Kansas School Bus CDL Practice Test

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

Question 1 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 2 of 20

When stopped at a railroad crossing in a school bus, the driver should:

Open the entrance door and driver window, look and listen for trains
Skip the door
Only honk
Drive across without stopping

Correct. Open door and window, eliminate noise from the bus, look both ways, listen for whistles and bells. Cross only when clear.

Question 3 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 4 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 5 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 6 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 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

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 9 of 20

After delivering students to school in the morning:

Walk through the bus to verify no students remain
Lock and leave immediately
Only walk if requested
Skip the walk

Correct. Walk every aisle, every seat. Confirm bus is empty before leaving for the day or for the next trip.

Question 10 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 11 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 12 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 13 of 20

You see a student running back toward the bus after being unloaded. You should:

Wait until the student is clear, account for them, before moving
Continue moving
Honk and accelerate
Open the door while moving

Correct. Stop and account for the student. Many fatal incidents involve students returning for forgotten items in the danger zone.

Question 14 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 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

When loading wheelchair students:

Use the lift correctly, secure the wheelchair with 4-point tie-downs, use occupant restraints, ensure the lift is fully stowed before moving
Skip securement
Drive without securing
Use 1 tie-down

Correct. 4-point tie-down for the chair plus occupant lap and shoulder restraints. Verify lift stowed before moving.

Question 17 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 18 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 19 of 20

When the bus must stop because of crossing students, you should also:

Use the crossing-control arm (if equipped), signaling students to walk far enough in front of the bus to be seen
Skip the crossing arm
Have them walk behind
Have them run

Correct. The crossing-control arm extends in front of the bus, forcing students to walk where the driver can see them.

Question 20 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.

About the Kansas 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 Kansas Division of 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 Kansas CDL practice tests.