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CPC Road Passenger Exam study materials
CPC Road Passenger Exam study resources

CPC Road Passenger Exam practice questions

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Question 1Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

Under the general rules of contract formation, at what point does an offer become a binding contract once accepted?

  1. When the acceptance is communicated to the offeror Correct answer.
  2. When a third party learns of the negotiations
  3. When the offeror first drafts the terms
  4. When the offeree reads the offer document

Explanation

A contract is formed when a valid acceptance is communicated to the offeror, creating mutual assent. Mere preparation, reading, or third-party knowledge does not complete formation.

Question 2Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A bus operator advertises seats at a stated fare, and a passenger tenders the exact fare at the counter. In practice, the advertisement is generally treated as which of the following?

  1. A binding unilateral offer
  2. A completed contract
  3. A counter-offer
  4. An invitation to treat Correct answer.

Explanation

Advertisements of goods or services at a price are generally invitations to treat, inviting the customer to make an offer. The contract forms when the operator accepts the passenger's offer.

Question 3Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

Which element is essential for a valid contract but is often satisfied by the parties' intention to create legal relations?

  1. Consideration Correct answer.
  2. Notarisation
  3. Registration with a court
  4. Witness signatures

Explanation

A valid contract generally requires offer, acceptance, consideration, and intention to create legal relations. Consideration is the exchange of value that makes the promise enforceable.

Question 4Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A carrier agrees to transport a passenger but the passenger is a minor travelling alone with a valid ticket. Which statement best reflects the general position on the minor's contract?

  1. The contract is generally voidable at the minor's option but binding on the adult carrier Correct answer.
  2. The contract is automatically void for all purposes
  3. The minor is fully bound and cannot avoid the contract
  4. The contract requires court approval before it takes effect

Explanation

Contracts with minors are typically voidable at the minor's election, while the adult party remains bound. This protects minors while preserving the carrier's obligations.

Question 5Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

Which of the following best describes the doctrine of privity of contract?

  1. Any interested person may sue on a contract
  2. Only parties to a contract can enforce rights under it Correct answer.
  3. Rights under a contract pass automatically to the public
  4. Contracts bind all persons aware of their terms

Explanation

Privity means that contractual rights and obligations generally attach only to the parties who made the contract. Third parties cannot ordinarily enforce it.

Question 6Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A passenger is injured when a bus driver brakes sharply to avoid a collision caused by another motorist. In a negligence claim against the bus operator, which element must the passenger establish first?

  1. That the passenger held a return ticket
  2. That the bus was travelling above the speed limit
  3. That the other motorist was insured
  4. That the operator owed the passenger a duty of care Correct answer.

Explanation

Negligence requires proof of a duty of care, breach, causation, and damage. The first step is establishing that the operator owed the passenger a duty of care.

Question 7Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

In a negligence action arising from a road passenger service, which standard is used to judge whether the carrier breached its duty?

  1. The standard of a reasonable and prudent carrier in the circumstances Correct answer.
  2. The standard of the most cautious carrier in the industry
  3. The standard set by the passenger's expectations
  4. The personal standard of the individual driver

Explanation

Breach is measured against the conduct of a reasonable and prudent person in the same circumstances. Industry best practice may inform but does not replace this standard.

Question 8Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

Which principle governs the recovery of damages for negligent injury to a passenger?

  1. Damages are punitive and set by the passenger's demand
  2. Only out-of-pocket expenses are ever recoverable
  3. The carrier must pay a fixed statutory sum regardless of loss
  4. The injured party should be restored, so far as money can, to the position before the wrong Correct answer.

Explanation

Compensatory damages aim to put the claimant in the position they would have occupied but for the wrong. They cover foreseeable losses such as medical costs and lost earnings.

Question 9Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A carrier seeks to exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by its own negligence through a printed clause on a ticket. How is such a clause generally treated?

  1. It is always fully enforceable if printed clearly
  2. It is valid only if the passenger signs it after the journey
  3. It is generally ineffective to exclude liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence Correct answer.
  4. It shifts liability automatically to the vehicle manufacturer

Explanation

Many legal systems restrict or prohibit excluding liability for death or personal injury resulting from negligence, even where the clause is clearly printed. Such clauses are therefore generally ineffective for that purpose.

Question 10Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A passenger slips on a wet floor at a bus terminal that staff had noticed but left unmarked for several hours. Which factor most strongly supports a finding of breach of duty?

