Driving Safely with Passengers
Driving Safely with Passengers
This domain tests how you drive a bus when the load can stand up, ask questions, and lose balance. The exam focuses on smooth vehicle control, passenger supervision, distraction management, and rules that apply specifically to buses carrying people.
Control the bus for the people in it
- Accelerate and brake gradually; begin braking earlier than in a car. A stop that is legal can still throw standing or elderly passengers.
- Keep the aisle, stairwell, and exits clear. Do not let passengers stand where they block your view, the door, or the aisle.
- Use mirrors and the camera; do not turn around to talk to passengers. At 55 mph you travel about 80 feet per second, so a two-second look back is a long blind drive.
Supervision without distraction
- You are responsible for order, but your first job is driving. Keep conversations short; ask a disruptive passenger to be seated, and stop in a safe place if the problem grows.
- Never leave passengers alone on an unattended bus. Do not fuel with passengers aboard; if refueling is unavoidable, make sure no passenger stays on board and no one smokes.
- Secure baggage so it cannot slide into the aisle or become a projectile.
Railroad crossings
Treat crossings as a stop-and-listen event: stop, look both ways, open a window or door to listen if your procedure requires it, and cross without shifting gears. Do not stop on the tracks.
Worked example
A driver at 55 mph is asked a question by a passenger behind the driver's seat. The driver turns his head for two seconds to answer. In that time the bus travels about 160 feet - more than half a football field - with no eyes on the road. The correct response is to keep eyes forward, answer briefly or say "I'll talk with you at the next stop," and use the mirror if a passenger is moving around.
Traps that cost marks
- Thinking a legal stop is a comfortable stop.
- Turning around to supervise.
- Leaving the bus running with passengers aboard while you step out.
- Forgetting that baggage and standees become hazards in a panic stop.