Colorado School Bus CDL Practice Test

This is a free 20-question practice test for the School Bus portion of the Colorado Commercial Driver's License knowledge exam. Questions are pulled from a pool of 55 drawn from the AAMVA CDL Manual, which is the source document the Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles uses to write its actual exam.

How it works: Click an answer. The correct choice highlights in green, and you'll see a short explanation. Aim for 85% or better before you sit for the real test in Colorado.

Question 1 of 20

School-bus driver disqualifications can include:

Felony involving the use of a CMV, controlled-substance offenses, certain crimes against children — varies by state
None
Only speeding
Only parking violations

Correct. School-bus drivers face additional background-check standards. Convictions can permanently disqualify a driver from the S endorsement.

Question 2 of 20

When a school bus is on a divided highway with a barrier or median:

Some states allow vehicles on the opposite side not to stop when the bus is stopped — verify state law
Always require stop
Always require pass
Are not regulated

Correct. Most states exempt opposing traffic on divided highways with a physical barrier. Some require all traffic to stop. Know your state law.

Question 3 of 20

Securing the bus at the end of the day:

Park in designated area, set parking brake, turn off engine and lights, secure all doors
Leave the engine running
Skip the parking brake
Leave doors unlocked

Correct. Standard end-of-day securement: parking, brake, engine off, lights off, doors secured. Walk through to ensure no children remain.

Question 4 of 20

A school bus with red lights flashing and stop arm extended:

Tells approaching traffic to stop until the bus moves
Allows traffic to pass slowly
Has no meaning
Tells traffic to honk

Correct. Red flashers + stop arm = required stop for approaching traffic in both directions (with the divided-highway exception in some states).

Question 5 of 20

A school bus driver should never:

Use a cellphone for non-emergency communication while driving with students aboard
Use turn signals
Use mirrors
Stop at red lights

Correct. Cellphone use while driving a school bus with students aboard is prohibited or sharply restricted in most jurisdictions. Distraction is a leading crash factor.

Question 6 of 20

The minimum distance the front bumper of a stopped school bus should be from waiting students at the stop:

At least 10 feet
As close as possible
At least 1 foot
At least 50 feet

Correct. Stop with the front bumper at least 10 feet from waiting students so they have to walk forward to enter the bus, ensuring the driver can see them.

Question 7 of 20

When students must cross the road to reach or leave the bus, they should:

Cross at least 10 feet in front of the bus, where the driver can see them, only on the driver's signal
Cross behind the bus
Cross at any time
Cross at the rear

Correct. Crossing students walk at least 10 feet ahead of the bus, in clear view, after the driver signals it is safe.

Question 8 of 20

A school bus must stop at every railroad crossing:

Yes, with limited exceptions
No, never
Only if a train is in sight
Only at night

Correct. School buses must stop at every railroad crossing 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail. Open the entrance door and driver window, look and listen, then proceed without shifting gears.

Question 9 of 20

The school bus driver's relationship with students:

Should be respectful, calm, professional; consistent rule enforcement helps maintain safety
Should be punitive
Should be casual
Should be nonexistent

Correct. Respectful, calm, consistent enforcement of safety rules builds the cooperative culture that makes route operation safer.

Question 10 of 20

Most school-bus fatalities of students happen:

Inside the bus
Outside the bus, in the danger zone, particularly during loading and unloading
In another vehicle
At the school

Correct. The majority of student deaths involving school buses occur outside the bus, often in the danger zone right after unloading.

Question 11 of 20

A school bus evacuation is required when:

Fire is on or in the bus, the bus is in danger of fire (downed wires, fuel spill), the bus is on or near tracks, the bus is in path of a train, or the bus is in danger of being hit
Only when the bus is empty
Only at night
Only after a flat tire

Correct. Evacuate for fire, danger of fire, on/near railroad tracks, in path of a train, or danger of being hit by another vehicle.

Question 12 of 20

Student management is important because:

Distracted driving by managing students causes crashes
It does not affect driving
Only the bus matters
Students never affect safety

Correct. Distracted driving from student-management issues is a leading cause of school-bus crashes. Pull off safely to address behavior.

Question 13 of 20

The "danger zone" around a school bus is generally:

10 feet in front, on each side, and behind the bus, plus any area required for the bus to maneuver
Only behind the bus
Only in front
5 feet on each side

Correct. The danger zone extends 10 feet in front, 10 feet on each side, and 10 feet behind the bus, plus the area needed to maneuver. Most students killed by their own bus are in this zone.

Question 14 of 20

When approaching the bus stop, you should activate the alternating amber warning lights:

About 200 feet in advance (more in 50+ mph zones)
At the stop
After unloading
Only at night

Correct. Activate amber warning lights about 200 feet before the stop (further in higher-speed zones), giving traffic time to slow.

Question 15 of 20

After unloading at the end of the route, the driver must:

Walk through the bus to check for sleeping or hiding students, lost items, damage
Skip the walkthrough
Lock and leave
Only check the front

Correct. Always walk every aisle and check every seat. Sleeping children left aboard a parked bus is a recurring tragedy that the post-trip walk prevents.

Question 16 of 20

A school bus must have how many mirrors at minimum?

Standard side mirrors plus crossover mirrors that allow the driver to see the danger zone in front and on the right side
Just one
Just two
None

Correct. School buses have side mirrors plus crossover mirrors at the front so the driver can see the danger zone in front of the bus and on the right.

Question 17 of 20

A school bus must have functioning:

Emergency exits, all signal lights, stop arm, mirrors, fire extinguisher, first-aid kit, body-fluid clean-up kit, reflective triangles
Only the engine
Only seats
Only brakes

Correct. School-bus equipment list is more extensive than other CMVs. All items must be in working order.

Question 18 of 20

During the loading process, students should:

Wait at the bus stop until the bus has fully stopped and the door is opened
Approach while the bus is moving
Cross before the bus stops
Run to the bus

Correct. Students wait until the bus has fully stopped, the parking brake is set, the door is opened, and the driver signals before approaching.

Question 19 of 20

When you receive an emergency request to evacuate the bus, you should:

Calmly direct students to the appropriate exit, supervise an orderly evacuation, account for all students at the safe area
Panic
Run away first
Skip the count

Correct. Calm authoritative voice. Direct to nearest safe exit. Move to safe area at least 100 feet off road. Account for all students.

Question 20 of 20

When stopped to load or unload students, the bus driver should:

Set parking brake, place transmission in neutral, activate red lights and stop arm, count students, watch mirrors
Just open the door
Only honk the horn
Skip the parking brake

Correct. Standard procedure: parking brake set, neutral, red flashers and stop arm out, count students on/off, mirror check before resuming.

About the Colorado School Bus exam

Most states administer 20 School Bus questions and require 80% to pass. The exam emphasizes loading and unloading procedures, the danger zone around the bus, emergency exit and evacuation procedures, railroad-highway crossings, and student management.

The Colorado Division of Motor Vehicles follows the federal CDL standards established by FMCSA. To earn the School Bus credential, you must answer at least 80% of the questions correctly. Many candidates score lower the first time because the test pulls from a large pool — refreshing this page will give you a different mix of questions, drawn from the same authoritative source.

Want more practice? Try the full School Bus question bank or browse all Colorado CDL practice tests.