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The school bus endorsement applies to applicants who wish to drive a school bus in any Class A or B CDL. To add an S endorsement to your CLP/CDL, you must pass the Massachusetts school bus test, and you must also pass skills tests in a school bus. The MA CDL bus test consists of 20 questions, and you'll need at least 16 correct answers to pass (80%). The knowledge test covers the following sections of the Massachusetts CDL Manual: School Buses, Vehicle Inspection Test, Basic Control Skills Test and Road Test. After studying, take this MA CDL practice test to prepare for the actual bus test!
1. When stopping, drivers should bring the school bus to a full stop with the front bumper at least ______ away from students at the bus stop.
50 feet
30 feet
5 feet
10 feet
2. When you double your speed, the braking distance is:
2 times longer.
the same.
4 times longer.
3 times longer.
3. When stopping to pick up students, the driver should park at least 10 feet away from the students. Why?
Because this forces the driver to watch the rear of the vehicle by looking out the side window.
Because this forces the students to walk to the bus and have a better view of their own movements.
Because this forces the students to walk to the bus so the driver has a better view of their movements.
Because this forces the students to cross the street to walk to the bus.
4. Bus drivers:
are exempt from wearing a seat belt.
must wear a seat belt at all times.
are required to wear a seat belt only when driving in construction zones.
are required to wear a seat belt only when transporting passengers.
5. You should adjust outside mirrors:
while students get off the bus.
while students get on the bus.
during a trip.
before a trip begins.
6. To recognize distracted drivers, you should watch for all of the following except:
Vehicles traveling at inconsistent speeds.
Drivers who are involved in conversations with their passengers.
Students sitting on a bench waiting for a bus.
Drivers talking on the phone.
7. When checking the bus seats, make sure that:
they have not been damaged.
they are securely fastened to the bus.
they are safe for riders.
All of the above.
8. In an emergency, before making a decision to evacuate the school bus, if time permits you should:
release the parking brake.
tell students to walk at least 10 feet away when they exit the bus.
count the number of students.
contact your dispatcher to explain the situation.
9. Buses must never carry:
tear gas.
hospital supplies.
drunk passengers.
small arms ammunition labeled ORM-D.
10. When backing, you should back and turn toward the driver's side:
so you can see the shoulder of the road.
so you can back in a straight line.
so you can back on a curved path.
so you can see better.
 
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Frequently Asked Questions

To obtain a learner’s permit, you must be at least 16 years old. After holding your permit for six months with a clean driving record and completing a driver education program, you can apply for a junior operator license. Your class D driver’s license will be restricted until you reach 18 years old.
You can start your application online and you will receive an email to schedule an appointment at the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV) office you selected. If you prefer to complete the test at home, you are required to apply and visit a Service Center to provide identification documentation. Once the documentation has been verified, you'll receive login instructions to complete the test at home.
You are required to provide specific documents: 
  • Proof of identity.
  • Proof of Social Security Status.
  • Proof of Massachusetts residency.
  • Written consent from a parent/legal guardian (for applicants under 18).
Use this checklist and view the acceptable documents.


The RMV written test is provided in Albanian, Arabic, Armenian, Burmese, Cape Verdean Creole, English, Farsi, French, German, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hindi, Hungarian, Italian, Japanese, Khmer/Cambodian, Kiswahili, Korean, Laotian, Mandarin (Simplified), Mandarin (Traditional), Pashto, Polish, Portuguese, Russian, Serbo-Croatian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Turkish, Ukrainian, Urdu, and Vietnamese. Audio exams are also available in these languages. If you need an oral exam, call 857-368-8105. 

You need to read the Massachusetts Driver's Handbook. The exam covers various topics, including road signs, safe driving practices, and road rules. Remember that you cannot use driver's manuals or personal notes, so study the manual carefully and take our free practice tests to verify your preparation.

The RMV written test consists of 25 multiple-choice questions. To pass, you must complete the test within 25 minutes. You have approximately one minute for each question, so carefully read each sentence before selecting your answer and moving on to the next question.

To pass the Massachusetts RMV written test, you need to reach a score of 72%. This means that you must correctly answer 18 questions and can miss a maximum of 7 questions. Sign up for DMV Premium to test your preparation and check if you are ready for the real exam.

All drivers under 18 are not permitted to use any mobile electronic device except for emergency calls. There are also other specific restrictions:
  • With a learner’s permit, you are allowed to drive only under the supervision of a licensed adult who is at least 21 years old, has held a driver's license for at least one year, and is seated beside you.
  • After obtaining a junior operator license, driving alone is permitted only between 12:30 a.m. and 5 a.m. Furthermore, you cannot transport passengers under 18 unless accompanied by a driver who is at least 21 years old and has held a driver's license for at least one year (except when transporting siblings).

A learner’s permit in Massachusetts is valid for 2 years. If it expires, you'll have to apply again and retake the exam. After holding the permit for 6 consecutive months, you can get a junior operator license. If there's any suspension during this period, you'll need to wait another 6 months after the suspension ends.
Instructions will be provided at the end of the RMV written test on how to retake it. Keep in mind that a new fee must be paid. It's important to note that cheating during the exam will result in failure. Additionally, if you are taking the test online, you'll automatically fail if you leave the browser, if you have not clicked a button for more than 2 minutes, or if you exceed the 25 minutes available to complete the exam.

MA CDL School Bus Test

Number of questions: 20
Correct answers to pass:16
Passing score:80%
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