OK CDL School Bus flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Danger Zone

The area within 10 feet of the school bus on every side. Students inside this zone are at greatest risk of being struck, so the driver must account for each one before moving.

Student Count Rule

The driver counts students off the bus and again at a safe assembly point outside the danger zone. The two counts must match before the bus may move.

Crossing Signal

The driver's hand signal authorizing a student to cross. It is given only after traffic in both directions has stopped and the driver has rechecked the crossing path.

Loading Sequence

Stop, set the parking brake, shift to neutral or park, activate the 8-way lights, then open the door. This sequence secures the bus before students approach.

Dropped Item Rule

A student who drops something near the bus must leave it and tell the driver. No one crawls under or reaches beneath the bus to retrieve an item.

Post-Crash Priority Order

Secure the bus, protect the scene, check injuries, notify dispatch and 911, then evacuate only for fire, hazardous cargo, or a safer location.

Evacuation Assembly Point

A single designated spot at least 100 feet from the bus and roadway where students gather so the driver can recount them after evacuation.

Front-Door Evacuation

The driver exits first and stands at the door to hand students down. Students move away from the bus to the assembly point without running.

Items Taken in Evacuation

The driver takes the emergency kit, first-aid kit, fire extinguisher, and student roster when leaving the bus, to treat injuries and account for students.

Grade Crossing Stop Distance

Oklahoma school buses stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail at every railroad-highway grade crossing, unless the crossing is officially exempt.

Crossing Listening Procedure

At the crossing, stop, set the parking brake, open the driver's window, turn off heater and radio, and look and listen both ways before proceeding.

Stalled on Tracks

If the bus stalls on the tracks, evacuate students immediately, move them at least 100 feet from the tracks, and call 911.

Clearing the Crossing

Cross only when the bus can clear the entire crossing without stopping. Never shift gears while on the tracks.

ABS Warning Lamp

The ABS lamp should light at start-up and go out. If it stays on, ABS is disabled and the bus should be removed from service.

Braking With ABS

Apply firm continuous pressure and hold it. Do not pump the brake, because pumping defeats the antilock system and lengthens stopping distance.

Parking Brake Requirement

The parking brake must be set whenever the bus is stopped for loading or unloading students, and it must hold the bus on a grade.

Brake Fade Prevention

On long downgrades, select a lower gear and use engine braking instead of riding the service brakes, which overheats them and causes fade.

Pre-Trip Brake Check

Inspection covers fluid or air pressure, low-pressure warning, leak-down, and the ABS lamp. Any defect means the bus is taken out of service.

Driver Authority Limits

The driver may assign seats and enforce safety rules from boarding to leaving but may not use corporal punishment; serious discipline is reported to the principal.

Left-Behind Student Check

After every run, check every seat and the floor for a sleeping or left-behind child. Leaving a child on the bus can be life-threatening.

Unmet Student at Stop

If no parent or guardian meets a young student, the driver keeps the child on the bus and contacts dispatch rather than releasing the child alone.

Confidential Accommodations

Students with disabilities may have an IEP or 504 plan. The driver follows the written plan and keeps the student's information confidential.

Amber Warning Lights

Amber 8-way lights activate roughly 100 to 300 feet before a stop to warn traffic. Red lights and the stop arm come on only when stopped with the door open.

Divided Highway Stop Rule

On a divided highway, only traffic behind the bus must stop for red lights. On a two-lane road, traffic in both directions must stop.

Stop Arm Location

The stop arm extends from the driver's left side of the bus while red lights flash front and rear during student loading or unloading.

Failed-to-Stop Vehicle

If a vehicle does not stop for the red lights, hold students back, sound the horn, and record the vehicle description and plate for reporting.

Following Distance

A loaded school bus needs at least a 4-second following distance because its weight and higher center of gravity lengthen stopping distance.

Right-Turn Tracking

Rear wheels track inside the front wheels, so the driver swings wide on right turns and checks the right mirror for the rear axle path.

Rear Blind Spot

The blind area behind a school bus extends about 200 feet. Mirrors must be adjusted to show the rear bumper and the danger zone.

Backing Rule

Backing is the highest-risk maneuver. Use a spotter, sound the horn, back only when necessary, and never back toward students.

Curve Speed Technique

Slow down before entering a curve, not while in it, because braking hard in a turn can roll a top-heavy bus.

Distraction Rule

Cell phone use while driving a school bus is prohibited. The driver keeps both hands on the wheel except to operate bus controls.