School-bus mix: Bus mirrors and visibility

Before driving a different school bus, you find that you must stretch your leg to press the service brake fully. What should you do?

Correct answer: Adjust the seat before departure so the pedals can be fully operated without overextending.

A comfortable-looking seat position is not enough if it prevents full pedal operation. Set the seat for your own reach before driving, then fasten the seat belt.

Source: New Mexico Public Education Department, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual, mixed-edition curriculum; Section 1-M, Proper Seat Adjustment, section page 3 of 10, physical PDF page 121; revised 2022 technical guidance, not a current MVD licensing or exam specification. ↗

Your replacement school bus has a different front-body shape from your usual bus. What should you verify before relying on your usual viewing habits?

Correct answer: Where that bus's blind spots are and how its mirrors cover them.

Bus body style changes what the driver can see directly. Learn the actual bus's blind areas and properly adjusted mirror views instead of transferring assumptions from another vehicle.

Source: New Mexico Public Education Department, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual, mixed-edition curriculum; Section 1-M, Section Overview, body-style comparison, section page 2 of 10, physical PDF page 120; revised 2022 technical guidance, not a current MVD licensing or exam specification. ↗

From the seat of a stopped school bus, you can see the roadway farther ahead but not the ground immediately in front. What does that mean for a child who bends down near the front bumper?

Correct answer: The child may be hidden from direct view, so the appropriate mirrors must be used to check that area.

An unobstructed distant view does not eliminate the front blind area. The curriculum's exercise shows why a driver must use properly adjusted mirrors rather than depend on the windshield view alone.

Source: New Mexico Public Education Department, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual, mixed-edition curriculum; Section 1-M, Identifying Blind Spots and Danger Zones, section page 4 of 10, physical PDF page 122; revised 2022 technical guidance, not a current MVD licensing or exam specification. ↗

While setting the side convex mirrors, which view described in the curriculum helps monitor clearance beside the school bus?

Correct answer: A small portion of the bus side, the rear tires at the ground, and an adjacent traffic lane.

The convex view should include nearby side areas as well as a reference to the bus itself. Seeing where the rear tires meet the ground helps the driver judge clearance.

Source: New Mexico Public Education Department, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual, mixed-edition curriculum; Section 1-M, Exercise Directions: Proper Mirror Adjustment; flat and convex mirrors, section page 8 of 10, physical PDF page 126; revised 2022 technical guidance, not a current MVD licensing or exam specification. ↗

A driver checks the mirrors from one rigid sitting position while the bus is stopped. What additional action can reveal an area hidden by the viewing angle or mirror assembly?

Correct answer: Move the upper body to check around the obstruction and recheck the danger-zone views.

The curriculum teaches moving in the seat during the mirror check rather than remaining fixed. Mirrors help reveal some blind areas, but mirrors and their supports can also obstruct the view.

Source: New Mexico Public Education Department, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual, mixed-edition curriculum; Section 1-M, Exercise Directions: Proper Mirror Adjustment; rock-and-roll check, section page 8 of 10, physical PDF page 126; revised 2022 technical guidance, not a current MVD licensing or exam specification. ↗

During a parked mirror-adjustment check, improving the right crossover mirror's view beside the service door removes part of the front danger-zone view. What is the appropriate response?

Correct answer: Readjust and verify the needed door-side view while preserving the front-area coverage.

Improving one viewing area must not silently sacrifice another. The curriculum directs checking door-side visibility while maintaining the front view and confirming the danger-zone areas can be seen.

Source: New Mexico Public Education Department, School Bus Driver Instructor Manual, mixed-edition curriculum; Section 1-M, Exercise Directions: Proper Mirror Adjustment; service-door coverage, section page 8 of 10, physical PDF page 126; revised 2022 technical guidance, not a current MVD licensing or exam specification. ↗