  1. The foreseeability of harm and the low cost of remedial measures Correct answer.
  2. The number of staff employed at the terminal
  3. The time of day the passenger travelled
  4. The passenger's choice of footwear

Explanation

Breach is assessed by weighing the foreseeability and seriousness of harm against the burden of taking precautions. A known hazard with cheap remedies strongly indicates breach.

Question 11Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

Under the law of agency, when does an agent's act bind the principal to a third party?

  1. When the third party assumes the agent owns the business
  2. When the agent acts outside the scope of any authority
  3. When the agent acts for personal benefit
  4. When the agent acts within the authority conferred by the principal Correct answer.

Explanation

A principal is bound where the agent acts within actual or apparent authority. Acts beyond authority do not bind the principal unless ratified.

Question 12Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A bus company's employee, while driving on company business, causes an accident injuring a passenger. On what basis is the company generally liable?

  1. No liability because the employee is personally liable
  2. Direct liability only if a director was present
  3. Vicarious liability for the acts of an employee acting in the course of employment Correct answer.
  4. Liability only if the passenger sues the employee first

Explanation

Employers are generally vicariously liable for torts committed by employees in the course of employment. The passenger may claim against the employer without suing the employee first.

Question 13Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

Which statement best describes the difference between a condition and a warranty in a contract of carriage?

  1. A condition is always written and a warranty is always oral
  2. A warranty allows termination while a condition gives damages only
  3. Breach of a condition may allow termination, while breach of a warranty generally gives damages only Correct answer.
  4. There is no legal distinction between the two

Explanation

A condition is a fundamental term whose breach may entitle the innocent party to terminate and claim damages. A warranty is a lesser term whose breach generally gives rise only to damages.

Question 14Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A passenger buys a ticket that states the journey is subject to the carrier's published conditions. Which statement is correct about incorporating those conditions?

  1. Terms incorporated by reasonable notice before or at the time of contracting are generally binding Correct answer.
  2. Conditions become binding only if read aloud to the passenger
  3. Conditions never bind passengers who buy online
  4. Conditions bind only if the passenger signs a separate deed

Explanation

Terms are incorporated if reasonable notice is given before or at the time of contracting, including by reference to published conditions. Reading aloud or a deed is not required.

Question 15Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

What is the effect of a force majeure clause in a passenger transport contract?

  1. It removes the carrier's duty of care in all circumstances
  2. It transfers all risk to the passenger permanently
  3. It automatically voids the contract from the outset
  4. It may excuse or suspend performance when specified extraordinary events occur Correct answer.

Explanation

A force majeure clause allocates risk for extraordinary events beyond the parties' control, potentially excusing or suspending performance. Its scope depends on the events specified.

Question 16Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A carrier and a passenger agree that any dispute will be heard in a particular court. What is the general effect of such a jurisdiction clause?

  1. It prevents any claim from being brought at all
  2. It gives the carrier unilateral power to change the law
  3. It is always void because parties cannot choose a forum
  4. It is generally upheld if it is clear and not contrary to mandatory rules Correct answer.

Explanation

Choice-of-forum clauses are generally respected where clearly agreed and not contrary to mandatory consumer protections. They do not eliminate substantive rights.

Question 17Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

Which of the following is the best example of a breach of a statutory duty relevant to road passenger transport?

  1. Hiring staff with limited experience
  2. Charging a fare lower than a competitor
  3. Advertising services on social media
  4. Operating a passenger vehicle without the required licence or permit Correct answer.

Explanation

Statutory duties in road passenger transport commonly include licensing and permit requirements. Operating without them breaches a statutory obligation and may attract liability.

Question 18Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A passenger's luggage is damaged during a journey. Under general contract principles, what must the passenger generally show to recover?

  1. That another passenger witnessed the damage
  2. That the luggage was brand new
  3. That the carrier intended the damage
  4. That the carrier breached a term or duty and the loss resulted from that breach Correct answer.

Explanation

Recovery requires establishing a breach of contract or duty and a causal link to the loss. Intent and the age of the luggage are not prerequisites.

Question 19Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

Which statement best captures the principle of mitigation of loss?

  1. A claimant may recover unlimited losses regardless of action taken
  2. A defendant may reduce damages by showing the claimant ignored obvious remedies
  3. A claimant must take reasonable steps to reduce losses flowing from the breach Correct answer.
  4. A claimant forfeits all damages if any loss is avoidable

Explanation

A claimant has a duty to take reasonable steps to mitigate loss, and damages may be reduced for losses that could reasonably have been avoided. Full forfeiture is not automatic.

