CDL-10 Section 10 - School Bus
CDL-10 Section 10, School Bus, covers the school bus endorsement: danger zones, loading and unloading, student control, inspections, railroad crossings, and emergencies. Even though it is an endorsement section, the exam tests safety rules that are specific to school buses.
Core rules
- Danger zones: the area within 10 feet around the bus is the most dangerous. Students are hard to see there, especially in front of and behind the bus.
- Loading and unloading: stop in a safe place, set the parking brake, place the transmission in park or neutral, activate the stop arm and red lights, and signal students when it is safe to cross.
- Student crossing: students should cross in front of the bus, far enough ahead to be seen by the driver. The driver must account for every student.
- Railroad crossings: stop, open the door, listen, close the door, and proceed only when clear.
- Post-trip: walk the bus and check for sleeping or left-behind students. Never leave a child on the bus.
Worked example
A bus stops at a railroad crossing. The driver stops before the tracks, opens the service door, listens for a train, closes the door, and then proceeds. Opening the door improves hearing and is part of the required procedure, not an optional courtesy.
Traps
Do not assume the stop arm stops traffic; do not let students cross behind the bus; and do not skip the post-trip child check. A driver who is distracted during unloading can lose sight of a student in the danger zone.