If you begin to feel drowsy while driving, the only safe response is to safely leave the road and get some sleep. Using artificial stimulants can be dangerous because they may cause extreme fatigue when they begin to wear off.

Do not allow passengers to leave any items in an aisle while the bus is moving. Aisles and stairwells should always be free of obstructions.

Buses may never be used to transport radioactive materials. Division 2.3 poison gas, liquid Class 6 poisons, tear gas, and irritating materials are also not permitted to be carried by bus.

While driving, you should continually scan the road ahead to spot potential hazards well in advance. Make emergency plans for how to deal with the hazards in the event that they become dangerous.

Drivers who are holding conversations with others may not be paying full attention to the road and may make unsafe moves. Children do not always pay attention to traffic and may dart into the road without looking. Exercise caution when driving near road workers. This helps to keep the workers and other distracted drivers safe.

Many charter and intercity carriers have rules about passengers smoking, drinking, and using music players while on the bus. Explaining passenger rules at the start of a trip is often an effective way to avoid trouble later on.

If you must drive slowly, you should use your emergency flashers to warn other drivers. Be sure that the use of emergency flashers is permitted by local laws.

You should always apply the parking brake when leaving your vehicle.

During a pre-trip inspection, you should activate your lights, then get out of the vehicle to look at them.

When inspecting the interior of a bus, you must make sure everything is safe and in proper working condition. Take the time to ensure every handhold and railing is securely in place and safe to use.

When traveling at speeds below 40 mph, you should maintain at least one second of following distance for every 10 feet of your vehicle's length. At higher speeds, add an additional second.

Missing clamps, spacers, studs, or lugs can be a dangerous defect. Mismatched, bent, or cracked lock rings are not safe to be used. Wheels or rims with welded repairs are not safe.

If a vehicle is coming toward you while using its high beam headlights, glance away from the headlights and toward the right side of the road until the vehicle has passed. This will keep you from being blinded by the lights.

Black ice is a thin layer of ice that is clear enough for the road surface to be seen through it. A road covered in black ice may look like it is merely wet. You should be very careful when temperatures are below freezing and the road looks wet.

When approaching your vehicle to conduct an inspection, you should look underneath it to make sure there are no fresh oil, coolant, grease, or fuel leaks on the ground. Leaks can indicate unsafe defects on a vehicle.

If a tractor-trailer is so equipped, the trailer brake hand valve can be used to stop the vehicle from rolling back when being started from a stop.

A large vehicle may need to swing right to make a left turn. If an intersection has two left turn lanes, the driver should choose the righthand land to begin their turn.

Even under ideal weather conditions, a bus being driven at the posted design speed for a curve could either roll over or slide off the road. For safety, you should reduce your speed before driving a bus around a curve.

In the event of an engine fire, you should turn off the engine as soon as possible. Do not open the hood if you can avoid it. Shoot foam through the louvers or from the vehicle’s underside.

To help prevent theft or vandalism, charter bus drivers should not allow passengers to board the vehicle until the scheduled departure time.