Vehicle Inspection, Loading, and Passenger Safety Before Driving
What this domain tests
This section tests what you must confirm before a passenger bus moves: the vehicle is roadworthy, the passenger compartment is safe, and loading has not created a hazard. Expect pre-trip inspection and loading decisions, not maintenance diagnosis.
The pre-trip sequence
- Walk-around: tires and tread, lug nuts, lights, mirrors, brake adjustment, and emergency exits from outside.
- Interior: aisle and exit paths clear, emergency door latches and buzzers, charged fire extinguisher, first aid kit, reflectors, spare fuses, seat belts, and standee line.
- Brake check: air pressure buildup and leakage, low-pressure warning, parking brake.
Loading rules
Count passengers and stow carry-ons so nothing blocks the aisle or an exit. Do not load hazardous materials. Secure wheelchairs and mobility aids with the bus equipment. If a passenger or item cannot be secured safely, do not move.
Worked example
You finish the exterior walk-around, start the engine, and find the rear emergency door will not release from inside. The correct decision is to place the bus out of service until the latch is repaired. Reasoning: the exit is a required safety device; a bus with an inoperative exit cannot carry passengers, even if the outside handle works.
Traps
- Doing only the exterior inspection and skipping interior exits and aisle clearance.
- Assuming the previous driver inspected the bus.
- Loading baggage first, then discovering the aisle is blocked after passengers board.
- Treating a missing fire extinguisher or first aid kit as minor.