Vehicle Inspection
Vehicle Inspection
This domain tests pre-trip and en route inspection of a passenger vehicle. You must know what to check, how to test it, and when a defect keeps the bus out of service.
What to check
- Outside: tires and tread, wheels and lug nuts, lights, turn signals, horn, wipers, mirrors, body damage, exhaust, and fluid leaks.
- Inside: seats and handrails secure, aisle clear, standee line visible, stepwells clean, windows, doors, and every emergency exit. Open each exit from inside; a latch that sticks on the ground may fail in a panic.
- Emergency equipment: fire extinguisher charged and secured, first aid kit, reflectors or fuses, and spare fuses if equipped.
- Brakes and steering: air-pressure build-up and loss, parking brake, service brake, and steering play. Know your vehicle's warning thresholds rather than guessing.
- En route: watch gauges, listen for new noises, and check mirrors and tires at stops.
Worked example. You find the rear emergency door opens only when someone outside lifts the handle. The bus should not carry passengers: the exit must work from inside without tools. You write it up and do not "cover" the trip because the route is short. Passenger exits are life-safety equipment.
Traps that cost marks
- Inspecting only the outside and skipping exits, aisles, and handrails.
- Assuming a warning light is a substitute for a physical check.
- Failing to report a defect because another driver had the bus last.
- Testing the emergency exit from outside only.