BC Class 2 Bus cheat sheet

A pre-trip inspection must be completed and documented before the bus's first trip of each day; any defect affecting safe operation grounds the vehicle until it is repaired.

Work a fixed route around the bus: start at the driver's door, move clockwise through lights and reflectors, tires and wheels, under-vehicle leaks, engine compartment, then the passenger compartment.

Minimum tire tread is 3.2 mm (1/8 in) on steering axle tires and 1.6 mm on other axles; reject any tire with exposed cord, a bulge, a deep cut, or sidewalls of duals touching.

Steering wheel free play must not exceed the manufacturer's limit - commonly 10 degrees of rotation on a heavy vehicle - checked with the wheels straight ahead.

Every emergency exit must open freely from inside and outside without tools, be unobstructed, and have a working alarm where one is fitted.

Required equipment includes a charged fire extinguisher, first aid kit, warning triangles, and spare fuses; confirm each item is present and serviceable.

Check wheel fasteners and indicators, hub oil level, and brake component condition; a loose or missing fastener takes the bus out of service.

Inspect the passenger area: seats and stanchions secure, floor free of trip hazards, aisle clear, steps and handrails undamaged.

Air brake pre-trip order: compressor build-up, leakage with brakes released, leakage with brakes applied, low-pressure warning, spring brake test, then brake adjustment check.

Compressor build-up: at fast idle, pressure must rise from 85 psi to 100 psi (587–690 kPa) within 45 seconds on a single unit.

Leakage test with brakes released: engine off and system fully charged, loss must not exceed 2 psi per minute on a single vehicle or 3 psi per minute on a combination.

Leakage test with brakes applied and held: loss must not exceed 3 psi per minute on a single vehicle or 4 psi per minute on a combination.

The low-pressure warning light and buzzer must activate before system pressure falls below 60 psi (414 kPa).

Spring (parking) brakes apply automatically at roughly 20–45 psi (138–310 kPa); below that the bus cannot be moved until pressure is restored.

Typical governor settings are cut-out near 120–135 psi and cut-in near 100 psi; a compressor that runs constantly or never cuts in is defective.

Brakes are out of adjustment when pushrod travel exceeds the manufacturer's limit - commonly 2 in (51 mm) for a type 30 chamber.

Test the parking brake by applying it and gently trying to move; the bus must hold. On DD3-equipped buses the push-pull valve must pop out when pressure is lost.

On long downgrades select a low gear before the descent and use short snub applications; continuous light pressure overheats drums and causes fade.

Minimum following gap is 3 seconds in ideal conditions; add at least 1 second for rain, darkness or a full passenger load, and more for ice or fog.

Stopping distance increases with the square of speed - doubling speed roughly quadruples braking distance - so scan 12–15 seconds ahead.

Off-tracking: rear wheels cut inside the front wheels in a turn, so swing wide enough that the rear tires clear the curb by a safe margin.

Tail swing: the rear overhang swings outward opposite to the turn direction; check both mirrors before and during every tight turn.

Blind spots lie directly in front, directly behind, and along both sides; keep mirrors adjusted and check them every 5–8 seconds.

A bus carrying passengers must stop at every railway crossing unless an official exempt sign is posted; open a door or window and listen before proceeding.

When a school bus shows alternating flashing red lights, traffic in both directions must stop unless the highway is divided by a median.

In a skid, release the brakes, look and steer where you want the bus to go, and avoid sudden throttle or steering inputs.

Downshift before a curve or descent; braking and shifting while already in the curve reduces stability, especially with standing passengers.

Never exceed the bus's rated seated and standing capacity; standing passengers are carried only where the bus is designed and licensed for them.

Keep the aisle, stairwells and emergency exits clear of baggage and passengers at all times.

Load and unload only at safe, legal locations; pull as close to the curb as practicable and use four-way flashers where required.

School bus unloading: students cross at least 3 m (10 ft) in front of the bus and only after the driver's hand signal.

Wheelchairs and scooters need a four-point tie-down plus a lap and shoulder belt for the occupant before the bus moves.

Aggregate working load limit of tiedowns must be at least 50 percent of the cargo weight, with a minimum of two tiedowns and at least one per 3 m of length.

Loads overhanging more than 1.5 m behind the vehicle need a flag by day and a red light at night; nothing may block lights, plates or exits.

Walk the bus at the end of every run and check under and between seats for sleeping children and left-behind passengers.

Secure the bus first: stop away from traffic, set the parking brake, shift to neutral or park, shut off the engine, and turn on hazard lights.

Evacuate only when staying aboard is more dangerous than leaving - fire, smoke, or a bus stopped in a live traffic lane.

Lead passengers upwind and well off the roadway to a gathering point; take the roster, first aid kit and fire extinguisher with you.

Warning triangles: about 30 m behind and 30 m ahead on a two-way road; behind only on a divided highway, and never on the traffic side.

Do not move a seriously injured person unless there is fire or a traffic hazard; control bleeding, treat for shock, and keep the person warm.

Call 911 for any collision with injury, fire, a hazardous material release, or a trapped occupant; give location, direction of travel and number of casualties.

Fight only small fires, from upwind, aiming at the base of the flames; fire in the engine compartment or fuel system means immediate evacuation.

After any incident record names, witnesses, plate numbers and road conditions, notify the carrier, and do not discuss fault with anyone at the scene.

Class 2 authorises driving a bus with seating for more than 24 passengers including the driver; Class 4 covers buses of 24 or fewer, taxis and ambulances.

An air brake endorsement is required for any vehicle equipped with air brakes, and the Class 2 road test includes an air brake inspection component.

Hours of service: no driving after 13 hours of driving, 14 hours on duty, or 16 hours elapsed since the shift began; 8 consecutive hours off resets the day.

Cycle 1 allows 70 hours on duty in 7 days; Cycle 2 allows 120 hours in 14 days; take 24 consecutive hours off before switching cycles.

Trip inspection reports must be completed daily and retained by the carrier under National Safety Code Standard 13.

Commercial vehicles require a current annual inspection certificate (NSC Standard 11), kept in the vehicle and produced on demand.

The driver must carry a valid licence and produce it, the registration and insurance when requested by a peace officer, and report address changes promptly.

Federally regulated carriers operating across provincial borders must record hours with a certified electronic logging device.