Vehicle safety, loading and maintenance for buses and trucks
What the exam tests
Vehicle safety, loading and maintenance questions cover the daily walkaround check, passenger safety equipment, load security and weight limits, defect reporting and the CVRT. The examiner wants to see that you would not take an unsafe bus or truck onto the road.
Daily checks and passenger safety
Before the first journey, check tyres for pressure, cuts, bulges and tread; check wheel nuts and indicators, lights and reflectors, mirrors, windscreen and wipers, brakes, steering, horn, doors and emergency exits. On a bus, test the door controls and interlocks, confirm that emergency exits open from inside, and check that the fire extinguisher is present, secure and in date. Check any first-aid kit carried. Seat belts must be serviceable. Keep gangways and emergency exits clear; luggage must not block them.
Loading and weight
Know the gross vehicle weight and axle limits. Distribute passengers and luggage evenly; place heavy items low and over the rear axle where possible. Secure luggage compartment doors. A roof load or trailer must be within limits and properly secured. An overloaded or badly loaded bus changes braking and handling and can be illegal even if it looks level.
Maintenance and defects
The CVRT is the periodic roadworthiness test for commercial vehicles, including buses; it does not replace daily checks. Record defects and report them. If a defect affects safety, do not use the vehicle until it is fixed.
Worked example
A coach is loaded with heavy cases at the rear. The rear axle is near its limit and the steering feels light. The fix is to move cases forward over or ahead of the rear axle and re-check axle loads, not simply to reduce speed. Speed does not correct an axle overload or poor weight distribution.
Traps
Treating a valid CVRT certificate as proof of daily safety; forgetting the spare wheel and underfloor luggage; leaving a fire extinguisher out of date; assuming a bus cannot be overloaded because passengers are counted by seats.