Nebraska School Bus CDL Practice Test

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

Question 1 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 2 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 3 of 20

Bullying or fighting on the bus:

Pull off safely if behavior is dangerous, address per district policy, report incidents
Continue route
Encourage peers to intervene physically
Speed up

Correct. Pull off safely if behavior endangers driving. Address verbally and document per district policy. Notify school administration.

Question 4 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 5 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 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 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

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 9 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 10 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 11 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 12 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 13 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 14 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.

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 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 17 of 20

When a school bus is involved in a crash:

Render aid as you can, secure the area, notify dispatch and authorities, evacuate students if there is danger of fire or further crash
Continue route
Skip notification
Drive on

Correct. Render aid, secure the area with warning devices, notify dispatch and authorities. Evacuate students if there is danger of fire, fuel spill, downed lines, or secondary crash.

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

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 20 of 20

A "post-trip" inspection of the school bus should include:

Walk every aisle, check every seat, check restrooms or rear compartments where applicable
Skip the walk-through
Look only at front
Skip seats

Correct. Post-trip = walk every aisle, check every seat, all compartments. Document on DVIR.

About the Nebraska 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 Nebraska 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 Nebraska CDL practice tests.