25 realistic School Bus practice questions for South Dakota CDL applicants. Required for: Drivers operating a school bus. Official test: 20 questions, 16 correct to pass.
Question 1 of 25 · Inspection
What is "post-trip inspection"?
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A.
An inspection done after the trip ends to identify defects and any students left on board
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B.
A student survey
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C.
A fuel check
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D.
A weekly maintenance
Correct answer: A.
Walk through the bus after every run to find defects and check for students.
Question 2 of 25 · Loading
When are flashing red lights and stop arm extended?
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A.
When the bus is stopped to load or unload students
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B.
When the bus is moving
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C.
When the bus is parked
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D.
When the engine is off
Correct answer: A.
Lights and stop arm activate during student loading and unloading.
Question 3 of 25 · Operation
What's the role of the school bus driver in handling disruptive students?
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A.
Stop in a safe area and address the disturbance, contacting authorities if needed
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B.
Ignore them
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C.
Confront students
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D.
Drive faster
Correct answer: A.
Address disturbances safely; involve school authorities or police as needed.
Question 4 of 25 · Emergencies
How should drivers handle a bus breakdown?
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A.
Move to a safe area, set warning devices, and call for help
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B.
Continue driving
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C.
Tell students to walk
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D.
Leave the bus
Correct answer: A.
Pull off safely, set warning triangles, and contact dispatch and emergency services.
Question 5 of 25 · Adverse Conditions
What's the safest way to handle a school bus in fog?
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A.
Use low beams and slow down
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B.
Use high beams
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C.
Speed up to escape fog
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D.
Stop on the highway
Correct answer: A.
Low beams and slower speeds; high beams reflect off fog.
Question 6 of 25 · Operation
What's the proper way to handle a student with special needs?
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A.
Provide assistance and ensure their safety
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B.
Refuse to transport
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C.
Treat them like other students without help
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D.
Charge extra
Correct answer: A.
Provide appropriate assistance; safety comes first.
Question 7 of 25 · Mirrors
What is the importance of using mirrors on a school bus?
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A.
To monitor blind spots and ensure student safety
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B.
To check personal appearance
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C.
For decoration
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D.
To save fuel
Correct answer: A.
Mirrors are critical for monitoring children entering and leaving the bus.
Question 8 of 25 · Inspection
What's the importance of regular maintenance for a school bus?
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A.
Prevents breakdowns
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B.
Ensures safety for students
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C.
Reduces costs in the long run
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D.
All of the above
Correct answer: D.
Maintenance keeps the bus safe, reliable, and cost-effective.
Question 9 of 25 · Loading
What's the importance of seat belts on a school bus?
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A.
Required in some states; provides additional safety
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B.
Decoration
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C.
Driver use only
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D.
For luggage
Correct answer: A.
Some states require seat belts on school buses for added passenger safety.
Question 10 of 25 · Loading
What's the proper procedure for loading students?
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A.
Activate flashing lights and stop arm, then allow students to board
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B.
Drive forward to greet students
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C.
Honk to alert students
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D.
Open the door immediately
Correct answer: A.
Activate warning lights and stop arm before opening the door.
Question 11 of 25 · Inspection
When must school bus drivers check the brakes?
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A.
Before each trip and at any time the brakes are suspect
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B.
Once a week
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C.
Only at maintenance
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D.
Once a month
Correct answer: A.
Inspect brakes every pre-trip and any time something seems wrong.
Question 12 of 25 · Mirrors
How should drivers handle blind spots?
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A.
Use mirrors and check before moving
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B.
Ignore blind spots
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C.
Drive in the middle lane
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D.
Use only the driver's side mirror
Correct answer: A.
Mirror checks are critical, especially around children entering or exiting.
Question 13 of 25 · Loading
What's the maximum number of standees allowed on a school bus?
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A.
Generally not allowed
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B.
Same as seated passengers
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C.
Always 10
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D.
No limit
Correct answer: A.
Standees are generally not allowed on school buses for safety.
Question 14 of 25 · Emergencies
What's the role of emergency exits on a school bus?
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A.
To provide alternate evacuation routes in emergencies
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B.
For luggage
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C.
For ventilation
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D.
For maintenance
Correct answer: A.
Emergency exits give children additional ways out in a crash or fire.
Question 15 of 25 · Following Distance
What's the safest way to handle a school bus in heavy traffic?
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A.
Maintain extra following distance and signal early
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B.
Speed up to keep with traffic
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C.
Drive aggressively
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D.
Use the shoulder
Correct answer: A.
Extra space and clear signals reduce risk in heavy traffic.
