Montana School Bus CDL Practice Test

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

Question 1 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 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

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 4 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 5 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 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 a bus is in motion, students must:

Remain seated, facing forward, not block the aisle
Stand
Move around
Sit on the floor

Correct. Seated, facing forward, hands and feet to themselves, aisle clear. This protects them in any sudden stop.

Question 8 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 9 of 20

A school bus must yield to:

Emergency vehicles with active lights and sirens
No vehicles
Only police
Only fire trucks

Correct. Pull over and yield to all emergency vehicles with active lights and sirens, just as any motorist does.

Question 10 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 11 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 12 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 13 of 20

When you approach a railroad crossing in a school bus, you must stop:

Between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail
On the tracks
100 feet ahead
Anywhere within 200 feet

Correct. Stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail, open door and driver window, look and listen, then proceed without shifting gears.

Question 14 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 15 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 16 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 17 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 18 of 20

When you change a flat tire en route with students aboard:

Move students to a safe location off the bus and away from the road
Have them stay aboard
Have them help
Have them stand near the tire

Correct. Move students to safety off the road during any tire change or breakdown. Risk of being struck or jack failure.

Question 19 of 20

Speed limits in school zones apply to a school bus driver:

As they apply to all drivers — sometimes lower than posted highway limit
Do not apply to school buses
Are higher for buses
Are decorative

Correct. School-zone limits apply to school-bus operators just as to other drivers; observe posted reduced limits when in effect.

Question 20 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.

About the Montana 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 Montana Motor Vehicle Division 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 Montana CDL practice tests.