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:

Shift immediately to the lowest gear

Apply the parking brake

Reduce speed

Depress the accelerator

2 / 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

3 / 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

4 / 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

5 / 30

On non-synchromesh transmissions, double clutching helps by:

Coordinating engine speed and transmission speed for smoother shifting

Increasing engine RPM beyond safe limits

Eliminating the need for using the clutch

Allowing you to skip more gears safely

6 / 30

Releasing the clutch too quickly will most likely:

Reduce engine wear

Improve acceleration

Stall the engine

Prevent stalling under any conditions

7 / 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

Depress the accelerator pedal

Shift directly to a lower gear

8 / 30

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

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

Depress the clutch immediately at high speed

Shift directly to neutral at any speed

Turn off the engine before stopping

9 / 30

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

Shift to neutral and coast

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator

Depress the accelerator and release the clutch

Apply the parking brake first

10 / 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

Release the brake pedal and smoothly depress the accelerator

Depress the accelerator fully to the floor immediately

11 / 30

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

Turn off the engine

Release the accelerator

Pump the brake pedal repeatedly

Move the gear selector lever into the appropriate position

12 / 30

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

Release the parking brake

Depress the accelerator pedal

Familiarize yourself with the gear pattern and recommended starting gear

Shift immediately into the highest gear

13 / 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

14 / 30

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

Increase fuel usage and reduce comfort

Make the bus louder but more powerful

Eliminate the need for regular maintenance

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

15 / 30

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

Pump the clutch pedal intermittently

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

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

Depress the clutch halfway at all times

16 / 30

To upshift smoothly with a standard transmission, you should:

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator simultaneously before shifting

Release the clutch and accelerator at the same time

Shift without using the clutch

17 / 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

18 / 30

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

Coasting in neutral

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

19 / 30

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

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

Because it saves fuel and should be avoided

20 / 30

What is the normal practice regarding skipping gears while shifting?

Skip as many gears as possible

Only skip gears when upshifting

Avoid skipping gears when upshifting or downshifting

Only skip gears when downshifting

21 / 30

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

Power braking

Coasting

Double clutching

Riding the clutch

22 / 30

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

Just enough to move the bus a little

The floor as quickly as possible

The friction point

Halfway only

23 / 30

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

Reduce fuel consumption

Improve passenger comfort

Cause excessive wear on the engine

Prevent engine wear

24 / 30

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

Lug

Shut down automatically

Stall immediately

Overheat instantly

25 / 30

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

Automatically shift into the next higher gear

Shift only when you release the accelerator

Require manual shifting with the clutch

Stay in the lowest gear

26 / 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

27 / 30

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

Depress the clutch pedal

Depress the accelerator pedal

Release the parking brake

Turn off the engine

28 / 30

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

Keep the clutch depressed and let the engine idle

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

Turn off the engine

Apply the parking brake

29 / 30

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

Depress the clutch and brake together

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

Depress the clutch pedal and release the accelerator simultaneously

Shift to neutral and accelerate

30 / 30

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

Leave the clutch partially depressed

Keep the engine racing

Leave the transmission in neutral with no brake

Set the parking brake and secure the bus

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.