossing arm) — makes students walk well away from the front of the bus (for example 10 feet) where the driver can see them. If equipped, it is securely mounted, has no loose, broken or damaged parts, works together with the stop arm, and extends fully.

First aid kit and body fluid cleanup kit — both must be present with the seal not broken. A broken seal may mean items are missing.

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: 11.2, 11.3

Official CDL handbook · Utah ↗States Our 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

How many emergency exits must you actually demonstrate on a bus?
1. All of them
2. None, you only describe them
3. At least one, and describe how the others work
4. Only the roof hatch
Show answer

At least one, and describe how the others work
Demonstrate at least one exit and point out and describe how all the others operate.
Emergency exit release handles must work:
1. From both inside and outside the bus
2. Only from inside
3. Only from outside
4. Only with the engine running
Show answer

From both inside and outside the bus
Release handles must operate properly from inside and outside the vehicle.
If the bus has a wheelchair lift, during the inspection it must be:
1. Left partly open
2. Removed
3. Lowered to the ground
4. Fully retracted and latched securely
Show answer

Fully retracted and latched securely
Check for leaks and damaged or missing parts, explain how to test it, and make sure it is fully retracted and latched.
What does a school bus safety (crossing) arm do?
1. Holds the door open
2. Makes students cross well away from the front of the bus, about 10 feet, where the driver can see them
3. Stops traffic behind the bus
4. Locks the emergency exit
Show answer

Makes students cross well away from the front of the bus, about 10 feet, where the driver can see them
The safety arm forces students to cross well away (e.g., 10 feet) from the front of the bus, in the driver's view.
A broken seal on the school bus first aid kit may mean:
1. The kit is brand new
2. The kit was inspected
3. Items may be missing
4. Nothing important
Show answer

Items may be missing
The seal must not be broken; a broken seal may indicate missing items.
School bus student lights must be checked and demonstrated:
1. On both the front and back of the bus
2. Only on the front
3. Only on the back
4. Only from the dashboard indicators
Show answer

On both the front and back of the bus
Strobe, amber and red student lights must be inspected and operated on the front and back, plus their dash indicators.
Which bus mirrors are inspected only on a school bus?
1. Inside passenger mirrors
2. Left side mirror
3. Right side mirror
4. Student crossover mirrors
Show answer

Student crossover mirrors
Student crossover mirrors are a school bus only item.
When inspecting passenger seats, you check that:
1. Seats are reclined
2. Seat frames are not broken and are firmly attached to the floor, with cushions secured
3. Every seat has a seat belt
4. Seats are clean
Show answer

Seat frames are not broken and are firmly attached to the floor, with cushions secured
No broken seat frames, frames firmly attached to the floor, and cushions securely attached.
To check the emergency exit warning devices, the key should be:
1. Removed
2. In the off position
3. In the "on" position
4. In the start position with the engine cranking
Show answer

In the "on" position
With the key in the "on" or "charged" position, check that the emergency exit warning devices work.
When you inspect a school bus stop arm, which of these must you check?
1. That it stays folded when the red lights flash
2. That it is painted with reflective tape
3. That it extends fully, its lights work, and the dash indicator works
4. That it can be removed by hand
Show answer

That it extends fully, its lights work, and the dash indicator works
The stop arm must be securely mounted with no loose or damaged parts, extend fully, and have working lights and a working dash indicator.
Besides the first aid kit, which other kit must be present and sealed on a school bus?
1. A body fluid cleanup kit
2. A tire repair kit
3. A tool kit
4. A spare fuse kit
Show answer

A body fluid cleanup kit
A school bus must carry a body fluid cleanup kit as well as a first aid kit; a broken seal may mean items are missing.