Question 20Civil and commercial law relevant to road passenger transport

A carrier's standard terms state that timetables are not guaranteed and departures may change. How are such terms generally characterised?

  1. As unenforceable because they are printed
  2. As terms defining the scope of the carrier's obligation rather than excluding liability Correct answer.
  3. As criminal offences
  4. As automatically unfair in every case

Explanation

Terms that define the extent of an obligation, such as non-guaranteed timetables, delimit what was promised rather than exclude liability for breach. Their fairness depends on context.

Question 21Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

Under EU rules on driving and rest times, what is the minimum continuous daily rest a driver must normally take within each 24-hour period after the previous daily or weekly rest?

  1. 14 hours
  2. 8 hours
  3. 6 hours
  4. 11 hours Correct answer.

Explanation

Regulation (EC) 561/2006 requires a regular daily rest period of at least 11 hours within each 24-hour period after the end of the previous daily or weekly rest. A reduced daily rest of at least 9 hours is allowed at most three times between weekly rests.

Question 22Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

After a continuous driving period, how long must a driver take as a break before starting the next driving period?

  1. 30 minutes
  2. 15 minutes
  3. 60 minutes
  4. 45 minutes Correct answer.

Explanation

A driver must take a break of at least 45 minutes after a maximum of 4.5 hours of driving. The break can be split into a first part of at least 15 minutes followed by a part of at least 30 minutes.

Question 23Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

What is the maximum continuous driving time permitted before a driver must take a qualifying break?

  1. 4.5 hours Correct answer.
  2. 3 hours
  3. 5 hours
  4. 4 hours

Explanation

Regulation (EC) 561/2006 caps continuous driving at 4.5 hours, after which a break of at least 45 minutes is required. The clock resets only when the qualifying break is completed.

Question 24Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

What is the maximum total driving time a driver may accumulate in any single two-week period?

  1. 56 hours
  2. 90 hours Correct answer.
  3. 80 hours
  4. 100 hours

Explanation

The weekly driving limit is 56 hours, and the two-week total may not exceed 90 hours. These limits apply regardless of how the driving is spread across the days.

Question 25Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

A driver has accumulated 9 hours of driving on a Monday and needs to know the weekly driving ceiling. What is the maximum driving time permitted in that single week?

  1. 45 hours
  2. 50 hours
  3. 60 hours
  4. 56 hours Correct answer.

Explanation

The weekly driving limit is 56 hours. A driver who has driven 9 hours on Monday still has 47 hours of the weekly allowance available across the rest of the week.

Question 26Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

Within what period must a driver take a regular weekly rest?

  1. Within each period of seven consecutive days Correct answer.
  2. Within each period of six consecutive days
  3. Within each period of ten consecutive days
  4. Within each period of fourteen consecutive days

Explanation

A regular weekly rest must be taken within each period of seven consecutive days, following the previous weekly rest. It consists of at least 45 continuous hours.

Question 27Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

What is the minimum length of a regular weekly rest period?

  1. 24 hours
  2. 45 hours Correct answer.
  3. 48 hours
  4. 36 hours

Explanation

A regular weekly rest must last at least 45 continuous hours. A reduced weekly rest of at least 24 hours is permitted only under the conditions set by the Regulation.

Question 28Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

A driver takes a reduced weekly rest of 24 hours. What must the driver do to compensate for the reduction?

  1. Take the equivalent rest time in one block before the end of the following week Correct answer.
  2. Skip the next weekly rest entirely
  3. Take the equivalent rest time attached to a daily rest within three weeks
  4. Split the compensation into 15-minute parts

Explanation

A reduced weekly rest must be compensated by an equivalent period of rest taken in one block before the end of the third week following the week concerned. The compensation is attached to another rest period of at least 9 hours.

Question 29Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

How many reduced daily rest periods may a driver take between two weekly rest periods?

  1. One
  2. Two
  3. Three Correct answer.
  4. Four

Explanation

A driver may take at most three reduced daily rest periods of at least 9 hours between any two weekly rest periods. Beyond that, the full 11-hour regular daily rest applies.

Question 30Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

On which of these vehicles do the EU driving and rest times rules apply?

  1. A private car used for commuting
  2. A taxi on a local journey
  3. A passenger-carrying vehicle designed to carry more than nine persons including the driver Correct answer.
  4. A van under 3.5 tonnes used for deliveries

Explanation

Regulation (EC) 561/2006 applies to road transport by goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes and by passenger vehicles designed to carry more than nine persons including the driver. Private cars, taxis and light vans fall outside these rules.

