CDL Passenger Endorsement key terms

A complete check of the bus before each trip - outside walk-around, engine compartment, brakes, lights, tires, and all passenger safety equipment - so defects are found and fixed while the vehicle is still parked.

The outside part of the pre-trip check, where the driver circles the bus looking at tires, wheels, lights, mirrors, doors, and body damage, and listens for air leaks and loose parts.

A parked test of an air-brake bus: build pressure, shut off the engine, watch the gauge for leakage, confirm the low-pressure warning works, and check that the parking brake holds.

Confirming that every marked exit - doors, push-out windows, roof hatches - opens from the inside without tools, is clear of obstructions, and carries a readable instruction sign and, where required, a warning buzzer.

Making sure the extinguisher sits in its bracket, the gauge shows a full charge, the seal or tag is intact, and the inspection date is current, because a dead unit leaves the bus unprotected.

Checking that the lift or ramp deploys and stows smoothly, holds its load, has working interlocks that keep the bus from moving while it is extended, and has intact belts and roll-off guards.

Taking riders on safely: stop close to the curb, set the parking brake, watch the doorway, count each person who gets on, and do not move until everyone is seated or holding on.

Letting riders off: stop clear of traffic and close to the curb, hold the bus until they are away from the door and out of the roadway, then check mirrors before pulling out.

A tally of riders taken at stops, at route changes, and after breaks, to make sure no one - especially a sleeping child or a person with a disability - is left on the bus.

The rule that riders may bring only items they can control and keep out of the aisle; oversized, leaking, or hazardous items may be refused, and nothing may block an exit.

Turning on the hazard lights while the bus is stopped to load or unload, warning drivers behind that the vehicle is stationary and that people may cross in front of it.

Setting the parking brake, holding the service brake until stopped, and placing the transmission properly so the bus cannot roll while passengers are entering, leaving, or standing.

A line on the bus floor marking the forward limit of the standing area; no rider may stand ahead of it, which keeps the space at the driver's compartment clear and the weight balanced.

Keeping the aisle, doorways, and exit areas free of bags, legs, and litter so riders can reach seats and escape quickly; a blocked aisle defeats the purpose of marked exits.

Fastening a mobility device to the floor anchors and putting a lap and shoulder belt around the rider, using the manufacturer's four-point pattern so the chair cannot shift in a stop or crash.

A rider whose behavior endangers others; the driver stays calm, avoids arguing, stops the bus when it is safe, and calls for help or has the person removed rather than using force.

Rules barring riders from smoking, drinking alcohol, and carrying hazardous or illegal items aboard; the driver may refuse boarding or remove anyone who breaks them.

The driver and any passenger sitting in a belt-equipped seat must be buckled while the bus is moving; the driver sets the example and reminds riders before departure.

The way the rear of a long bus swings outside or cuts inside the path of the front wheels during a turn; the driver must allow room so the rear clears curbs, poles, and pedestrians.

The danger created when a bus swings left before a right turn and a car slips into the open space on the right; approach from the correct lane and watch the right mirror through the whole turn.

Space ahead measured in seconds - about one second for each ten feet of bus length below 40 mph, plus more for speed, rain, or darkness - so a stop can be made smoothly.

Braking early and progressively so seated and standing riders are not thrown off balance, saving hard stops for real emergencies and warning riders when a quick stop is coming.

Knowing the bus's height including roof hatches and its width including mirrors, and checking posted numbers before driving under a bridge, into a tunnel, or through a drive-through.

The areas around a bus the driver cannot see in the mirrors, especially directly behind and close along each side, where cars and pedestrians can hide; mirrors must be adjusted and checked often.

Any activity that takes eyes, hands, or mind off the road; holding or dialing a hand-held phone while driving a commercial vehicle is prohibited, and even hands-free calls should wait.

On a long descent, shift to a lower gear before starting down and let the engine slow the bus, so the service brakes do not overheat and fade.

A bus carrying passengers must come to a complete stop before the stop line at every highway-rail crossing, unless a police officer or flagger directs traffic or the crossing is officially exempt.

At a grade crossing: stop completely, open the door or window to hear, look both ways along the tracks, and proceed only when certain no train is coming.

Active warnings - flashing lights, bells, and gates - signal a train is coming; passive ones - crossbucks and pavement markings - only mark the spot and rely on the driver to look and listen.

Never drive around or under a lowered gate, and never cross while red lights flash; these signals mean a train is close enough to reach the crossing before a long bus clears it.

Starting across only when there is room on the far side for the whole bus, including the rear overhang, so a traffic jam cannot leave the vehicle sitting on the rails.

If the bus stops on the rails, get everyone out at once and move well clear of the tracks, angling away in the direction the train is coming from so flying debris misses you, then call for help.

Getting everyone off the bus quickly and safely during fire, crash, or other danger, using the nearest usable exit while someone watches traffic and the driver accounts for every rider.

A marked side window that opens by releasing a handle or breaking the glass with the tool provided, giving a way out when doors are jammed, blocked, or on the wrong side of the bus.

An escape hatch in the bus roof that opens from inside and provides an exit in a rollover or when the bus is in water; it also lets smoke escape.

The four steps of using an extinguisher: Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the flames, Squeeze the handle, Sweep side to side; fight only a small fire and keep an exit behind you.

If smoke or flames appear, stop as soon as it is safe, shut off the engine, get everyone off and upwind of the bus, then call for help and attack only a small fire.

After a collision, turn on the emergency flashers and set out reflective triangles or flares so traffic slows before reaching the wreck and the people standing around it.

Federal rules require a CDL driver in a fatal crash, or in an injury crash that needs treatment away from the scene where the driver is cited, to be tested for alcohol and drugs and to report it to the employer.