Road test in a school bus representative of the type of school bus you will be driving
The Kansas CDL road test is conducted in a school bus representative of the type you will drive. The examiner scores the pre-trip inspection, basic vehicle control, and on-road driving, plus school-bus-specific skills such as loading and unloading students, railroad crossings, and emergency evacuation. You must demonstrate that you can inspect the bus, control it smoothly, and protect students in live traffic.
Core skills
- Pre-trip: check the stop arm, alternating red lights, service door, emergency exits, fire extinguisher, first aid kit, mirrors, tires, brakes, and warning devices. Know what is defective and must be fixed before dispatch.
- Basic control: start, shift, steer, back, and park without hitting cones or curbs. Use both hands and check mirrors before every move.
- Loading/unloading: position the bus, secure it, activate required lights and stop arm, count students, and signal crossing students. Do not move until every student is clear.
- Railroad crossing: stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail, open the service door, look and listen, close the door, and cross without stopping on the tracks.
- Emergency evacuation: identify exits, give directions, and move students away from traffic.
Worked example
At a railroad crossing during the road test, you stop 20 feet from the rail, open the door, look and listen, then close the door and start across. The examiner asks why you opened the door. The reason is that opening the door lets you hear a train and gives a clearer view; closing it before moving keeps students from falling out. You should not shift gears while crossing or stop on the tracks.
Traps
Rolling stops at crossings, failing to open the door, stopping too close to the rail, not checking mirrors before backing, and moving with a student in the danger zone are common failures. Also do not skip the post-trip inspection or overlook a defective stop arm.