Vehicle Inspection, Equipment, and Defect Reporting
This domain tests whether you can verify that a school bus is safe before it carries students and whether you document problems correctly. The exam expects a daily inspection routine and a clear distinction between a minor defect and an out-of-service condition.
Daily inspection
- Walk-around: tires, lights, stop arm, mirrors, belts, exits, fluid leaks.
- In-cab: gauges, warning lights, horn, wipers, defroster, and brakes.
- Brake check: air pressure build and release, parking brake holds, service brake does not fade.
- Emergency equipment: charged fire extinguisher, warning triangles, first-aid kit, body-fluid kit.
Defects
- Minor defect: record it and report it.
- Safety defect: do not drive; tag the bus out, notify dispatch, and use another bus.
- Post-trip: walk the bus, check for sleeping students, and report defects.
New Jersey school buses are also subject to periodic MVC inspection, but that does not replace the driver's daily check.
Worked example
The brake pedal sinks slowly under steady pressure. Correct action: do not depart; report a brake defect and tag the bus out. Reasoning: a fading pedal can indicate a leak or loss of pressure, and a school bus cannot be operated with an unresolved brake defect.
Traps
- Signing a pre-trip form without operating the brakes.
- Reporting a defect only verbally.
- Skipping the stop arm and red-light check.
- Treating an MVC inspection sticker as proof the bus is safe today.