New Hampshire School Bus CDL Practice Test
Below are 25 exam-style questions for the New Hampshire School Bus CDL knowledge test, modeled on the FMCSA-aligned content used by the New Hampshire 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 Use only the four-ways
- B Honk repeatedly
- C Slam on the brakes at the stop
- D Activate amber warning lights about 100-300 feet before the stop, then red lights and stop arm at the stop
- A Move them to a safe area off the road, well away from traffic
- B Send them home individually
- C Have them stand near the bus
- D Walk them along the lane line
- A Notify the school and follow company policy
- B Drive home
- C Take the student home personally
- D Leave the student
- A Traffic may pass
- B Only oncoming traffic must stop
- C No traffic rules apply
- D Traffic in both directions usually must stop, depending on the road configuration and state law
- A Functional emergency exits
- B Crossing arms, stop signal arms, and red flashing lights
- C All of the above
- D Pre-trip inspection completed
- A 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
- B A passenger forgot a backpack
- C There is heavy rain
- D Students are noisy
- A Take charge calmly and direct students step by step
- B Allow students to take charge
- C Wait for instructions only
- D Leave the bus first
- A Be especially alert at stops where students might cross the road
- B Maintain normal city speed
- C Allow students to walk on the road
- D Skip warning lights
- A Within seatbacks and using lap belts where installed
- B Anywhere in the aisle
- C In the driver's area
- D Standing if the bus is full
- A Speed up
- B Honk continuously
- C Slow down and move over if possible
- D Maintain speed
- A Drive on the shoulder
- B Honk and drive
- C Wait until students have moved at least 10 feet from the bus and then check mirrors before pulling away
- D Pull away as the door closes
- A Have them wait next to the bus
- B Send them along the tracks
- C Have them sit in the road
- D Move them at least 100 feet upwind from the bus and away from the tracks
- A Roll up windows
- B Open the door, turn off the radio and noisy fans, look and listen
- C Honk
- D Shift gears
- A Use the door away from the fire and lead students to a safe distance away from the bus
- B Open all windows first
- C Wait for the fire department
- D Use only the rear door
- A Walk in front of the bus to cross only after a driver signal and at least 10 feet from the bus
- B Walk to the curb, then to the home
- C Go behind the bus
- D Cross diagonally
- A Operate the bus while distracted by passengers
- B Operate without working emergency exits
- C All of the above
- D Allow standees in the aisle
- A Run across
- B Cross at any time
- C Cross behind the bus
- D Walk close to the bus where the driver can see them, after a hand signal from the driver
- A All of the above
- B Move the bus until all students are seated
- C Cross a railroad track without stopping
- D Allow students to remain seated during evacuation
- A Care for injured students, contact emergency services, and notify the school
- B Leave students unattended
- C Move the bus immediately
- D Continue the route
- A More students than the seating capacity
- B All of the above
- C Loose objects that could become projectiles
- D Improperly stored hazardous items
- A Ignore it; the bus is short enough
- B Drive faster to clear it quickly
- C Honk and continue
- D Stop and check clearance — never assume
- A In the bus garage
- B During loading and unloading near the bus
- C At fueling stops
- D On the highway during the trip
- A The bus garage
- B The designated stop
- C A different location only with authorization
- D Anywhere a student requests
- A Loading and unloading procedures, route timing, and emergency contacts
- B All of the above
- C Reporting absences
- D How to handle parents at stops
- A Skip the pre-trip
- B Maintain normal speed
- C Reduce speed and increase following distance, and consider chains where allowed
- D Allow students to walk home
Study tips for the New Hampshire School Bus exam
The School Bus portion of the New Hampshire CDL exam is graded out of the bank of questions the New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire 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 New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles office.
Already comfortable with this endorsement? Drill another: NH General Knowledge · NH Air Brakes · NH Combination Vehicles · NH Hazardous Materials · NH Passenger · NH Tank Vehicle · NH Doubles / Triples
New to the CDL process in New Hampshire? Read How to apply for a CDL in New Hampshire for the document checklist and step-by-step timeline.