Connecticut School Bus CDL Practice Test

This is a free 20-question practice test for the School Bus portion of the Connecticut 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 Connecticut Department 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 Connecticut.

Question 1 of 20

When you encounter a railroad crossing without warning devices on a low-traffic spur:

Some states permit no-stop with conditions; verify the bus operator's policy
Skip stop always
Drive across without looking
Only if police direct

Correct. Limited exceptions exist for industrial spurs and abandoned tracks. Always verify and prefer to stop when in doubt.

Question 2 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.

Question 3 of 20

During a fire on the bus, you should:

Stop in a safe area, evacuate students upwind from the fire, move them to a safe distance, call 911
Continue driving
Only fight the fire
Have students stay aboard

Correct. Stop, evacuate upwind to a safe distance (≥100 feet off the road), call 911. Use extinguisher only on small fires you can safely manage.

Question 4 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 5 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 6 of 20

Before resuming travel after a stop, the driver should:

Mirror-check, count students, verify all are clear of the danger zone, deactivate the lights, then proceed slowly
Drive immediately
Only check the rear
Skip the count

Correct. Mirror sweep, count crossing students, verify clear danger zone, deactivate lights and stop arm, proceed slowly.

Question 7 of 20

When backing a school bus, you should:

Avoid backing whenever possible; if you must back, use a helper, sound the horn, never back across a roadway, never back with students aboard if avoidable
Back at full speed
Back with no warning
Back across roadways

Correct. Backing in a school bus is the highest-risk maneuver. Avoid it. If required, use a helper, sound the horn, do not back across roadways, and ideally do not back with students aboard.

Question 8 of 20

The school bus stop arm:

Extends to signal traffic to stop while children load or unload
Is decorative
Is for parking
Is optional

Correct. The stop arm signals approaching traffic to stop. Drivers who pass a stopped school bus with red lights flashing face heavy fines.

Question 9 of 20

A school bus stopped on a highway during loading or unloading is protected by:

State laws requiring all approaching vehicles to stop (with limited divided-highway exceptions)
Federal law only
No law
State school district policy

Correct. State laws (informed by federal recommendations) require approaching vehicles to stop. Many states have stiff fines for passing a stopped school bus.

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 pre-trip mirror adjustment should:

Allow the driver to see the right-rear and left-rear of the bus, the danger zone in front, and along both sides
Only show the rear
Only show the front
Not be necessary

Correct. Adjust mirrors to cover front danger zone, both sides, and the rear. Recheck adjustment after any seating-position change.

Question 12 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 13 of 20

When you cannot account for all students after unloading:

Stop the bus, set the brake, search the danger zone and surrounding area immediately
Drive on
Continue route
Wait until end of route

Correct. Missing student requires immediate search. Stop, brake, search the bus and the area around it before continuing.

Question 14 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 15 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 16 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 17 of 20

When students are loading and approaching the bus from across the street:

They should wait for the driver's signal before crossing
Cross immediately
Ignore the lights
Run across

Correct. Crossing students wait for the driver's signal that the road is clear before crossing in front of the bus.

Question 18 of 20

When evacuating students, they should be moved to a safe area:

At least 100 feet off the roadway in the direction of oncoming traffic, away from the bus
Right next to the bus
Across the road
Anywhere

Correct. Move students at least 100 feet away, off the roadway, in the direction of oncoming traffic so they can see and be seen by approaching drivers.

Question 19 of 20

A school bus driver who notices fluid leaks during pre-trip:

Should determine the type and source, and not put the bus in service if any safety-critical leak is found
Ignore them
Only address oil leaks
Address only at end of day

Correct. Identify what is leaking. Brake-fluid, fuel, or coolant leaks render the bus unsafe. Repair before service.

Question 20 of 20

Pre-trip inspection of a school bus should include:

All standard items plus emergency exits, signaling devices (red and amber lights, stop arm, crossing-control arm), wheelchair lift if equipped, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, body fluid clean-up kit
Only the engine
Only the brakes
Only the seating

Correct. Standard CMV inspection plus school-bus-specific equipment: lights, stop arm, crossing arm, lift, kits, mirror condition.

About the Connecticut 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 Connecticut Department 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 Connecticut CDL practice tests.