Pennsylvania CDL Passenger key terms

A systematic walk-around and in-cab check of lights, tires, brakes, fluids, emergency equipment, and passenger items completed before driving, documented on a report, and corrected before the vehicle is placed in service.

The written or electronic record a driver prepares at the end of each day's work listing any defect found in the bus and certifying that required inspections were performed.

A defect serious enough that the vehicle must not be operated until it is repaired, such as a brake, steering, tire, or lighting failure affecting safe operation.

A sequence of checks including static leakage, applied leakage, low-air warning activation, and parking brake hold, confirming the air brake system will stop the bus safely.

The linkage arm that transfers pushrod force to the brake chamber; excessive pushrod travel means brakes are out of adjustment and the vehicle must be taken out of service.

A marking on the floor of a bus showing where passengers may not stand; no passenger may stand forward of that line while the bus is moving.

The requirement that aisles, stairwells, and exits stay free of baggage and other objects so passengers can move to exits quickly during an emergency.

Stowing carry-on and checked luggage so it cannot shift, block an aisle or exit, or strike passengers during braking, turning, or a collision.

The designated area where the bus stops to board or discharge passengers; the driver must stop so riders do not have to cross traffic or step into a hazard.

The driver's duty to watch passengers leave the bus, ensure they clear the vehicle and roadway, and account for children or riders needing assistance before moving.

A required end-of-route walk-through of the bus to confirm no sleeping or left-behind passenger remains aboard, documented according to company procedure.

Any door, window, roof hatch, or other marked opening intended for rapid evacuation; it must be unobstructed, operable, and clearly identified to passengers.

A practice exercise in which the driver demonstrates exit location, door operation, and evacuation order so passengers know what to do in a real emergency.

A portable extinguisher carried on the bus, inspected for charge and mounting, and used only on small fires while keeping an escape route behind the driver.

Warning devices placed behind and beside a stopped bus to alert approaching traffic, required whenever the vehicle is stopped on a roadway or shoulder.

The rule for positioning warning devices: on a two-lane road about 10 feet behind the vehicle, and on a divided highway or curve where approaching drivers get adequate warning.

Onboard supplies such as first aid materials, a fire extinguisher, fuses or triangles, and a flashlight that must be present and serviceable before each trip.

The margin of clear distance kept around the bus so the driver has time to react; it grows with speed, vehicle weight, and poor road conditions.

The gap kept behind the vehicle ahead, commonly at least one second per ten feet of vehicle length plus one second at speeds above 40 mph.

The tendency of a bus's rear wheels to follow a tighter path than the front wheels in a turn, requiring the driver to swing wide and check mirrors.

The outward movement of the rear of the bus when the front is turned sharply, which can strike nearby objects, vehicles, or pedestrians.

Loss of stopping power when brakes overheat from repeated or prolonged use, such as on a long downgrade, requiring lower gear and controlled speed.

A device that slows the vehicle using engine compression or exhaust restriction, reducing reliance on service brakes on long or steep downgrades.

Federal limits on driving and on-duty time, including a maximum of 10 hours driving after 8 consecutive off-duty hours and a 15-hour on-duty window.

All time from starting work until release, including driving, loading and unloading passengers, inspections, paperwork, and waiting to be dispatched.

The record of duty status showing driving, on-duty, off-duty, and sleeper periods, required for most interstate passenger carriers and kept current.

Practices such as planned rest breaks, adequate sleep, and recognizing drowsiness signs so the driver stops driving before alertness fails.

An intersection where a road meets railroad tracks at the same level, requiring the driver to slow, look, listen, and stop when required before crossing.

The crossing procedure of stopping when required, opening the window or door to hear, and visually checking both directions before proceeding.

Confirming there is enough room on the far side of the tracks for the entire bus before entering the crossing, so it never stops on the rails.

Actions after a collision: stop, protect the scene, check for injuries, call for help, notify the carrier, and exchange required information without leaving the scene.

An added authorization on a CDL, such as the passenger endorsement, that permits operation of a specific class of vehicle after testing.

Documentation from a qualified examiner that the driver meets physical qualification standards; failing to keep it current disqualifies the driver from operating.

Required testing of safety-sensitive drivers at pre-employment, random, reasonable-suspicion, post-accident, return-to-duty, and follow-up stages.

The endorsement and background check required to transport placarded hazardous materials; a passenger carrier must not carry such material without it.

A diamond-shaped warning sign on a vehicle identifying the hazard class of the material carried, visible from the direction of approach.

The shipping document describing hazardous materials in a shipment, kept accessible during transport and provided to emergency responders after an incident.

Material a passenger-carrying vehicle may never transport, or may carry only in limited quantities, because of the risk to riders and the lack of separation from the driver.