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

Depress the accelerator and release the clutch

Apply the parking brake first

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator

Shift to neutral and coast

2 / 30

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

Cause excessive wear on the engine

Improve passenger comfort

Prevent engine wear

Reduce fuel consumption

3 / 30

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

Always leaving the selector in the highest gear

Using only the parking brake for speed control

Manually selecting a lower gear with the gear selector

Coasting in neutral

4 / 30

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

Depress the clutch immediately at high speed

Turn off the engine before stopping

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

Shift directly to neutral at any speed

5 / 30

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

Depress the accelerator pedal

Shift immediately into the highest gear

Familiarize yourself with the gear pattern and recommended starting gear

Release the parking brake

6 / 30

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

Depress the clutch halfway at all times

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

7 / 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

Stay in the lowest gear

Shift only when you release the accelerator

8 / 30

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

Depress the accelerator

Shift immediately to the lowest gear

Apply the parking brake

Reduce speed

9 / 30

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

Turn off the engine

Depress the clutch pedal

Release the parking brake

Depress the accelerator pedal

10 / 30

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

Release the brake pedal and smoothly depress the accelerator

Shift repeatedly between gears

Keep the brake applied while accelerating

Depress the accelerator fully to the floor immediately

11 / 30

On non-synchromesh transmissions, double clutching helps by:

Allowing you to skip more gears safely

Increasing engine RPM beyond safe limits

Coordinating engine speed and transmission speed for smoother shifting

Eliminating the need for using the clutch

12 / 30

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

Release the accelerator

Pump the brake pedal repeatedly

Turn off the engine

Move the gear selector lever into the appropriate position

13 / 30

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

Depress the brake pedal

Release the parking brake

Depress the accelerator pedal

Shift directly to a lower gear

14 / 30

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

Protect the clutch from wear

Improve fuel economy

Cause the clutch to slip excessively

Have no effect on the clutch

15 / 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

16 / 30

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

Stall immediately

Lug

Overheat instantly

Shut down automatically

17 / 30

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

Halfway only

The floor as quickly as possible

Just enough to move the bus a little

The friction point

18 / 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

19 / 30

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

Riding the clutch

Double clutching

Coasting

Power braking

20 / 30

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

Depress the clutch and brake together

Depress the clutch pedal and release the accelerator simultaneously

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

Shift to neutral and accelerate

21 / 30

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

Force an automatic shift

Prevent the bus from moving

Prevent excessive gear grinding

Increase gear grinding

22 / 30

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

Set the parking brake and secure the bus

Leave the clutch partially depressed

Keep the engine racing

Leave the transmission in neutral with no brake

23 / 30

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

Apply the parking brake

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

Depress the accelerator fully to the floor

Depress the clutch again

24 / 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

25 / 30

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

The proper engine speed

Idle speed only

The maximum possible speed

Any speed; engine speed is not important

26 / 30

Releasing the clutch too quickly will most likely:

Reduce engine wear

Improve acceleration

Prevent stalling under any conditions

Stall the engine

27 / 30

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

Apply the parking brake

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

28 / 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

Eliminate the need for regular maintenance

Make the bus louder but more powerful

Increase fuel usage and reduce comfort

29 / 30

To upshift smoothly with a standard transmission, you should:

Shift without using the clutch

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator simultaneously before shifting

Release the clutch and accelerator at the same time

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

30 / 30

What is the normal practice regarding skipping gears while shifting?

Only skip gears when downshifting

Only skip gears when upshifting

Avoid skipping gears when upshifting or downshifting

Skip as many gears as possible

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.