MS CDL Passenger key terms

A slow circle around the bus before every trip in which the driver checks tires, wheels, lights, mirrors, body damage, leaks, and that nothing blocks doors or emergency exits. Defects found are corrected or reported before passengers board.

Testing headlights, high and low beams, turn signals, four-way flashers, brake lights, clearance and marker lights, and interior lighting with the help of an assistant or a reflective surface. All lamps must work before the bus moves.

With the system charged and the engine off, the driver applies and holds the brake pedal and watches the air gauge. Pressure loss beyond the allowed rate, or a warning buzzer that fails to sound at low pressure, means the bus is out of service.

Inspecting each tire for tread depth, cuts, bulges, and correct inflation, and each wheel for loose lug nuts, cracks, rust streaks, and missing valve caps. Dual tires must not touch, and foreign objects between them are removed.

Confirming that every marked emergency door and window opens from the inside and that the alarm or buzzer sounds when it opens, so a passenger cannot leave the bus unnoticed while it is moving.

The number of riders actually on board, counted at boarding and again before leaving a stop or the terminal, then matched against the seating and standee capacity. An accurate count is how a driver notices a missing passenger.

The maximum number of passengers the bus is designed to carry standing, shown on the manufacturer's capacity plate. Standing riders may not exceed that number and may not stand forward of the white line or in the stairwell.

Stowing carry-on bags, luggage, and mobility aids so they cannot roll, slide, or block the aisle, doorway, or emergency exit. Items go in racks or under seats, and heavy or sharp objects are kept out of the passenger compartment.

The requirement that the aisle, doorways, and stepwells stay clear of bags, carts, and feet so passengers can move to seats and reach an exit quickly during an emergency.

The maximum load a single axle or the whole bus may carry, set by the manufacturer and by state weight law. Overloading changes braking and handling, so passenger and baggage weight must stay within those ratings.

The gap a bus keeps behind the vehicle ahead, commonly at least four seconds in good conditions and more when roads are wet, traffic is heavy, or the bus is full. Larger gaps are needed because a loaded bus stops slowly.

A crossing where the driver slows, silences distracting devices, opens the window to listen, looks both ways, and never stops on the tracks. A bus carrying passengers generally must stop before the rails unless an officer, flagger, or traffic signal directs it across.

Before crossing a drawbridge, the driver must stop and confirm the bridge is fully closed and the warning lights and gates are not active, then cross without pausing on the span itself.

Posted height signs, signals, and overhead structures such as bridges, tunnels, and canopies that can strike a tall bus. The driver must know the bus's height, including roof hatches, and never enter a space marked lower.

Entering a tunnel with headlights on low beam, removing sunglasses, keeping a safe gap, and staying in lane without stopping. If traffic halts inside, the driver keeps space to pull forward and prepares to evacuate if needed.

The outward sweep of the rear of the bus as it swings opposite the front wheels during a turn. The driver checks mirrors and allows extra room so the tail does not strike signs, poles, parked cars, or pedestrians at the corner.

A safety system that prevents the bus from moving, or applies the parking brake, while a passenger door is open. The driver confirms doors are fully closed and the interlock releases before accelerating away from a stop.

A designated curb area where the bus stops to pick up and drop off riders. The driver pulls in as close as practical, sets the brake, watches the mirror for approaching traffic and cyclists, and opens the door only when it is safe.

A four-point strap system that anchors a mobility device to the floor plus a lap and shoulder belt for the rider. Both must be used and checked before the bus moves, with the chair's brakes locked.

The rule that standing passengers must hold a strap, pole, or overhead bar, keep feet clear of the doorwell, and stay behind the standee line whenever the bus is moving, because sudden stops throw riders forward.

A rule barring a commercial driver from holding or dialing a phone while the bus is operating. Calls go through a hands-free device with a single-button or voice start, and the phone is put away before driving.

No sending, reading, or browsing text or email while driving, even at a red light with the bus in gear. Texting takes eyes, hands, and attention off the road and is a serious violation for a commercial driver.

Any activity that pulls a driver's eyes off the road, hands off the wheel, or mind off driving: phones, eating, adjusting the radio, or talking to riders. Distractions must be handled while stopped and parked safely.

The legal alcohol concentration for a commercial driver is 0.04, lower than the 0.08 limit applied to other drivers. A positive test means removal from duty, and refusing a required test carries the same penalty as failing it.

Smoking, vaping, and carrying a lit item are not allowed on the bus, because smoke and vapor upset riders and a lit item is a fire risk near fuel, upholstery, and oxygen equipment.

Any person on the bus who is not a fare-paying passenger, an authorized employee, an inspector, or a properly escorted guest. Only the driver may allow someone aboard, and unknown persons are questioned or reported.

Passenger-carrying buses may not carry placarded hazardous materials, and riders may not bring gasoline, propane tanks, fireworks, or other regulated dangerous goods aboard. The driver checks and refuses such items before departure.

An unattended bag, package, or object that seems out of place, leaks, ticks, smells unusual, or was left where someone walked away quickly. The driver does not touch it, moves riders away, and notifies dispatch and police.

The steps a driver follows when something looks wrong: note what and where, keep passengers clear, avoid touching suspicious items, and call dispatch or emergency services from a safe place with clear details.

A charged, mounted extinguisher of the required rating, with the gauge in the green, the pin and seal intact, and the nozzle clear. The driver knows its location and how to use it on a small fire before evacuating.

Reflective devices placed behind a stopped bus on a highway to warn traffic, ordinarily about 10 feet behind the vehicle and further back on higher-speed roads. They are set out when the bus breaks down and riders are being protected.

A marked hatch or panel in the bus roof that opens from inside as an escape route or a ventilation opening. Riders are shown how it latches, and the driver confirms it opens fully during the pre-trip check.

The order in which a driver secures the bus, shuts off the engine, calls for help, and moves riders out through the safest exits to a gathering point away from traffic and fire, then counts heads.

The check completed after the last passenger leaves: walking the bus for damage, lost items, sleeping riders, leaks, and equipment problems, then recording anything found so the next driver or the shop knows.

The written record a driver prepares each day listing the bus's condition and any defects found, plus the mechanic's certification of repairs. It is signed and kept so defects are documented and fixed before the bus returns to service.

Telling the carrier, in writing and promptly, about anything unsafe or out of service on the bus - brakes, tires, lights, doors, exits, or warning equipment - so it is repaired before the vehicle carries passengers again.

A written account of a collision, injury, near miss, evacuation, or rider disturbance, prepared as soon as practical with time, place, weather, witnesses, and what was done. It goes to the carrier, not to social media.

The short checks and servicing done between trips: fueling, fluid levels, cleaning, restocking first aid supplies, checking tires, lights, and doors, and removing trash so the next run starts in a safe, clean bus.