A fire develops in a school bus while passengers are aboard. Which response puts the evacuation priority into practice?
Correct answer: Stop and evacuate promptly, directing passengers to a safe place away from the bus.
Fire or danger of fire calls for prompt stopping and evacuation. Passenger safety comes first, and students should remain in the safe area until they receive further direction.
Source: New Mexico PED, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual / Pre-Service Training Curriculum; section 1-J, printed section page 14, PDF physical page 100; Evacuation Guidelines > Fire or danger of fire. Section published May 2018, Version 2.0. Mixed-date technical curriculum, not verified as the current MVD manual or current law. ↗
A bus becomes disabled without fire or smoke. Before ordering everyone out, what must the driver assess?
Correct answer: Whether the bus position and surrounding hazards make staying aboard or evacuating safer.
A breakdown alone does not settle the evacuation decision. The guidance calls for judging the bus position and hazards, including collision or movement risks; in some circumstances, staying aboard is safer.
Source: New Mexico PED, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual / Pre-Service Training Curriculum; section 1-J, printed section page 14, PDF physical page 100; Evacuation Guidelines > Unsafe position; also section page 17 / physical 103, stay-or-evacuate judgment. Section published May 2018, Version 2.0. Mixed-date technical curriculum, not verified as the current MVD manual or current law. ↗
Evacuation is necessary. The service door is blocked, but the rear emergency door is accessible and leads to a safe area. What should the driver communicate?
Correct answer: Explain that everyone will use the accessible rear exit and give clear directions.
The single-exit evacuation method uses the accessible service or rear/side door. Clear instructions help passengers use the usable route instead of crowding a blocked exit.
Source: New Mexico PED, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual / Pre-Service Training Curriculum; section 1-J, printed section page 15, PDF physical page 101; Types of School Bus Evacuation Drills > Service Door OR Rear/Side. Section published May 2018, Version 2.0. Mixed-date technical curriculum, not verified as the current MVD manual or current law. ↗
An evacuation will use both the service door and the accessible rear emergency door. How can the driver prevent students from crossing through one another in the aisle?
Correct answer: Specify a dividing row: students ahead use the front exit and those behind use the rear exit.
The two-exit method calls for identifying a dividing row and explaining which passengers use each door. This gives students a clear route instead of leaving exit selection to competing movements.
Source: New Mexico PED, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual / Pre-Service Training Curriculum; section 1-J, printed section page 16, PDF physical page 102; Evacuating Through the Service Door AND Rear/Side, steps 1–2. Section published May 2018, Version 2.0. Mixed-date technical curriculum, not verified as the current MVD manual or current law. ↗
During an emergency evacuation, a student stops in the aisle to retrieve a backpack from a seat. What direction should the driver give?
Correct answer: Leave belongings behind and follow the evacuation directions.
The evacuation instructions tell students to leave belongings behind and listen carefully. Retrieving possessions should not interrupt movement toward safety.
Source: New Mexico PED, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual / Pre-Service Training Curriculum; section 1-J, printed section page 15, PDF physical page 101; Single-exit evacuation, step 3; repeated for two exits on section page 16 / physical 102. Section published May 2018, Version 2.0. Mixed-date technical curriculum, not verified as the current MVD manual or current law. ↗
Students have been directed away from an evacuated bus and help is on the way. Which responsibility still belongs to the driver?
Correct answer: Confirm that everyone is off, then join the students and stay with them until help arrives.
The evacuation procedure includes confirming that all students are off the bus and joining them to ensure their safety until help arrives. Getting a line of students through a door is not the end of the task.
Source: New Mexico PED, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual / Pre-Service Training Curriculum; section 1-J, printed section page 15, PDF physical page 101; Single-exit evacuation, steps 5–8; repeated on section page 16 / physical 102. Section published May 2018, Version 2.0. Mixed-date technical curriculum, not verified as the current MVD manual or current law. ↗
After a severe crash, the bus must be evacuated and its exit doors are blocked. Which alternative does the curriculum identify for this situation?
Correct answer: Use the bus emergency-window or roof-exit procedures appropriate to its equipment.
The curriculum identifies emergency windows and roof exits for severe accidents when exit doors are blocked or inaccessible, or the bus has overturned. The driver must know the actual equipment; this question does not prescribe a universal handle motion.
Source: New Mexico PED, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual / Pre-Service Training Curriculum; section 1-J, printed section page 16, PDF physical page 102; Evacuating Through Roof Vents and Emergency Windows. Section published May 2018, Version 2.0. Mixed-date technical curriculum, not verified as the current MVD manual or current law. ↗
Passengers can leave a burning bus through an accessible exit. Should the driver delay their evacuation to fight the fire just to protect the bus?
Correct answer: No. The curriculum limits a firefighting attempt to one necessary to facilitate passenger evacuation.
Passenger safety is the first priority. The curriculum says not to attempt extinguishing a bus fire unless doing so is necessary to facilitate evacuation, such as clearing a small fire that blocks an exit.
Source: New Mexico PED, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual / Pre-Service Training Curriculum; section 1-J, printed section page 17, PDF physical page 103; School bus on fire; firefighting only when necessary to facilitate evacuation. Section published May 2018, Version 2.0. Mixed-date technical curriculum, not verified as the current MVD manual or current law. ↗
