During the vehicle inspection test, you should check that the drive shaft is not bent or cracked.

Students should board a school bus slowly while in a single-file line and holding the handrails.

When examining the air and electrical lines as part of your vehicle inspection test, you must listen for leaks. Ensure that the air hoses and electrical lines are not cut, chafed, spliced, or worn. Make sure air and electrical lines are not tangled, pinched, or dragging against tractor parts.

Before a trip, ensure that the steering box is securely mounted. Check for missing nuts, bolts, and cotter keys. Be sure that there are no power steering fluid leaks and that there is no damage to power steering hoses.

If you must come to a stop before making a turn during the driving skills test, you should come to a smooth stop behind any stop line, crosswalk, or stop sign. Keep your front wheels aimed straight ahead and do not let your vehicle roll. If stopping behind another vehicle, stop where you are still able to see the rear tires of the vehicle ahead of you.

More students are killed each year during loading or unloading of school buses than while riding on school buses. Therefore, it is critical that school bus drivers follow appropriate safety procedures during loading and unloading.

When being stopped to load students, a school bus should stop at least 10 feet away from the waiting students. This forces the students to walk toward the bus, making it easier for the driver to keep track of their movements.

When checking the engine compartment during the vehicle inspection test, you must check the power steering, water pump, alternator, and air compressor belts. In addition to cracks and frays, you should check the belts for snugness, allowing up to three-quarters of an inch of play at the center of each belt. If any of these items are not belt-driven, you must identify them and ensure that their components are operating properly, are not damaged or leaking, and are mounted securely.

If a school bus needs to be evacuated in the event of an emergency, the driver must quickly determine which exit or exits will be safest for students to use and direct the students to that exit.

During the basic vehicle control skills test, there is no penalty for an initial pull-up; however, an excessive number of pull-ups will count as errors.

When driving a school bus, you must activate your four-way flashers while approaching and crossing a railroad crossing. Deactivate the flashers once your entire vehicle has cleared the tracks.

When checking the power steering fluid during the vehicle inspection test, you must be able to indicate where the power steering fluid dipstick is located and show that there is an adequate amount of power steering fluid in the engine compartment. The fluid level must be above the refill mark.

During the on-road driving skills test, you may be asked to enter an expressway. Before doing so, you must check traffic, use proper signals, and merge smoothly into the proper lane.

Maneuvers that may be included in the basic vehicle control skills test include straight line backing, offset back/right parking, offset back/left parking, driver side parallel parking, conventional parallel parking, and alley docking.

Crossover mirrors are used to help a school bus driver see the danger zone area directly in front of the bus, as well as the danger zone areas to the left and right sides of the bus, including the area from the front of the bus to the service door.

The top portion of the overhead inside rearview mirror should be positioned to display the top of the bus's rear window. This mirror positioning should allow the driver to see all of the students on the bus, including the heads of the students sitting immediately behind the driver.

When checking your vehicle's pedals during a pre-trip inspection, you should ensure that there is nothing under or around the pedals that will obstruct their use. Make sure the pedals are in proper working condition and that the surfaces of the pedals are grooved, if applicable.

When crossing railroad tracks during the on-road driving skills test, you must not stop, change gears, pass another vehicle, or change lanes while any part of your vehicle is in the railroad crossing.

On a school bus, outside convex mirrors should be adjusted to allow the driver to see at least one traffic lane on either side of the bus, the entire side of the bus up to the mirror mounts, and where the front of each rear tire touches the ground.

There are blind spots immediately below and in front of each outside flat mirror. These mirrors have another blind spot directly behind the rear bumper.