LA CDL School Bus flashcards
LA CDL School Bus · Build recall with a focused review session.
32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.
- Class A combination vehicle
- A combination vehicle with a gross combination weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, where the towed unit or units have a gross vehicle weight rating exceeding 10,000 pounds.
- Class B single vehicle
- A single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,001 pounds or more, or such a vehicle towing a unit that does not exceed 10,000 pounds gross vehicle weight rating.
- Class C vehicle
- A single vehicle with a gross vehicle weight rating of 26,000 pounds or less that is designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver, or is placarded for hazardous materials.
- Passenger endorsement P
- Required to operate any vehicle designed to carry 16 or more passengers including the driver. For a school bus it is combined with the school bus endorsement.
- School bus endorsement S
- An endorsement added to a passenger endorsement that permits operation of a school bus. It requires a knowledge test and a skills test performed in a school bus.
- School bus driver certificate
- A California credential separate from the CDL, requiring fingerprint background clearance, medical certification, and a driving record review, issued through the CHP and DMV process.
- Commercial learner's permit limits
- A permit holder may not carry passengers in a school bus and must be accompanied by a licensed driver. A minimum holding period applies before the skills test.
- CDL disqualifying offenses
- Serious traffic violations and certain criminal offenses can suspend or revoke CDL privileges even when committed in a personal vehicle, and school bus drivers face stricter standards.
- Self-certification category NI
- Non-excepted interstate. The driver operates across state lines or in non-excepted operations and must keep a current DOT medical examiner's certificate on file with the state.
- Self-certification category NA
- Non-excepted intrastate. The driver operates only within California in non-excepted operations and must meet the state medical certification requirements for that category.
- Excepted operation definition
- Operation limited to excepted categories such as federal government, certain school bus operations, or emergency response. Excepted drivers are not required to file a medical certificate with the DMV.
- Medical certificate validity period
- Generally 24 months maximum, but shortened to 12 months or less when the examiner identifies a condition requiring monitoring, such as elevated blood pressure or certain cardiac conditions.
- DOT vision standard
- At least 20/40 corrected vision in each eye, a visual field of at least 70 degrees in each eye, and the ability to distinguish red, green, and amber colors.
- DOT hearing standard
- The driver must be able to perceive a forced whisper at a distance of 5 feet, with or without a hearing aid, in order to meet the federal medical standard.
- Hypertension certification limits
- Stage 1 and stage 2 hypertension generally limit certification to 3 months, stage 3 to 6 months, and readings of 180/110 or higher disqualify until the condition is controlled.
- Insulin-dependent diabetes certification
- A driver may be certified under the federal diabetes exemption program with an endocrinologist's assessment. A disqualifying hypoglycemic episode must be reported and may bar driving.
- DL-51 medical certificate
- The California medical examiner's certificate form that school bus drivers must carry and keep current, in addition to meeting the federal DOT medical standard.
- Clearinghouse pre-employment query
- A full query an employer must run, with the driver's electronic consent, before allowing a CDL driver to perform safety-sensitive functions such as driving a school bus.
- Clearinghouse annual limited query
- A query employers must run at least once a year on every employed CDL driver. A limited query shows whether a record exists but not its details.
- Clearinghouse prohibited status
- A driver with a reported violation, including a positive drug test, alcohol result of 0.04 or higher, refusal to test, or actual knowledge, may not perform safety-sensitive functions.
- Substance abuse professional role
- The SAP evaluates a driver after a violation, prescribes education or treatment, and directs the return-to-duty and follow-up testing process required before driving privileges resume.
- Return-to-duty process
- After a violation, the driver must complete SAP evaluation and treatment, pass a negative return-to-duty test, and then complete follow-up testing before resuming safety-sensitive duties.
- Follow-up testing minimum
- Follow-up testing lasts at least 12 months and includes at least 6 tests in the first 12 months, as directed by the substance abuse professional, until the driver is released.
- Clearinghouse record follows driver
- A violation record stays with the driver across employers. A new employer's full query reveals prohibited status, so changing jobs does not clear the record.
- Employer reporting duties
- Employers must report violations, refusals to test, and negative return-to-duty and follow-up test results to the Clearinghouse. Failure to report can result in civil penalties.
- Entry-Level Driver Training applicability
- ELDT applies to first-time Class A or Class B applicants, Class B to Class A upgrades, and first-time passenger or school bus endorsement applicants.
- Training Provider Registry
- The FMCSA list of approved ELDT providers. Providers must be listed and must submit the driver's completion certification electronically; drivers cannot self-certify completion.
- ELDT theory instruction
- Classroom or online instruction covering basic operation, safe operating procedures, vehicle systems, and non-driving activities, completed before the CDL skills test.
- Behind-the-wheel training
- Required for Class A and Class B applicants but not for the passenger or school bus endorsement alone, which requires theory instruction plus the state skills test.
- CDL skills test parts
- Three parts: pre-trip vehicle inspection, basic vehicle control, and on-road driving. Failure of any part requires retesting that part, and the school bus test uses a school bus.
- School bus pre-trip training
- Instruction in inspecting the bus before each trip, including brakes, lights, tires, emergency exits, mirrors, and passenger safety equipment, as part of the school bus endorsement curriculum.
- Student management training
- Instruction in loading and unloading procedures, student behavior management, emergency evacuation drills, and railroad crossing procedures required for school bus drivers.