Question 31Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

A driver operates a coach on a regular service with a route length of 50 km. Which statement about the driving and rest times rules is correct?

  1. The Regulation does not apply because the route is under 50 km
  2. The Regulation applies because the route exceeds 50 km Correct answer.
  3. The Regulation applies only to international journeys
  4. The Regulation applies only to school services

Explanation

For regular passenger services, the Regulation applies where the route length of the service exceeds 50 km. Services of 50 km or less are outside this particular scope provision.

Question 32Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

What is the maximum continuous period a driver may spend at the controls before a break under the Working Time Directive?

  1. 8 hours
  2. 10 hours
  3. 6 hours Correct answer.
  4. 4 hours

Explanation

The Working Time Directive requires a break after no more than six hours of continuous work. This is separate from, and additional to, the driving break rules under the driving and rest times Regulation.

Question 33Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

Under the Working Time Directive, what is the maximum average weekly working time for mobile workers?

  1. 48 hours Correct answer.
  2. 55 hours
  3. 40 hours
  4. 35 hours

Explanation

Average weekly working time, including overtime, may not exceed 48 hours over a reference period. The reference period is normally four months, and night work is subject to a separate 10-hour limit.

Question 34Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

What is the maximum total working time a night worker may perform in a 24-hour period under the Working Time Directive?

  1. 14 hours
  2. 12 hours
  3. 10 hours Correct answer.
  4. 8 hours

Explanation

Night workers may not exceed 10 hours of working time in any 24-hour period. This limit applies to total work, not only to driving time.

Question 35Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

What is the minimum annual paid holiday to which a worker is entitled under the Working Time Directive?

  1. Four weeks Correct answer.
  2. Six weeks
  3. Three weeks
  4. Two weeks

Explanation

The Directive guarantees at least four weeks of paid annual leave. National law may provide more generous entitlements, but it may not fall below this floor.

Question 36Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

What is the minimum daily rest period for a mobile worker under the Working Time Directive?

  1. 11 hours Correct answer.
  2. 8 hours
  3. 10 hours
  4. 12 hours

Explanation

The Directive requires at least 11 consecutive hours of rest in each 24-hour period. The driving and rest times Regulation may set longer or different rest requirements for drivers.

Question 37Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

A driver records a manual entry in the tachograph. What is the primary purpose of this manual entry?

  1. To record activities that cannot be recorded automatically, such as other work or rest Correct answer.
  2. To replace the requirement for daily rest
  3. To record fuel purchases
  4. To correct the vehicle odometer reading

Explanation

Manual entries allow drivers to record activities that the tachograph cannot capture automatically, such as other work, availability or rest. They must be accurate and completed when the record is created.

Question 38Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

How long must a transport operator retain tachograph records for the purposes of enforcement?

  1. 12 months Correct answer.
  2. 5 years
  3. 6 months
  4. 2 years

Explanation

Undertakings must keep tachograph sheets and printouts for at least one year after use. Records must be available for inspection by enforcement authorities during that period.

Question 39Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

A coach driver has driven 4 hours continuously and is 30 minutes from the destination. What is the correct action?

  1. Stop and record the extra time as other work
  2. Take a qualifying break of at least 45 minutes before further driving Correct answer.
  3. Continue to the destination without a break
  4. Take a 15-minute break and continue

Explanation

Continuous driving may not exceed 4.5 hours, and the driver is still within that limit, but any further driving beyond 4.5 hours requires a qualifying break of at least 45 minutes first. The driver may continue only until the 4.5-hour limit is reached.

Question 40Social legislation and labour rules for drivers

Which statement about the relationship between the driving and rest times Regulation and the Working Time Directive is correct?

  1. The Directive replaces the Regulation for drivers
  2. The Directive applies only to office staff
  3. The Regulation sets driving limits and the Directive adds wider working time protections Correct answer.
  4. The two instruments set identical rules

Explanation

The Regulation sets driving time, break and rest requirements, while the Directive adds broader working time protections such as average weekly hours, night work and annual leave. Both may apply to the same driver.

Question 41Road transport business management and financial administration

Under standard costing for a road passenger undertaking, the cost of fuel per kilometre is best classified as which type of cost?

