CDL · Passenger Transport · 7 min read
Transporting Riders Safely on the Road
- Explain how to establish passenger conduct rules, execute smooth departures, and safely handle disruptive riders.
- Identify safe driving practices for scanning, negotiating intersections, judging bus stop clearances, and navigating curves.
- Describe the mandatory procedures, stopping distances, and exceptions for railroad crossings, drawbridges, refueling, and disabled buses.
Passenger Safety, Boarding, and Managing Conduct
Transporting passengers involves far more than just steering a large vehicle. As a commercial bus driver, your primary responsibility is the safety and well-being of every person on board. Many charter and intercity carriers have passenger comfort and safety rules. Explaining these safety and conduct rules at the start of a trip helps avoid trouble later on. A professional driver should mention carrier rules about smoking, drinking, and radio or tape player use before leaving the terminal or pickup point. Taking a moment to set expectations early ensures that everyone understands the standards of conduct before the bus is underway.
Passenger movement requires constant vigilance from the driver. Riders can stumble when getting on or off the bus, and they can also stumble when a bus starts or stops. Because of this risk, drivers must caution riders to watch their step when leaving the bus. Before putting the vehicle in motion, a driver should wait for riders to sit down or brace themselves. Starting and stopping a bus should be as smooth as possible to prevent rider injury. A sudden lurch or harsh braking can throw standing passengers or those moving to their seats off balance, leading to preventable falls.
During the trip, drivers may need to remind riders about carrier rules or to keep their arms and heads inside the bus. Even with clear guidelines, challenging situations can arise with intoxicated or unruly individuals. A driver must ensure the safety of a drunk or disruptive rider as well as other passengers. A driver must never discharge drunk or disruptive riders where it would be unsafe for them. Depending on the circumstances, it may be safer to discharge a disruptive rider at the next scheduled stop or in a well-lighted area where there are other people. Because situations can vary, many carriers have specific guidelines for handling disruptive riders that drivers must follow.
Common mistakes
- Assuming that a green traffic light or a flagman at a railroad crossing allows you to proceed at full speed without slowing down and checking for vehicles.
- Using the brake-door interlock as a substitute for the vehicle parking brake when parked.
- Discharging a disruptive or intoxicated rider in an unsafe or unlit area rather than waiting for the next scheduled stop or a well-lighted area with other people.
- Shifting gears while crossing railroad tracks in a bus with a manual transmission.
Key points
- Explain carrier safety rules regarding smoking, drinking, and radio or tape player use at the start of the trip to avoid conduct problems later.
- Wait for passengers to sit or brace themselves before starting, and make all starts and stops as smooth as possible to prevent rider stumbles and falls.
- Scan the road ahead, to the sides, to the rear, and inside the bus while avoiding all distractions, including talking with riders while driving.
- Reduce speed for curves; leaning outward on a banked curve means you are driving too fast, and excessive speed may cause a rollover with good traction or a slide with poor traction.
- At bus stops, watch for poles and tree limbs, wait for a sufficient gap to merge, and never use the brake-door interlock in place of the parking brake.
- Stop 15 to 50 feet before railroad tracks when required, open the forward door if needed to see or hear, never shift gears on the tracks, and stop at least 50 feet before drawbridges lacking signals or attendants.
- Avoid fueling with riders on board (never in a closed building), and do not tow or push a disabled bus with riders aboard unless getting off is unsafe, then only to the nearest safe discharge location.
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Sample lesson: Checking Buses Before and After Trips25 practice questions on this exam
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