Series 5-10: Communicating With Your Passengers – Intro

The “Communicating With Your Passengers” section of the Alberta School Bus Knowledge Test highlights the importance of clear and respectful interaction between drivers and students.

Alberta School Bus Test - SERIES 5-10: Communicating With Your Passengers – Intro

1 / 25

When a passenger has a service dog, you should:

Talk to the dog instead of the passenger

Not touch or distract the dog without the passenger’s permission

Feed the dog treats

Pet the dog to calm it

2 / 25

A key principle when working with passengers with disabilities is to:

Avoid speaking directly with them

Ask their companion all questions

Focus mainly on the disability to avoid mistakes

See the person first, not the disability

3 / 25

When speaking to a person with a hearing impairment, you should:

Speak as fast as possible

Turn away while talking

Look directly at them so they can lip-read

Cover your mouth

4 / 25

When guiding a person with a vision impairment who uses a cane in the right hand, you should:

Walk behind them and push lightly

Offer your right arm so they can hold it with their left hand

Offer your left arm only

Take the cane and walk in front

5 / 25

The same disability can affect people:

Only physically, never emotionally

In exactly the same way all the time

Only in predictable ways

In different ways at different times

6 / 25

When speaking with someone who has difficulty speaking, you should:

Finish their sentences for them

Avoid asking them questions

Correct their speech frequently

Be patient, attentive, and encouraging

7 / 25

The “ASK” formula for customer satisfaction stands for:

Attention + Support + Knowledge

Attitude + Service + Kindness

Attitude + Skill + Knowledge

Awareness + Sensitivity + Kindness

8 / 25

When addressing people by first name, you should:

Use first names only for people with disabilities

Use first names only when extending that familiarity to all others present

Use first names only when you are in a hurry

Never use first names

9 / 25

One general attitude operators should always show is:

Strictness and formality

Patience and courtesy

Impatience to stay on schedule

Minimal interaction

10 / 25

If you do not understand what a person has said, you should:

Ask someone else to interpret without trying yourself

Ignore the misunderstanding

Say so and repeat what you did understand

Pretend you understood

11 / 25

A useful backup communication method with some hearing-impaired passengers is to:

Have someone else speak for them

Write things down on paper

Only use gestures and avoid writing

Use very complex technical terms

12 / 25

To get the attention of a passenger with a hearing impairment, you should:

Gesture with your hand or touch them lightly

Shout from a distance

Clap loudly near their ear

Flick the bus lights on and off

13 / 25

When assisting any person with a disability, operators should take into account:

Only the length of the route

Only the time of day

Only the temperature inside the bus

Conditions like rain, ice, wind, inclines, steps, gravel, and mud

14 / 25

Overall, to communicate effectively with passengers with disabilities, operators should primarily:

Avoid asking questions to save time

Rely on standard procedures without asking

Ask passengers what they need and how best to help

Decide on their own what is best for each passenger

15 / 25

Regarding the pace of communication and action with a person with a disability, you should:

Always move as quickly as possible

Let other passengers decide the pace

Let the person with the disability set the pace

Move at your own normal pace regardless

16 / 25

When offering help to ambulatory passengers, you should:

Offer assistance and wait until your offer is accepted

Insist on helping even if they refuse

Never offer help unless they ask first

Help them without asking

17 / 25

When talking with a person with a disability, you should:

Stand behind them

Avoid eye contact

Speak directly to that person

Speak to their companion instead

18 / 25

What should you do if an ambulatory passenger refuses help?

Leave immediately

Force assistance for their own safety

Argue with them until they accept

Do not insist, but stay close and be ready to assist

19 / 25

When communicating with passengers, operators should:

Assume all people with the same disability have the same needs

Never assume anything

Assume they cannot understand instructions

Assume they do not want to talk

20 / 25

When speaking to a person using a wheelchair for a significant period, you should:

Stand over them at full height

Avoid getting too close

Place yourself at their eye level

Talk from behind the wheelchair

21 / 25

When assisting a passenger with vision impairment, you should first:

Move them quickly to the bus

Grab their arm and start leading

Speak only to their companion

Identify yourself verbally and offer to help

22 / 25

Before assisting a person using a wheelchair or mobility aid, you should:

Tell them what you are doing

Assume they know what is happening

Ask their companion instead of them

Move the chair without warning to save time

23 / 25

Before assisting or acting, the general communication rule is to:

Act quickly without explanation

Ask only their companion

Inform the person what you are doing before you do it

Use only hand signals

24 / 25

What kind of questions are most helpful for a person who has difficulty speaking?

Questions asked very quickly

Short, simple questions that require short answers

Questions requiring detailed explanations

Long, complex questions

25 / 25

What is the guideline about mobility devices like wheelchairs and crutches?

Detach them without asking

Move them out of the way as soon as possible

Do not take them away unless the passenger has indicated they want them moved

Store them far from the passenger

Your score is

This section covers using positive language, active listening, and maintaining a calm tone, even in challenging situations. Drivers are taught to give clear instructions, address concerns promptly, and foster an atmosphere of trust and respect on the bus. Effective communication also involves understanding non-verbal cues and adapting messages for students with diverse needs. Mastery of this section ensures drivers can build positive relationships, enhance safety, and create a supportive environment for all passengers.