Question 16 of 25 · Emergencies
What's the proper way to handle a fire on a school bus?
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A.
Stop in a safe area, evacuate students, and call for help
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B.
Continue to school
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C.
Tell students to put out the fire
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D.
Drive faster
Correct answer: A.
Stop, evacuate quickly, and call emergency services.
Question 17 of 25 · Emergency Equipment
What's the importance of using safety equipment?
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A.
Protects driver and students
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B.
Required by law
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C.
Reduces injuries in emergencies
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D.
All of the above
Correct answer: D.
Safety equipment protects everyone, meets legal requirements, and reduces injury.
Question 18 of 25 · Adverse Conditions
What's the safest way to handle a school bus during a thunderstorm?
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A.
Pull over to a safe location and wait until the storm passes
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B.
Continue driving
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C.
Drive faster to escape
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D.
Tell students to handle it
Correct answer: A.
Stop in a safe area; resume only when conditions are safe.
Question 19 of 25 · CDL Rules
School bus drivers must:
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A.
Have a CDL with School Bus and Passenger endorsements
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B.
Pass a background check
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C.
Have a current Medical Examiner's Certificate
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D.
All of the above
Correct answer: D.
School bus drivers need both S and P endorsements plus background and medical checks.
Question 20 of 25 · Emergencies
How should drivers handle a student becoming ill?
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A.
Stop in a safe area and call for medical help
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B.
Continue to school
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C.
Tell the student to get off
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D.
Ignore the student
Correct answer: A.
Stop safely and contact medical help if needed.
Question 21 of 25 · Hours of Service
What's the importance of the driver's log book?
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A.
To track hours of service and ensure compliance
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B.
To track student attendance
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C.
To plan routes
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D.
For tax purposes
Correct answer: A.
Logs document compliance with hours of service rules.
Question 22 of 25 · Boarding
When using a wheelchair lift, drivers should:
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A.
Follow proper procedures and ensure the wheelchair is secured
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B.
Use the lift quickly
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C.
Refuse to transport wheelchairs
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D.
Skip securing the wheelchair
Correct answer: A.
Use the lift correctly and secure the wheelchair before moving.
Question 23 of 25 · Loading
How should drivers handle the bus during student loading and unloading?
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A.
Activate warning lights and stop arm
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B.
Wait until all students are clear before moving
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C.
Use mirrors to monitor students
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D.
All of the above
Correct answer: D.
Warning devices, careful waiting, and mirror checks all protect students.
Question 24 of 25 · Adverse Conditions
What's the safest way to handle a school bus on a wet road?
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A.
Reduce speed and increase following distance
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B.
Drive at posted speed
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C.
Use engine retarder
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D.
Lock the brakes
Correct answer: A.
Slower speeds and more space; engine retarder can cause skids on wet roads.
Question 25 of 25 · Communication
What's the proper way to communicate with students?
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A.
Clear announcements about safety and rules
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B.
Don't communicate
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C.
Yell at students
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D.
Use only hand signals
Correct answer: A.
Clear and respectful communication keeps students safe and informed.
About the School Bus Test
The School Bus test covers danger zones and use of mirrors, loading and unloading, emergency exit and evacuation, railroad-highway grade crossings, student management, antilock brake systems, and special safety considerations. School bus drivers must also pass the Passenger Transport test.
The South Dakota Driver Licensing Program administers this knowledge test as part of its commercial driver license program. To earn the School Bus Endorsement (S) on your South Dakota CDL, you need to score at least 16 out of 20 on the official version.
Topics covered on this practice test
- Loading: 5 questions
- Emergencies: 4 questions
- Inspection: 3 questions
- Adverse Conditions: 3 questions
- Operation: 2 questions
- Mirrors: 2 questions
- Following Distance: 1 question
- Emergency Equipment: 1 question
- CDL Rules: 1 question
- Hours of Service: 1 question
- Boarding: 1 question
- Communication: 1 question
How to use this practice test
- Read each question carefully. CDL questions are written precisely — small wording differences matter.
- Click "Show Answers & Explanations" only after answering every question. Don't peek mid-test.
- Read the explanation for every question, even ones you got right. The reasoning is more important than the answer.
- Repeat the test until you score 100%. The questions are deterministic per state, so you can track your improvement over multiple sessions.
- Move on to the other endorsement tests for South Dakota until you're ready for the official exam.
Tips specific to the School Bus test
School Bus drivers need both the Passenger and School Bus endorsements. Most school bus questions cover the danger zone, mirror checks, loading and unloading procedures, evacuation, railroad crossings, and student behavior management. Topics like the brake-door interlock and post-trip child-check sweeps appear frequently.