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

Releasing the clutch too quickly will most likely:

Stall the engine

Improve acceleration

Prevent stalling under any conditions

Reduce engine wear

2 / 30

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

Overheat instantly

Shut down automatically

Stall immediately

Lug

3 / 30

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

Shift repeatedly between gears

Keep the brake applied while accelerating

Depress the accelerator fully to the floor immediately

Release the brake pedal and smoothly depress the accelerator

4 / 30

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

Idle speed only

Any speed; engine speed is not important

The proper engine speed

The maximum possible speed

5 / 30

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

Stay in the lowest gear

Automatically shift into the next higher gear

Shift only when you release the accelerator

Require manual shifting with the clutch

6 / 30

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

Because it cools the brakes too much

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

Because it saves fuel and should be avoided

Because it forces the transmission to shift automatically

7 / 30

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

Release the parking brake

Turn off the engine

Depress the accelerator pedal

Depress the clutch pedal

8 / 30

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

Turn off the engine before stopping

Depress the clutch immediately at high speed

Shift directly to neutral at any speed

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

9 / 30

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

Protect the clutch from wear

Have no effect on the clutch

Improve fuel economy

Cause the clutch to slip excessively

10 / 30

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

Apply the parking brake first

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator

Depress the accelerator and release the clutch

Shift to neutral and coast

11 / 30

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

Coasting in neutral

Always leaving the selector in the highest gear

Manually selecting a lower gear with the gear selector

Using only the parking brake for speed control

12 / 30

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

Depress the clutch again

Depress the accelerator fully to the floor

Apply the parking brake

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

13 / 30

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

Turn off the engine

Move the gear selector lever into the appropriate position

Pump the brake pedal repeatedly

Release the accelerator

14 / 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

15 / 30

On non-synchromesh transmissions, double clutching helps by:

Allowing you to skip more gears safely

Eliminating the need for using the clutch

Coordinating engine speed and transmission speed for smoother shifting

Increasing engine RPM beyond safe limits

16 / 30

What is the normal practice regarding skipping gears while shifting?

Avoid skipping gears when upshifting or downshifting

Skip as many gears as possible

Only skip gears when upshifting

Only skip gears when downshifting

17 / 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

Shift immediately into the highest gear

Depress the accelerator pedal

Release the parking brake

18 / 30

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

Power braking

Coasting

Double clutching

Riding the clutch

19 / 30

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

Turn off the engine

Apply the parking brake

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

Keep the clutch depressed and let the engine idle

20 / 30

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

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

Depress the clutch and brake together

Depress the clutch pedal and release the accelerator simultaneously

Shift to neutral and accelerate

21 / 30

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

The floor as quickly as possible

The friction point

Just enough to move the bus a little

Halfway only

22 / 30

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

Prevent excessive gear grinding

Force an automatic shift

Increase gear grinding

Prevent the bus from moving

23 / 30

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

Depress the accelerator firmly to the floor

Depress the brake and accelerator together

Shift to neutral and rev the engine

Turn off overdrive manually

24 / 30

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

Leave the transmission in neutral with no brake

Set the parking brake and secure the bus

Leave the clutch partially depressed

Keep the engine racing

25 / 30

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

Reduce fuel consumption

Cause excessive wear on the engine

Improve passenger comfort

Prevent engine wear

26 / 30

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

Apply the parking brake

Reduce speed

Shift immediately to the lowest gear

Depress the accelerator

27 / 30

Double clutching involves:

Shifting without using the clutch

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

Using two clutches at the same time

Depressing the brake pedal twice quickly

28 / 30

To upshift smoothly with a standard transmission, you should:

Release the clutch and accelerator at the same time

Shift without using the clutch

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator simultaneously before shifting

29 / 30

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

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

Make the bus louder but more powerful

Increase fuel usage and reduce comfort

Eliminate the need for regular maintenance

30 / 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

Pump the clutch pedal intermittently

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

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.