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

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

Make the bus louder but more powerful

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

Eliminate the need for regular maintenance

Increase fuel usage and reduce comfort

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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

Keep the clutch depressed and let the engine idle

Apply the parking brake

Turn off the engine

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

Shift to neutral and rev the engine

Depress the brake and accelerator together

Turn off overdrive manually

Depress the accelerator firmly to the floor

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

Release the parking brake

Shift immediately into the highest gear

Familiarize yourself with the gear pattern and recommended starting gear

Depress the accelerator pedal

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

Coasting

Double clutching

Power braking

Riding the clutch

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

Using only the parking brake for speed control

Coasting in neutral

Manually selecting a lower gear with the gear selector

Always leaving the selector in the highest gear

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

The floor as quickly as possible

Halfway only

The friction point

Just enough to move the bus a little

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

Lug

Shut down automatically

Overheat instantly

Stall immediately

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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

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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

Shift directly to neutral at any speed

Depress the clutch immediately at high speed

Turn off the engine before stopping

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

Shift immediately to the lowest gear

Depress the accelerator

Reduce speed

Apply the parking brake

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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

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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

Leave the transmission in neutral with no brake

Keep the engine racing

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

Cause the clutch to slip excessively

Have no effect on the clutch

Protect the clutch from wear

Improve fuel economy

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

Prevent engine wear

Improve passenger comfort

Cause excessive wear on the engine

Reduce fuel consumption

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

Idle speed only

The maximum possible speed

The proper engine speed

Any speed; engine speed is not important

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

Shift to neutral and coast

Apply the parking brake first

Depress the accelerator and release the clutch

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator

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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

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

Prevent the bus from moving

Increase gear grinding

Prevent excessive gear grinding

Force an automatic shift

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To upshift smoothly with a standard transmission, you should:

Shift without using the clutch

Release the clutch and accelerator at the same time

Depress the clutch and release the accelerator simultaneously before shifting

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

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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

Keep the brake applied while accelerating

Depress the accelerator fully to the floor immediately

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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

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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

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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

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

Apply the parking brake

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

Pump the clutch pedal intermittently

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

Depress the clutch halfway at all times

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

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Releasing the clutch too quickly will most likely:

Reduce engine wear

Stall the engine

Improve acceleration

Prevent stalling under any conditions

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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

Release the accelerator

Pump the brake pedal repeatedly

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

Stay in the lowest gear

Shift only when you release the accelerator

Require manual shifting with the clutch

Automatically shift into the next higher gear

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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

Shift to neutral and accelerate

Depress the accelerator and clutch at different times

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What is the normal practice regarding skipping gears while shifting?

Avoid skipping gears when upshifting or downshifting

Only skip gears when upshifting

Only skip gears when 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.