  1. A fixed capital cost
  2. A notional financing cost
  3. A variable operating cost Correct answer.
  4. A sunk administrative cost

Explanation

Fuel consumption rises and falls directly with distance operated, so it behaves as a variable cost per kilometre. Fixed costs such as insurance or depot rent do not change with kilometres run.

Question 42Road transport business management and financial administration

A bus undertaking earns fare revenue of 480,000 and incurs total operating costs of 420,000 in a period. What is its operating ratio?

  1. 60.0%
  2. 14.3%
  3. 114.3%
  4. 87.5% Correct answer.

Explanation

The operating ratio expresses operating cost as a percentage of operating revenue: 420,000 / 480,000 = 0.875, or 87.5%. A ratio below 100% indicates an operating surplus.

Question 43Road transport business management and financial administration

Which document must a road passenger operator maintain to record the daily running and earnings of each stage carriage service?

  1. A daily trip or route record sheet Correct answer.
  2. A waybill for each individual passenger
  3. A vehicle insurance proposal form
  4. A purchase ledger control account

Explanation

Operators record each trip's departures, arrivals, kilometres run and takings on a daily trip or route sheet, which supports revenue reconciliation and cost analysis. Passenger-level documents and financial ledgers serve different purposes.

Question 44Road transport business management and financial administration

In transport economics, the load factor of a passenger service is calculated as which of the following?

  1. Passengers carried divided by seats offered Correct answer.
  2. Passenger journeys divided by vehicle journeys
  3. Passenger kilometres divided by vehicle kilometres
  4. Revenue earned divided by total operating cost

Explanation

The load factor measures capacity utilisation as passengers carried divided by the seats made available. It is distinct from productivity measures based on distance or journeys.

Question 45Road transport business management and financial administration

Which of the following is normally treated as a fixed cost in the short-run accounts of a bus operator?

  1. Fuel drawn per trip
  2. Driver overtime payments
  3. Tyres consumed per kilometre
  4. Vehicle licensing and insurance premiums Correct answer.

Explanation

Licensing and insurance premiums are incurred regardless of how many kilometres are run in the short run, so they are fixed costs. The other items vary with output.

Question 46Road transport business management and financial administration

A transport undertaking's break-even point in passenger kilometres is found by dividing which amount by the contribution per passenger kilometre?

  1. Total revenue
  2. Total fixed costs Correct answer.
  3. Net profit after tax
  4. Total variable costs

Explanation

Break-even output equals fixed costs divided by contribution per unit, where contribution is fare revenue per passenger kilometre less variable cost per passenger kilometre. Profit targets are met only above this volume.

Question 47Road transport business management and financial administration

Which of the following best describes the purpose of a permit or licence held by a stage carriage operator?

  1. To fix the fares that competitors may charge
  2. To guarantee the operator a minimum level of profit
  3. To authorise the operator to run specified services on defined routes Correct answer.
  4. To exempt the operator from vehicle maintenance duties

Explanation

A stage carriage permit authorises the holder to operate specified services over defined routes subject to conditions. It does not guarantee profits, remove maintenance obligations, or control competitors' fares.

Question 48Road transport business management and financial administration

A bus operator's annual vehicle insurance premium is 60,000 and its annual permit fee is 15,000. Both are incurred irrespective of distance run. Together these are best described as which of the following?

  1. Marginal costs
  2. Prime costs
  3. Semi-variable costs
  4. Fixed costs Correct answer.

Explanation

Costs that do not change with the level of service output are fixed costs. Insurance and permit fees fall due regardless of kilometres operated.

Question 49Road transport business management and financial administration

In preparing an operating cost statement for a passenger transport fleet, which item is normally classified as a running cost rather than a standing cost?

  1. Vehicle lubricants Correct answer.
  2. Administrative salaries
  3. Road tax
  4. Depot rent

Explanation

Running costs vary with the distance operated and include fuel, lubricants and tyres. Standing costs such as rent, salaries and road tax are incurred whether or not vehicles move.

Question 50Road transport business management and financial administration

An operator's fixed costs are 900,000, fare revenue per passenger kilometre is 2.00 and variable cost per passenger kilometre is 1.25. What is the break-even volume in passenger kilometres?

  1. 720,000
  2. 1,800,000
  3. 1,200,000 Correct answer.
  4. 450,000

Explanation

Contribution per passenger kilometre is 2.00 - 1.25 = 0.75. Break-even volume is 900,000 / 0.75 = 1,200,000 passenger kilometres.