Carry passengers safely — bus inspection, loading, road procedures, railroad crossings, and emergencies.
Study material for the P knowledge test. This is not entry-level driver training and no completion is reported to FMCSA.
Read this before you rely on it
The P endorsement has a federal entry-level driver training requirement that includes behind-the-wheel training on a range and on public roads. We are an online provider and cannot deliver behind-the-wheel training, so this course cannot satisfy the ELDT requirement. Use it to prepare for the written test, and complete your ELDT through a provider that offers both theory and behind-the-wheel.
P.1
Inspecting a bus
Bus inspections add passenger-safety items: emergency exits, exit signals, handrails and steps, seats secured to the floor, and no loose or hazardous items in the passenger area. Everything a rider touches must be safe.
How you do it
1Check emergency exits and their signals.
2Verify handrails, steps, and secured seats.
3Confirm no unsafe or prohibited items are aboard.
Check yourself
Name two passenger-specific items you must inspect on a bus.
The short version
Inspect exits, handrails, seats and the passenger area — rider safety first.
P.2
Loading and starting the trip
Keep the aisle and doorways clear, secure baggage so it cannot fall or block exits, and do not allow riders past the standee line. Certain hazardous materials may not be carried on a bus with passengers.
How you do it
1Secure baggage and keep aisles and exits clear.
2Keep riders behind the standee line.
3Refuse prohibited hazardous materials.
Check yourself
Where may passengers not stand, and why?
The short version
Clear aisles, secured baggage, nobody past the standee line, no prohibited hazmat.
P.3
On the road
Drive smoothly to protect standing and seated riders: brake and accelerate gently, keep more following distance, and manage speed on curves and downgrades. Announce stops and hazards as needed without becoming distracted.
How you do it
1Brake and steer smoothly.
2Keep extra following distance.
3Manage speed for curves, downgrades and weather.
Check yourself
Why does carrying passengers change how you brake and follow?
The short version
Smooth inputs and extra space keep passengers safe and upright.
P.4
Railroad-highway crossings
At most crossings a bus must stop within the required distance, open the door and window, look and listen, then cross without shifting gears. On many routes this applies whether or not passengers are aboard.
How you do it
1Stop within the required distance before the tracks.
2Open the door and window, look and listen.
3Cross in a gear you will not need to change, and never stop on the tracks.
Check yourself
What must a bus driver do before crossing railroad tracks?
The short version
Stop, open, look and listen, then cross without shifting — never stop on the tracks.
P.5
Prohibited practices
Certain practices are prohibited: fueling in a closed building with riders aboard, talking with passengers or doing anything distracting while driving, and towing or pushing a disabled bus with passengers except in an emergency.
How you do it
1Do not fuel with passengers aboard in an enclosed space.
2Avoid distractions while the bus is moving.
3Do not tow or push a loaded disabled bus except in a real emergency.
Check yourself
Name one thing you must not do while the bus is moving.
The short version
No risky fueling, no distractions, no towing a loaded bus except in emergencies.
P.6
Passenger management and disturbances
You are responsible for order on the bus. Handle disruptive riders calmly, and if someone must be removed, discharge them at a safe, well-lit place — not somewhere that puts them or others in danger.
How you do it
1Stay calm and keep control of the bus first.
2Address disturbances without over-reacting.
3Discharge a problem rider only at a safe location.
Check yourself
Where should you discharge a disruptive passenger?
The short version
Keep order, keep driving safely, and remove problem riders only at safe spots.
P.7
Emergency exits and evacuation
Know every exit and when to evacuate. Sometimes it is safer to keep passengers on the bus; other times — fire, an unsafe position, hazardous materials — you must get them out and away quickly, and account for everyone.
How you do it
1Decide whether staying or evacuating is safer.
2Use the nearest safe exits.
3Move passengers well away and account for everyone.
Check yourself
When might it be safer to keep passengers on the bus?
The short version
Know your exits, judge stay versus evacuate, and account for every rider.
Thresholds, distances and specific rules vary by state and change over time. Confirm everything here against your current state CDL manual before you test.