Alabama CDL School Bus Test key terms

A required walk-around check of the bus before driving, covering tires, lights, brakes, mirrors, emergency exits, and warning devices to confirm the vehicle is safe to operate.

A required check of the bus after a route is finished, looking for sleeping students, lost items, damage, and mechanical problems, and documenting the results.

Draining moisture from air tanks through the drain valves, usually during the pre-trip inspection, so water does not collect and impair braking performance.

A test confirming the compressor raises tank pressure to the normal operating range within a set time while the engine runs, showing the air system is working correctly.

A stopped test in which the driver applies the service brake and holds it to confirm the pedal or treadle holds firm and the bus does not creep or lose pressure.

A stopped test of the emergency or parking brake, verifying it engages fully and holds the bus against movement before the route begins.

A wedge placed against a tire to keep the bus from rolling, used when parking on a grade or when a student or driver must be outside the bus.

The area around a school bus, roughly ten feet on all sides and especially in front, where students are hard for the driver to see and most likely to be struck.

The designated area where students board or leave the bus, kept clear of parked cars and traffic so students can move between the door and the curb safely.

The designated spot where students get off the bus, chosen so students can reach a sidewalk or safe waiting area without entering the roadway.

A systematic check of the crossover and side mirrors before, during, and after loading or unloading to confirm no student is hidden near the bus.

A convex mirror mounted at the front of the bus that lets the driver see the area directly in front of the hood and the front bumper, where small students can be hidden.

A hinged sign that swings out from the left side of the bus when it stops to load or unload, warning traffic in both directions to stop.

Warning lamps on the bus that flash when the bus is stopped for students, signaling drivers in both directions to stop and wait until the lights are turned off.

Lamps that flash before the bus stops to alert traffic that a stop is coming, giving drivers time to slow down and prepare to halt.

A tally of students boarding and leaving the bus, taken at each stop so the driver can confirm every student is accounted for before moving.

A written plan assigning each student a seat on the bus, used to control behavior, separate students who cause problems, and help identify who was where.

A practiced exercise in which students learn to leave the bus quickly and safely through the door and emergency exits, usually run at least twice a year.

A door, window, roof hatch, or other opening designed for quick escape from the bus, kept unlocked and unobstructed at all times.

The orderly removal of all students from the bus when staying inside is more dangerous than leaving, such as during fire, fuel leak, or crash.

A walk through the bus at the end of a route, checking every seat and the floor for a student who fell asleep or is hiding before the bus is secured.

A written set of rules, rewards, and consequences for behavior on the bus, shared with students, parents, and school staff so expectations are clear and consistent.

A written report sent to school administrators describing a student's serious or repeated misbehavior on the bus so the school can apply discipline.

Operating the bus while attention is pulled away by phones, eating, paperwork, or loud passengers, which raises crash risk and is prohibited while students are aboard.

A place where the bus route crosses train tracks, requiring the driver to stop, look, and listen before proceeding, with exceptions only where law or signs allow.

The procedure at a railroad crossing: come to a full stop, open the door or window to hear, look both ways, and cross only when the tracks are clear.

A barrier arm at a railroad crossing that lowers to block traffic when a train approaches; the bus must never go around or under a lowered gate.

A bus that stops or breaks down on railroad tracks; the driver must get everyone out and away from the tracks immediately, then call for help.

A portable device carried on the bus for putting out small fires, checked during inspection for charge, mounting, and easy access.

A stocked kit carried on the bus for treating minor injuries, inspected regularly and kept in a known, reachable location.

Warning devices placed behind a stopped bus to alert approaching traffic, especially after a breakdown or crash on a road or shoulder.

Counting students as they board or leave to confirm the number on the bus matches the route list, catching anyone left behind or missing.