Vermont School Bus CDL Practice Test
Below are 25 exam-style questions for the Vermont School Bus CDL knowledge test, modeled on the FMCSA-aligned content used by the Vermont Department 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 Idling in gear
- B Stopped with the parking brake set, transmission in neutral or park, and warning lights on
- C In reverse
- D Moving slowly
- A A clear path to emergency exits
- B Cargo and personal items secured and out of the aisle
- C A clear view through windows and mirrors
- D All of the above
- A All of the above
- B Loading and unloading procedures, route timing, and emergency contacts
- C Reporting absences
- D How to handle parents at stops
- A Use only four-ways
- B Honk to clear the area
- C Reduce speed to school zone limits and watch for children
- D Maintain normal speed
- A Run across
- B Cross at any time
- C Walk close to the bus where the driver can see them, after a hand signal from the driver
- D Cross behind the bus
- A Traffic in both directions usually must stop, depending on the road configuration and state law
- B No traffic rules apply
- C Traffic may pass
- D Only oncoming traffic must stop
- A Back at the same speed as forward
- B Have students guide you
- C Use only mirrors
- D Avoid backing whenever possible; use a spotter when you must back
- A Between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail
- B Only when a train is visible
- C Within 5 feet of the rail
- D Only at night
- A 10 feet around the bus
- B The length of the bus
- C 5 feet on each side
- D 20 feet behind only
- A Be at a low speed and prepared to stop, watching for waiting students
- B Skip the stop if running late
- C Honk to scare them
- D Speed past
- A Have them wait next to the bus
- B Move them at least 100 feet upwind from the bus and away from the tracks
- C Have them sit in the road
- D Send them along the tracks
- A Only when convenient
- B Only at the start of the school year
- C Up to date per state and federal rules
- D Once every 5 years
- A Maintain normal speed
- B Reduce speed and increase following distance, and consider chains where allowed
- C Skip the pre-trip
- D Allow students to walk home
- A Standing if the bus is full
- B Within seatbacks and using lap belts where installed
- C In the driver's area
- D Anywhere in the aisle
- A Off-tracking on right turns
- B Wide rear of the bus when changing lanes
- C All of the above
- D Tail swing when turning corners
- A Wait for help
- B Evacuate from the closest exit regardless of danger
- C Send students out the rear
- D Choose the safest exit (often the front door, away from the danger), evacuate students, and account for all of them
- 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 Students are noisy
- D There is heavy rain
- A More students than the seating capacity
- B Improperly stored hazardous items
- C All of the above
- D Loose objects that could become projectiles
- A Drivers will always stop for the red lights
- B No traffic will pass while the bus is stopped
- C All children will follow the rules
- D Children may not see or hear the bus
- A All of the above
- B Functional emergency exits
- C Pre-trip inspection completed
- D Crossing arms, stop signal arms, and red flashing lights
- A Loose parts
- B Cracks in mirrors
- C All of the above
- D Damage that could endanger students
- A Right flat then left flat
- B Crossover then door
- C Left flat, left convex, crossover, right flat, right convex, then door
- D Door only
- A Maintain normal city speed
- B Allow students to walk on the road
- C Skip warning lights
- D Be especially alert at stops where students might cross the road
- A Use the alternating red lights and stop arm to halt traffic
- B Allow students to cross without lights
- C Honk to clear traffic
- D Use only four-ways
- A Children riding bicycles near the stop
- B All of the above
- C Children running across the street
- D Children playing or chasing balls near the bus stop
Study tips for the Vermont School Bus exam
The School Bus portion of the Vermont CDL exam is graded out of the bank of questions the Vermont Department 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 Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont Department 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 Vermont 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 Vermont 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 Vermont Department of Motor Vehicles office.
Already comfortable with this endorsement? Drill another: VT General Knowledge · VT Air Brakes · VT Combination Vehicles · VT Hazardous Materials · VT Passenger · VT Tank Vehicle · VT Doubles / Triples
New to the CDL process in Vermont? Read How to apply for a CDL in Vermont for the document checklist and step-by-step timeline.