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CDL knowledge test

CDL School Bus Practice Test 2026

For the S endorsement: danger zones and mirrors, loading and unloading, emergency exit and evacuation, railroad crossings, student management, antilock brakes and special safety considerations.

45 practice questions, all written from Commercial Driver's License Manual (Version 07/20/2026 (form DMV 60A), AAMVA, Virginia DMV edition). Every answer shows the manual section it comes from. Free, no sign-up.

  • 45 questions
  • 20 per attempt
  • Pass mark: 80%
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Start the School Bus practice test

20 questions. Passing score: 80%. No sign-up needed.

Choose how you want to practice:

Test format

Passing score At least 80% correct (49 CFR 383.135 (eCFR))
Number of questions Varies by state. Check the CDL manual from your state’s licensing agency.
Our practice test 20 questions per attempt, drawn at random from 45. Pass mark: 80%.

Topics covered

  • Loading and unloading 14 questions
  • Emergency exit and evacuation 7 questions
  • Railroad-highway crossings 7 questions
  • Danger zones and mirrors 6 questions
  • Antilock brakes 4 questions
  • Special safety considerations 4 questions
  • Student management 3 questions

Sample questions

A few questions from the set. Try to answer before opening each explanation.

  1. Sample question 1

    Hydraulically braked trucks and buses with a GVWR of 10,000 lbs or more must have ABS if built on or after which date?

    • AMarch 1, 1998
    • BMarch 1, 1999
    • CJanuary 1, 1995
    • DJanuary 1, 2005
    Show answer

    Answer: B. The ABS rule for hydraulic-brake trucks and buses of 10,000 pounds GVWR or more covers vehicles built from March 1, 1999; the date for air brake vehicles is a year earlier.

    Source: Commercial Driver's License Manual, Version 07/20/2026 (form DMV 60A), section 10.6.1 Vehicles Required to Have Antilock Braking Systems.

  2. Sample question 2

    When students who must cross the road reach the edge of the roadway, what should they check on the bus?

    • AWhether the service door has closed
    • BWhether the red flashing lights are still flashing
    • CWhether the engine is still running
    • DWhether the stop arm has folded back in
    Show answer

    Answer: B. At the road edge, students look in all directions, confirm the bus's red flashing lights are still on, and then wait for the driver's signal before crossing.

    Source: Commercial Driver's License Manual, Version 07/20/2026 (form DMV 60A), section 10.2.3 Unloading Procedures on the Route.

  3. Sample question 3

    According to the manual's tips, where is a safe place for students after an evacuation?

    • ARight next to the bus on the shoulder
    • BAt least 25 feet behind the bus
    • CAt least 50 feet ahead of the bus on the shoulder
    • DAt least 100 feet off the road toward oncoming traffic
    Show answer

    Answer: D. Moving students well off the road on the side that traffic comes from keeps them out of reach of debris if another vehicle hits the bus.

    Source: Commercial Driver's License Manual, Version 07/20/2026 (form DMV 60A), section 10.3.2 Evacuation Procedures.

  4. Sample question 4

    While loading at a stop, you notice that a student who should be there is missing. What should you do?

    • ALeave right away so the route stays on time
    • BAsk the other students where the student is
    • CHonk the horn and wait at least ten minutes
    • DDrive around the block and come back later
    Show answer

    Answer: B. Counting riders and knowing who belongs at each stop helps you notice a missing student, and the students who are there may know where that student is.

    Source: Commercial Driver's License Manual, Version 07/20/2026 (form DMV 60A), section 10.2.2 Loading Procedures.

  5. Sample question 5

    At a multiple-track crossing, where should the school bus stop?

    • AOnly before the first set of tracks
    • BBefore each set of tracks
    • CBetween the last two sets of tracks
    • DOnly after crossing the first set of tracks
    Show answer

    Answer: A. You stop once, ahead of the first track, and when you are sure no train is coming on any track you cross all of them until the bus is fully clear.

    Source: Commercial Driver's License Manual, Version 07/20/2026 (form DMV 60A), section 10.4.3 Recommended Procedures.

How to prepare

  • Read the matching sections of your state’s CDL manual before you practice.
  • Use practice mode first: it shows the explanation and the manual reference after each answer.
  • For every missed question, reread the whole manual section we cite.
  • Switch to exam mode when you score well above 80% without help.

More detail in our guide How to Study for the CDL Knowledge Tests.

Other CDL practice tests

Which tests you need depends on your license class and endorsements, as explained in CDL Classes, Endorsements and Restrictions Explained.

Frequently asked questions

What score do I need to pass?

Federal rules require at least 80% correct on each CDL knowledge test (49 CFR 383.135 (eCFR)).

Are these the questions on the real test?

No. Real test questions are not public. We write our own questions from the official manual, so they cover the same material but are not copies of test questions.

Is the CDL manual the same in every state?

State CDL manuals are built on the same national model manual from AAMVA, so the knowledge content is largely the same. We compared 3 state editions for this test: 45 of 45 quotes appear word for word in the same section of all of them. Your own state’s manual is the final word if anything differs.

How do you check the answers?

Each question stores the manual section (or page) and an exact quote that a script checks against the manual text, then an independent AI review answers it from that part of the manual alone. See our editorial policy. Found a mistake? Tell us.

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20 questions, pass mark 80%. Free, no sign-up.

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Sources

Questions cite the newest edition we have. We also check every quote against the other state editions of the same model manual, section by section.