Series 1-7: Shifting Gears, Accelerating and Decelerating

The Alberta School Bus Practice Test chapter “Shifting Gears, Accelerating and Decelerating” focuses on essential driving skills for school bus operators.

Alberta School Bus Test - SERIES 1-7: Shifting Gears, Accelerating and Decelerating

1 / 30

When beginning a downshift from cruising speed, you should first:

Reduce speed

Apply the parking brake

Depress the accelerator

Shift immediately to the lowest gear

2 / 30

To obtain additional power for quick acceleration with an automatic transmission, you should:

Depress the brake and accelerator together

Depress the accelerator firmly to the floor

Turn off overdrive manually

Shift to neutral and rev the engine

3 / 30

As speed increases in an automatic transmission bus, the transmission will:

Require manual shifting with the clutch

Automatically shift into the next higher gear

Shift only when you release the accelerator

Stay in the lowest gear

4 / 30

When starting off with a standard transmission, you should release the clutch to:

The friction point

The floor as quickly as possible

Halfway only

Just enough to move the bus a little

5 / 30

When starting to move with an automatic transmission, the first step after starting the engine is to:

Release the parking brake

Depress the brake pedal

Shift directly to a lower gear

Depress the accelerator pedal

6 / 30

Holding the vehicle in too low a gear while the engine races will:

Cause excessive wear on the engine

Improve passenger comfort

Reduce fuel consumption

Prevent engine wear

7 / 30

After releasing the clutch to the friction point, what is the next step when starting off?

Depress the clutch again

Remove your foot from the brake, move it to the accelerator, and accelerate gradually

Depress the accelerator fully to the floor

Apply the parking brake

8 / 30

On non-synchromesh transmissions, double clutching helps by:

Eliminating the need for using the clutch

Allowing you to skip more gears safely

Increasing engine RPM beyond safe limits

Coordinating engine speed and transmission speed for smoother shifting

9 / 30

When starting a bus with a standard transmission, what should you do first regarding the gears?

Familiarize yourself with the gear pattern and recommended starting gear

Release the parking brake

Shift immediately into the highest gear

Depress the accelerator pedal

10 / 30

After selecting the gear and releasing the parking brake in an automatic transmission, you should:

Shift repeatedly between gears

Release the brake pedal and smoothly depress the accelerator

Depress the accelerator fully to the floor immediately

Keep the brake applied while accelerating

11 / 30

For upshifting by double clutching, what is the correct first step?

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

Shift to neutral and accelerate

Depress the clutch and brake together

Depress the clutch pedal and release the accelerator simultaneously

12 / 30

Why is it improper to depress the clutch at high speed and keep it depressed while braking to a stop?

Because it saves fuel and should be avoided

Because this is “coasting to a stop” and you should always use appropriate gears

Because it cools the brakes too much

Because it forces the transmission to shift automatically

13 / 30

What is the normal practice regarding skipping gears while shifting?

Only skip gears when upshifting

Only skip gears when downshifting

Avoid skipping gears when upshifting or downshifting

Skip as many gears as possible

14 / 30

To upshift smoothly with a standard transmission, you should:

Release the clutch and accelerator at the same time

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator simultaneously before shifting

Shift without using the clutch

15 / 30

Before shifting into the next higher gear, you should accelerate the bus to:

Any speed; engine speed is not important

The maximum possible speed

The proper engine speed

Idle speed only

16 / 30

Before moving off in an automatic transmission bus, after depressing the brake you should:

Turn off the engine

Pump the brake pedal repeatedly

Release the accelerator

Move the gear selector lever into the appropriate position

17 / 30

Double clutching involves:

Using two clutches at the same time

Depressing the clutch pedal, releasing it, and depressing it again while shifting

Shifting without using the clutch

Depressing the brake pedal twice quickly

18 / 30

When driving in difficult terrain with an automatic transmission, you may gain better traction by:

Manually selecting a lower gear with the gear selector

Always leaving the selector in the highest gear

Using only the parking brake for speed control

Coasting in neutral

19 / 30

What must you do after the bus starts moving to avoid excessive clutch wear?

Depress the clutch halfway at all times

Remove your left foot from the clutch slowly and completely and place it on the floor

Keep light pressure on the clutch pedal (“ride the clutch”)

Pump the clutch pedal intermittently

20 / 30

Racing the engine and not releasing the clutch quickly enough will:

Cause the clutch to slip excessively

Protect the clutch from wear

Improve fuel economy

Have no effect on the clutch

21 / 30

When downshifting a standard transmission, what is the correct initial action?

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator

Apply the parking brake first

Depress the accelerator and release the clutch

Shift to neutral and coast

22 / 30

Shifting before proper engine speed is reached can cause the engine to:

Lug

Overheat instantly

Shut down automatically

Stall immediately

23 / 30

Before shifting into the starting gear on a standard transmission, you must first:

Depress the accelerator pedal

Turn off the engine

Depress the clutch pedal

Release the parking brake

24 / 30

When parking the bus to leave it, one of the required actions is to:

Leave the clutch partially depressed

Set the parking brake and secure the bus

Keep the engine racing

Leave the transmission in neutral with no brake

25 / 30

During double clutching, when the bus is out of gear, re-clutching and revving the engine will usually:

Prevent the bus from moving

Force an automatic shift

Increase gear grinding

Prevent excessive gear grinding

26 / 30

Keeping your left foot on the clutch when not actually shifting is called:

Coasting

Riding the clutch

Double clutching

Power braking

27 / 30

In downshifting by double clutching, after shifting to neutral, you should:

Release the clutch momentarily to engage it and accelerate the engine to more than original speed

Turn off the engine

Keep the clutch depressed and let the engine idle

Apply the parking brake

28 / 30

A key benefit of proper shifting, accelerating, and decelerating techniques is that they:

Eliminate the need for regular maintenance

Make the bus louder but more powerful

Increase fuel usage and reduce comfort

Save wear on the engine and clutch and give passengers a smoother ride

29 / 30

Releasing the clutch too quickly will most likely:

Reduce engine wear

Improve acceleration

Prevent stalling under any conditions

Stall the engine

30 / 30

To bring the bus to a complete stop, you should apply the brake and gradually increase pressure, then:

Shift directly to neutral at any speed

Depress the clutch after reducing speed to between 8–16 km/h

Depress the clutch immediately at high speed

Turn off the engine before stopping

Your score is

Proper gear shifting ensures smooth driving and control, especially in changing road conditions or on inclines. The chapter emphasizes the importance of accelerating gradually to maintain passenger comfort and safety. Decelerating smoothly by anticipating stops and reducing speed early helps prevent abrupt braking, which can be hazardous for students. Mastery of these techniques is crucial for safe and efficient school bus operation. This chapter prepares drivers to respond confidently to real-world driving situations, ensuring the safety of everyone on board.