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 communicating with passengers, operators should:

Never assume anything

Assume they cannot understand instructions

Assume they do not want to talk

Assume all people with the same disability have the same needs

2 / 25

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

Gesture with your hand or touch them lightly

Clap loudly near their ear

Flick the bus lights on and off

Shout from a distance

3 / 25

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

Long, complex questions

Questions requiring detailed explanations

Questions asked very quickly

Short, simple questions that require short answers

4 / 25

When a passenger has a service dog, you should:

Pet the dog to calm it

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

Feed the dog treats

Talk to the dog instead of the passenger

5 / 25

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

Look directly at them so they can lip-read

Cover your mouth

Speak as fast as possible

Turn away while talking

6 / 25

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

Rely on standard procedures without asking

Avoid asking questions to save time

Decide on their own what is best for each passenger

Ask passengers what they need and how best to help

7 / 25

When addressing people by first name, you should:

Use first names only when you are in a hurry

Never use first names

Use first names only for people with disabilities

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

8 / 25

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

Detach them without asking

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

Store them far from the passenger

Move them out of the way as soon as possible

9 / 25

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

Assume they know what is happening

Move the chair without warning to save time

Ask their companion instead of them

Tell them what you are doing

10 / 25

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

Use very complex technical terms

Write things down on paper

Have someone else speak for them

Only use gestures and avoid writing

11 / 25

The “ASK” formula for customer satisfaction stands for:

Attitude + Skill + Knowledge

Attitude + Service + Kindness

Attention + Support + Knowledge

Awareness + Sensitivity + Kindness

12 / 25

One general attitude operators should always show is:

Minimal interaction

Strictness and formality

Impatience to stay on schedule

Patience and courtesy

13 / 25

When offering help to ambulatory passengers, you should:

Never offer help unless they ask first

Insist on helping even if they refuse

Offer assistance and wait until your offer is accepted

Help them without asking

14 / 25

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

Stand over them at full height

Talk from behind the wheelchair

Avoid getting too close

Place yourself at their eye level

15 / 25

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

Be patient, attentive, and encouraging

Finish their sentences for them

Correct their speech frequently

Avoid asking them questions

16 / 25

What should you do if an ambulatory passenger refuses help?

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

Force assistance for their own safety

Leave immediately

Argue with them until they accept

17 / 25

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

Ignore the misunderstanding

Say so and repeat what you did understand

Pretend you understood

Ask someone else to interpret without trying yourself

18 / 25

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

Stand behind them

Speak directly to that person

Avoid eye contact

Speak to their companion instead

19 / 25

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

Ask their companion all questions

Avoid speaking directly with them

Focus mainly on the disability to avoid mistakes

See the person first, not the disability

20 / 25

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

Move at your own normal pace regardless

Let other passengers decide the pace

Let the person with the disability set the pace

Always move as quickly as possible

21 / 25

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

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

Offer your left arm only

Walk behind them and push lightly

Take the cane and walk in front

22 / 25

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

Only the length of the route

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

Only the temperature inside the bus

Only the time of day

23 / 25

The same disability can affect people:

In different ways at different times

Only in predictable ways

Only physically, never emotionally

In exactly the same way all the time

24 / 25

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

Act quickly without explanation

Ask only their companion

Use only hand signals

Inform the person what you are doing before you do it

25 / 25

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

Speak only to their companion

Identify yourself verbally and offer to help

Grab their arm and start leading

Move them quickly to the bus

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.