Passenger (P) and school bus (S) endorsements
Driving a bus means carrying people, so the rules are stricter than for hauling freight. Federal rules require a passenger (P) endorsement on your CDL to drive a vehicle designed for 16 or more people including the driver, and a school bus (S) endorsement to drive a school bus.
These are the only two CDL endorsements that need a skills test as well as a knowledge test. States often add their own checks for school bus drivers.
By the end of this topic you can
- You can tell when a vehicle needs a CDL with a P endorsement.
- You can list the tests and training needed for P and S.
- You can explain how your test bus affects which buses you may drive.
- You can name the extra state requirements school bus drivers often face.
What you need to know and understand
- A vehicle designed to carry 16 or more people including the driver needs at least a Class C CDL with a P endorsement, even if it is light.
- Large buses rated over 26,000 pounds need a Class B CDL with P.
- P and S each need a knowledge test and a skills test.
- To get S you must also qualify for P, and you take the S skills test in a school bus of the same class you will drive.
- A first-time P or S endorsement requires federal entry-level driver training (ELDT) from a registered provider.
- With P or S on a CLP, you cannot carry ordinary passengers while you practice.
Which bus, which license
Your test vehicle matters. Take the passenger skills test in a Class B bus and your license will not cover Class A passenger vehicles; take it in a Class C bus and you are limited to Class C passenger vehicles.
- Small bus or large van designed for 16 or more people including the driver, under 26,001 pounds: Class C with P.
- City bus, coach or full-size school bus rated 26,001 pounds or more: Class B with P (and S for school buses).
- Articulated (bendy) bus or bus towing a heavy trailer: may need Class A with P.
Steps to the endorsement
- Hold a regular license and meet your state's age and medical rules for the job.
- Pass the general knowledge test, the passenger test and, for school buses, the school bus test, plus air brakes if your bus has them.
- Get your CLP with P (and S) and practice with a supervising CDL holder, without passengers.
- Complete ELDT for the passenger and, if needed, school bus endorsement with a registered provider.
- Pass the skills test in a bus that matches the class (and for S, a school bus) you plan to drive.
What the school bus test adds
The school bus knowledge test covers loading and unloading children safely, using emergency exits and evacuating the bus, and the federal and state rules for railroad crossings. Many states then require school bus drivers to pass criminal background checks, extra state training courses, periodic physicals and drug and alcohol testing through the employer. These extras vary by state: check your state CDL manual and your school district's requirements.
Common mistakes
- Assuming a 15-passenger van and a 16-seat shuttle need the same license. The 16-person design count, including the driver, is what triggers P.
- Testing in a smaller bus than the one you will drive, then finding your license restricts you.
- Forgetting to add the air brakes test if your bus has air brakes.
- Expecting the S endorsement alone to be enough. You must also qualify for P.
Test yourself: Passenger (P) and school bus (S) endorsements
Answer each question, then read the explanation. Questions come in a random order each time.
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Go deeper
Sources: 49 CFR 383.91 Commercial motor vehicle groups (ecfr.gov); 49 CFR 383.93 Endorsements (ecfr.gov); 49 CFR 383.95 Restrictions, passenger vehicle restrictions (ecfr.gov); 49 CFR 383.123 Requirements for a school bus endorsement (ecfr.gov); 49 CFR 383.25 Commercial learner's permit (ecfr.gov). Independent guide, not affiliated with any licensing agency. Always check the latest official rules with your state DMV.