Alaska School Bus CDL Practice Test
Below are 25 exam-style questions for the Alaska School Bus CDL knowledge test, modeled on the FMCSA-aligned content used by the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles. Try to answer each question on your own before reading the answer key directly under it. The questions and answer choices are shuffled deterministically per state and endorsement, so the order will stay the same on repeat visits — that lets you genuinely measure your improvement.
- A Stand in the road
- B Walk in the bus path
- C Wait at least 10 feet from the road until the bus stops and the driver signals
- D Run to the bus when it appears
- A Have them wait next to the bus
- B Have them sit in the road
- C Move them at least 100 feet upwind from the bus and away from the tracks
- D Send them along the tracks
- A Allow boarding without securement
- B Use the lift or ramp per training and secure the mobility device
- C Refuse service
- D Charge a fee
- A Roll up windows
- B Open the door, turn off the radio and noisy fans, look and listen
- C Shift gears
- D Honk
- A Allow students to take charge
- B Leave the bus first
- C Wait for instructions only
- D Take charge calmly and direct students step by step
- A Honk to scare them
- B Speed past
- C Skip the stop if running late
- D Be at a low speed and prepared to stop, watching for waiting students
- A Disconnecting the battery
- B Refueling
- C Walking the bus to check for sleeping or hidden children, items left behind, and damage
- D Cleaning windows
- A No traffic will pass while the bus is stopped
- B Drivers will always stop for the red lights
- C Children may not see or hear the bus
- D All children will follow the rules
- A Have students guide you
- B Use only mirrors
- C Back at the same speed as forward
- D Avoid backing whenever possible; use a spotter when you must back
- A All of the above
- B Cargo and personal items secured and out of the aisle
- C A clear path to emergency exits
- D A clear view through windows and mirrors
- A Send students out the rear
- B Wait for help
- C Evacuate from the closest exit regardless of danger
- D Choose the safest exit (often the front door, away from the danger), evacuate students, and account for all of them
- A Care for injured students, contact emergency services, and notify the school
- B Move the bus immediately
- C Leave students unattended
- D Continue the route
- A Door only
- B Left flat, left convex, crossover, right flat, right convex, then door
- C Right flat then left flat
- D Crossover then door
- A Have them stand near the bus
- B Send them home individually
- C Walk them along the lane line
- D Move them to a safe area off the road, well away from traffic
- A All of the above
- B Crossing arms, stop signal arms, and red flashing lights
- C Pre-trip inspection completed
- D Functional emergency exits
- A Allow students to walk on the road
- B Be especially alert at stops where students might cross the road
- C Skip warning lights
- D Maintain normal city speed
- A 20 feet behind only
- B 10 feet around the bus
- C The length of the bus
- D 5 feet on each side
- A Maintain normal speed
- B Reduce speed and increase following distance, and consider chains where allowed
- C Allow students to walk home
- D Skip the pre-trip
- A Use interior dome lights and ensure exterior lights and stop arm are visible
- B Have students load without lights
- C Use only the four-ways
- D Skip the lights
- A Leave it
- B Run to the next stop
- C Stop and tell the driver before retrieving the item
- D Pick it up quickly
- A Maintain normal speed
- B Reduce speed to school zone limits and watch for children
- C Use only four-ways
- D Honk to clear the area
- A Hit objects on the side opposite the turn
- B All of the above
- C Damage the bus
- D Strike pedestrians
- A Honk repeatedly
- B Slam on the brakes at the stop
- C Activate amber warning lights about 100-300 feet before the stop, then red lights and stop arm at the stop
- D Use only the four-ways
- A There is heavy rain
- B A passenger forgot a backpack
- C There is a fire or danger of fire, hazmat spill, the bus is in the path of a train, or the bus position may shift
- D Students are noisy
- A Use the alternating red lights and stop arm to halt traffic
- B Use only four-ways
- C Allow students to cross without lights
- D Honk to clear traffic
Study tips for the Alaska School Bus exam
The School Bus portion of the Alaska CDL exam is graded out of the bank of questions the Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles draws from each year. While the exact bank is not published, every question is sourced from the School Bus chapter of the Alaska CDL handbook, which itself is derived from the FMCSA Model Commercial Driver's License Manual. That means studying our practice tests, reading the corresponding handbook chapter, and re-reading the parts you got wrong is genuinely the most efficient route to a first-time pass.
Most successful applicants follow a simple cycle: take the practice test cold, write down every question you missed, open the matching chapter of the official Alaska handbook, re-read the section that contains the right answer, then re-take the practice test 24 to 48 hours later. The 24-hour delay matters — sleep is when your brain commits new information to long-term memory, and CDL knowledge questions reward that kind of consolidated learning rather than cramming.
Pay particular attention to questions that include qualifier words like always, never, only, primary, or most. CDL test writers love to flip the right answer with a single qualifier. When two answer choices look almost identical, pay attention to the verb (is it must, should, or may?) and to any numbers (14 days, 100 air miles, 8 hours, 70/8 split). On endorsement tests in particular, watch for trick framing where a true statement about a different endorsement is offered as the "correct" answer to a question that is actually about School Bus.
Test-day logistics matter too. Bring photo ID, your Social Security card or birth certificate, your medical examiner's certificate (DOT card), and proof of state residency if you haven't already submitted those documents. The Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles will not let you sit for the knowledge exam without your documentation, and most offices charge an additional fee for re-attempts. Arrive early — the wait at most CDL testing offices runs 30 to 60 minutes — and silence your phone before the exam begins.
Finally, keep your General Knowledge fundamentals sharp even when you're focused on the School Bus exam. Many states administer multiple knowledge tests in a single sitting, and questions on weight definitions (GVWR, GCWR, GAWR), stopping distance, and the pre-trip inspection routine show up across endorsements. If you're unsure on the basics, sit a fresh Alaska General Knowledge practice test before scheduling the real exam.
Next steps
Missed more than four questions? Re-read the School Bus study guide and the matching chapter in the official Alaska CDL handbook. Then come back and re-take the test. Once you can score 22 of 25 or higher on three runs in a row, you're in good shape to schedule the real exam at your local Alaska Division of Motor Vehicles office.
Already comfortable with this endorsement? Drill another: AK General Knowledge · AK Air Brakes · AK Combination Vehicles · AK Hazardous Materials · AK Passenger · AK Tank Vehicle · AK Doubles / Triples
New to the CDL process in Alaska? Read How to apply for a CDL in Alaska for the document checklist and step-by-step timeline.