Prohibited Practices: Practice Questions & Explanations

Federal rules prohibit certain operations while passengers are aboard. Fueling with passengers aboard is prohibited except in emergencies where the passengers cannot safely exit; the fueling-while-loaded restriction reflects the risk of vapor exposure, fire, and the difficulty of evacuating a fueled bus on fire. Towing or pushing a disabled vehicle with passengers aboard is also prohibited in most circumstances. Other prohibited practices: smoking by anyone in the bus while passengers are aboard; following another commercial vehicle dangerously close; certain types of cargo carriage. The general principle is that the safety of passengers takes priority over operational convenience.

Intercity buses and motorcoaches generally prohibit standing passengers while in motion because passenger compartments are designed for seated travel and the speeds involved make sudden stops dangerous for standing riders. Transit buses in cities and short-route services often permit standing — they are designed for it, with grab bars and stanchions, and operate at lower speeds. School buses generally prohibit standing. Drivers should know the rule for their specific service and enforce it. A standing passenger in a sudden stop or crash is at much higher injury risk than a seated belted passenger.

Only the driver may occupy the driver's seat or operate vehicle controls while the bus is in service. Passengers cannot ride in the driver's seat, stand directly behind the driver in a way that interferes with operation, or touch operational controls. Some buses have a barrier (a partition or 'modesty panel') behind the driver's seat to enforce separation; others rely on signage and verbal instruction. The reason: distraction or accidental contact with controls can cause crashes, and the driver's situational awareness depends on an unobstructed view and unrestricted operation. Even friendly passengers leaning forward to chat at the wrong moment can be a safety problem.

Hazmat on passenger buses: Buses carrying passengers are PROHIBITED from carrying certain hazardous materials and strictly limited on others. PROHIBITED (cannot carry with passengers): Class A or B explosives; certain poisons (Division 2.3 poison gas, Division 6.1 poison); large quantities of certain hazmat; radioactive materials over limits; LIMITED amounts of some hazmat may be allowed under specific rules.

Why: The risk to passengers from a hazmat incident (fire, explosion, toxic release) is too great; passenger safety takes priority.

Small exceptions: Small-arms ammunition, emergency hospital supplies, drugs, and limited amounts of some materials may be permitted under regulations.

Forbidden: A bus must never carry more than a small total of allowed hazmat, and never the prohibited classes with passengers aboard.

Driver responsibility: Know what passengers may be bringing aboard; refuse prohibited hazardous materials; the combination of passengers and hazardous materials is heavily restricted because a hazmat incident on a loaded bus could be catastrophic; this is tested on the passenger endorsement — passengers and dangerous hazmat generally cannot travel together.

The manual lists practices a bus driver must avoid. Among them: fueling the bus with passengers aboard, especially in a closed building, unless absolutely necessary; engaging in conversation or activity that distracts from safe driving; and refueling or doing other tasks that put passengers at risk. Drivers must also not allow riders to stand forward of the standee line, leave the bus when passengers are aboard except as permitted, or carry prohibited hazardous materials. These rules exist because the driver's full attention and the passenger area's safety cannot be compromised while people are on board.

Passengers must not stand ahead of the standee line, and they must not crowd or obstruct the driver. The space around the driver's seat, the controls, and the entrance must remain clear so the driver can see, steer, and operate the bus without interference, and so passengers are not in danger of being thrown into the front of the bus in a sudden stop. Letting riders sit on steps, block the aisle, or stand in the driver's area is prohibited. Before moving, the driver verifies the front area and aisle are clear and the standee line is respected.