A school bus driver should always approach bus stops slowly and cautiously.

When inspecting a trailer coupling, you should make sure the fifth wheel locking jaws are closed around the shank of the kingpin, not the head of the kingpin.

Students should board a school bus slowly and in a single-file line. For safety, boarding students should use the handrail.

When unloading students at a school, a bus driver must secure the bus by turning off the engine. If they must leave the driver's compartment, they should remove the key from the ignition. The driver must supervise the unloading process.

The adjustment of mirrors should be checked prior to the start of any trip.

If equipped, a school bus's roof-mounted strobe light should be used when conditions create an environment of limited visibility.

A school bus driver should load and unload students only at designated stops that have been approved by appropriate school district officials.

Passengers may stumble when getting on or off of a school bus. The driver should caution passengers to watch their step when exiting.

Students should not occupy the back row of a school bus unless the bus is full. The closer to the front of a bus that students are seated, the safer they will be in the event of a rear-end collision. Students with special needs should sit near the driver.

When stopping to load or unload students, a school bus should ideally be placed in park. If there is no park shift point, the bus should be placed in neutral and the parking brake should be set.

After evacuating a school bus, students should be led to a safe place at least 100 feet away from the road in the direction of oncoming traffic. This will keep them safe from flying debris if another vehicle hits the bus. Students should be upwind of any fires and as far away from railroad tracks as possible.

When approaching a bus stop, a school bus driver should count the number of students waiting and ensure that they all board the bus. The driver should check their mirrors for any students who may be running to the stop. Students should board slowly in a single-file line.

School bus drivers should approach stops slowly and cautiously.

An encroachment during the basic vehicle control skills test is when an exercise boundary line is touched or crossed by any portion of the applicant's vehicle. Every encroachment will be counted as an error.

During the pre-trip vehicle inspection test, you will be asked to check the power steering, water pump, alternator, and air compressor belts, if the vehicle is equipped.

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.

In general, school bus drivers should stop before any railroad crossings to check the tracks for approaching trains. Drivers should stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the nearest rail in order to have the best view of the tracks. They should look and listen for approaching trains before proceeding through the crossing.

The overhead inside rearview mirror in a school bus is used to monitor passenger activity inside the bus.

In most emergency or crisis situations, students on a school bus will be safer and more easily controlled if they are kept on the bus than if they are evacuated. However, if staying on a bus will expose the students to risk or injury, the bus driver should escort them to a safe location.

When stopping to pick up students, a school bus driver should ensure that all surrounding traffic has stopped before opening the door and signaling for the students to approach the bus.