South Dakota Passenger CDL Practice Test

This is a free 20-question practice test for the Passenger portion of the South Dakota Commercial Driver's License knowledge exam. Questions are pulled from a pool of 58 drawn from the AAMVA CDL Manual, which is the source document the South Dakota Driver Licensing Program 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 South Dakota.

Question 1 of 20

A bus driver must never:

Refuse to allow standees forward of the standee line
Use turn signals
Honk the horn
Wear a uniform

Correct. You should always enforce the standee line and prohibit standing or sitting in stairwells where they could be ejected in an emergency stop.

Question 2 of 20

A "passenger vehicle" requiring a P endorsement is generally:

Any commercial vehicle
A vehicle designed to transport 16 or more people, including the driver
A vehicle that carries cargo
A school bus only

Correct. The P endorsement is required for any commercial motor vehicle designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver.

Question 3 of 20

A bus driver should:

Refuse boarding to obviously intoxicated passengers if they pose a danger
Carry any passenger
Carry only adults
Only carry seated passengers

Correct. Carriers may refuse boarding for safety reasons (intoxication, weapons, threatening behavior). Document and report such refusals.

Question 4 of 20

Speed control on a long downgrade in a bus is critical because:

Brake fade can occur, and braking distance grows quickly with passenger load
Speed is irrelevant
Buses cannot go downhill
Speed is the same as a car

Correct. Heavy passenger load + long downgrade = brake fade risk. Select a lower gear before starting down and use intermittent firm braking.

Question 5 of 20

You may NOT carry which of the following on a passenger bus?

Small-arms ammunition, hospital supplies in emergency
Class 2.3 (poison gas) or Class 7 (radioactive) above small quantities, tear gas, explosives other than small arms ammunition
Driver's personal luggage
Mail

Correct. Buses cannot carry Class 2.3 poison gases, most Class 7 radioactive materials, tear gas, or most Class 1 explosives. Small-arms ammunition and certain emergency shipments may be allowed.

Question 6 of 20

Where must hazardous materials that are allowed on a bus be carried?

Inside the passenger area
Only in the baggage compartment, never in the passenger area
On the dashboard
In the cab with the driver

Correct. When allowed at all, the small quantities of hazmat permitted on buses must be in the baggage compartment, separated from passengers.

Question 7 of 20

When approaching a stop where passengers will board, you should:

Slow gradually, signal, stop at the curb, set the parking brake, open the door
Stop suddenly
Drive past
Honk the horn

Correct. Plan the stop, signal, decelerate smoothly, stop at the curb, set the parking brake before opening the door — interlock should prevent door opening unless brake is set.

Question 8 of 20

When you stop a bus, you should:

Stop smoothly to avoid throwing standing passengers off-balance
Stop suddenly
Use only the parking brake
Stop on a hill always

Correct. Smooth stops protect standing passengers and reduce surge for seated ones. Plan stops in advance.

Question 9 of 20

You discover an emergency exit that does not function. You should:

Carry passengers anyway
Place the bus out of service until the exit is repaired
Tape it shut
Ignore it

Correct. A non-functional emergency exit puts passengers at risk. The bus is out of service until repaired.

Question 10 of 20

Buses must stop at every railroad crossing:

Yes, with limited exceptions (industrial switching tracks in city traffic, abandoned tracks, streetcar tracks)
No, never
Only at night
Only if a train is in sight

Correct. Buses, school buses, and placarded hazmat vehicles must stop at every railroad crossing 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail, with narrow exceptions.

Question 11 of 20

When stopping at a railroad crossing, the bus must stop:

On the rails
Between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail
Anywhere within 100 feet
Only if a train is heard

Correct. Stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail. Look both ways and listen before proceeding.

Question 12 of 20

A bus that has been in an accident:

Should be inspected before continuing in service
Can continue immediately
Is fine if no passengers complain
Does not require inspection

Correct. Post-accident inspection is required by carrier policy and federal rules. Damage to brakes, suspension, or structure may not be visible without inspection.

Question 13 of 20

A passenger vehicle drove with people standing forward of the standee line. This is:

Acceptable
Prohibited — standees may not be forward of the line while the vehicle is in motion
Required
Encouraged

Correct. Standees forward of the line are at risk in emergency stops or sudden braking. Enforce the line.

Question 14 of 20

A bus driver who picks up a passenger between scheduled stops:

Is permitted in all cases
Must follow the carrier's policy and applicable regulations — many companies prohibit unscheduled pickups
Should always accept
Should always refuse

Correct. Carrier policy and regulations govern unscheduled stops. Most companies prohibit them for safety and liability reasons.

Question 15 of 20

On a bus with a wheelchair lift, you should:

Verify the lift is operating and stowed correctly during pre-trip
Ignore it
Operate it only after passengers complain
Skip the lift

Correct. Test lift operation during pre-trip; verify it stows correctly so it does not interfere with door operation or hit cars during the route.

Question 16 of 20

After every trip, the bus driver should:

Walk through the bus to check for sleeping passengers, lost items, damage
Lock the doors and leave
Only check the driver area
Skip the inspection

Correct. Always do a post-trip walkthrough — check every seat for sleeping passengers, lost items, and damage. Many news-worthy incidents involve passengers left aboard.

Question 17 of 20

Bus brake systems require:

The same federal pre-trip air-system check as other commercial vehicles, with attention to bus-specific items (door interlocks, retarders if equipped)
No special check
Hydraulic checks only
Only the parking brake

Correct. Standard air-system check applies. Bus-specific: door safety interlock (door open = vehicle can't move), retarder/exhaust brake operation if equipped.

Question 18 of 20

A driver may transport ___, in addition to passengers, if the carrier permits:

Express small parcels under most circumstances; the carrier sets policy
Live explosives
Tear gas
Class 7 radioactives without limit

Correct. Many bus operators permit small express packages under company policy. The hazmat rules above still apply.

Question 19 of 20

Brake retarders or "Jake" brakes on a bus:

Help control speed on long downgrades; some are noisy and locally regulated
Are illegal everywhere
Replace the foot valve
Are decorative

Correct. Engine brakes / retarders help slow the rig on downgrades. Some areas regulate noise from compression brakes.

Question 20 of 20

A bus driver who is convicted of using the bus to commit a felony or driving under the influence with passengers aboard faces:

No penalty
Permanent disqualification or extended disqualification
A fine only
A warning

Correct. Federal rule: certain offenses (using the CMV in a felony, DUI with passengers) bring extended or permanent disqualification.

About the South Dakota Passenger exam

Most states administer 20 Passenger questions and require 80% to pass. The exam covers passenger safety, vehicle inspection, loading and unloading, prohibited cargo, emergency exits, and conduct expected of a passenger-vehicle operator. A separate skills test in a representative passenger vehicle is also required.

The South Dakota Driver Licensing Program follows the federal CDL standards established by FMCSA. To earn the Passenger 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 Passenger question bank or browse all South Dakota CDL practice tests.