CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test study guide

CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test, administered by State DMV/DOT under FMCSA, is mapped here as 7 topic areas; the heaviest are Railroad Crossings & Drawbridges (22%), Prohibited Practices (20%) and Hazmat on a Bus (16%).

About this course: Study bus inspection, passenger safety and operating rules using the New York manual as the reference.

CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test at a glance

Questions

20

Time allowed

no per-test time limit published

Passing standard

80% (federal floor 49 CFR 383.135(a)(1); NY CDL-10 §1.4.1)

Format

multiple-choice, THREE choices (NY CDL-10 §1.4.1)

Standard / edition

NY CDL-10 Section 4 (11/25) + Section 1 (2/26)

Administered by

State DMV/DOT under FMCSA

Source: NY CDL-10 Section 4 (11/25) + Section 1 (2/26), State DMV/DOT under FMCSA. Confirm current details with the exam owner before you book.

Topic areas and weights

Study plan in this course

1. The Tracks and the Draw: The Numbers — 10 cards · free
2. What You Never Do With Riders Aboard — 8 cards · free
3. Hazmat on a Bus: Allowed vs. Never — 8 cards · full course
4. Walking the Bus: Pre-Trip to After-Trip — 10 cards · full course
5. Managing the Riders on Your Bus — 6 cards · full course
6. Driving the Bus: Curves and Intersections — 2 cards · full course
7. The P Path: From CLP to the Job — 4 cards · full course

Railroad Crossings & Drawbridges

Railroad Crossings & Drawbridges carries 22% of the CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test blueprint used in this course, the largest of its 7 weighted areas. It spans 1 concept. The course teaches it in 1 study unit: The Tracks and the Draw: The Numbers.

What Railroad Crossings & Drawbridges covers

• Railroad-highway crossings are either passive or active. — NY CDL-10 §2.15.1

Common mistakes in Railroad Crossings & Drawbridges

• Misconception: buses stop at every rail crossing, no exceptions.
• Misconception: the drawbridge stop distance is also 15-50 feet like a railroad crossing.
• Misconception: once one train passes, the crossing is clear.
• Misconception: the RR no-stop list and the drawbridge no-stop list are the same four items.
• Misconception: flashing lights or gates alone guarantee safety without independent driver alertness.
• Misconception: cabin noise won't mask an approaching train's horn.

Key terms for Railroad Crossings & Drawbridges

grade crossing · drawbridge draw · flagman · exempt crossing · abandoned crossing · passive crossing · active crossing

Official references for Railroad Crossings & Drawbridges

• NY CDL-10: §4.4.5, §4.4.6, §2.15.1, §2.15.3

In the app this area comes with 10 memory cards and 10 module-quiz questions and is part of the free starting modules.

Prohibited Practices

Prohibited Practices carries 20% of the CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test blueprint used in this course, the second-largest of its 7 weighted areas. It spans 1 concept. The course teaches it in 1 study unit: What You Never Do With Riders Aboard.

What Prohibited Practices covers

• Never use the brake-door interlock in place of the parking brake. — NY CDL-10 §4.7

Official references for Prohibited Practices

• NY CDL-10: §4.6, §4.3.3, §4.7

In the app this area comes with 8 memory cards and 8 module-quiz questions and is part of the free starting modules.

Hazmat on a Bus

Hazmat on a Bus carries 16% of the CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test blueprint used in this course, the third-largest of its 7 weighted areas. It spans 1 concept. The course teaches it in 1 study unit: Hazmat on a Bus: Allowed vs. Never.

What Hazmat on a Bus covers

• Never carry more than 100 pounds of solid Class 6 poisons. — NY CDL-10 §4.3.2

Official references for Hazmat on a Bus

• NY CDL-10: §4.3.1, §4.3.2

In the app this area comes with 8 memory cards and 8 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Vehicle Inspection

Vehicle Inspection carries 16% of the CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test blueprint used in this course, the 4th-largest of its 7 weighted areas. It spans 2 concepts. The course teaches it in 1 study unit: Walking the Bus: Pre-Trip to After-Trip.

What Vehicle Inspection covers

• Confirm these systems are working: service brakes, parking brake, steering, lights and... — NY CDL-10 §4.2.1
• The interior must be safe: handholds and railings, floor covering, signaling devices — NY CDL-10 §4.2.3

Official references for Vehicle Inspection

• NY CDL-10: §4.2, §4.2.1, §4.2.2, §4.2.3, §4.2.4, §4.5, §4.2.5

In the app this area comes with 10 memory cards and 10 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Passenger Management

Passenger Management carries 12% of the CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test blueprint used in this course, the 5th-largest of its 7 weighted areas. The course teaches it in 1 study unit: Managing the Riders on Your Bus.

Official references for Passenger Management

• NY CDL-10: §4.3, §4.3.4, §4.4.1, §4.4.2

In the app this area comes with 6 memory cards and 6 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Driving a Bus

Driving a Bus carries 8% of the CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test blueprint used in this course, the 6th-largest of its 7 weighted areas. The course teaches it in 1 study unit: Driving the Bus: Curves and Intersections.

Official references for Driving a Bus

• NY CDL-10: §4.4.4, §4.4.3

In the app this area comes with 2 memory cards and 2 module-quiz questions in the full course.

The P Path & Process

The P Path & Process carries 6% of the CDL Passenger (P) Endorsement Written Knowledge Test blueprint used in this course, the 7th-largest of its 7 weighted areas. The course teaches it in 1 study unit: The P Path: From CLP to the Job.

Official references for The P Path & Process

• NY CDL-10: §1.3.8
• NY CDL-10 §1.3.10 +: §1.4.2
• tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/Drivers/Applicability
• NY CDL-10 §1.3.13 + Fig: 1.3

In the app this area comes with 4 memory cards and 4 module-quiz questions in the full course.

Details that change — checked against official sources

• NY publishes no official P written-test question count; 20 Q @ 16-to-pass is the multi-state AAMVA-model family pattern, flagged not asserted. — dmv.ny.gov/driver-license/commercial-drivers/cdl-endorsements
• NY tests three answer choices per question (CDL-10 §1.4.1); many other states use four. — NY CDL-10 §1.4.1
• No NY per-test time limit is published; the office visit (incl. testing) is budgeted at about 3 hours total. — NY CDL-10 §1.3.8
• The exact railroad no-stop exception list and forward-door wording can vary by state manual edition. — NY CDL-10 §4.4.5
• FMCSA ELDT rulemaking can change the theory-training requirement and its effective-date scope. — tpr.fmcsa.dot.gov/Drivers/Applicability
• CLP fees, retake policy, the Limited Transit Bus exemption path (K+T1), and Article 19-A employer rules are NY-specific process facts. — NY CDL-10 §1.3.8-§1.3.13, §1.5

Official references

• NY CDL-10: §4.4.5, §4.4.6, §2.15.1, §2.15.3, §4.6, §4.3.3, §4.7, §4.3.1, §4.3.2, §4.2, §4.2.1, §4.2.2, §4.2.3, §4.2.4, §4.5, §4.2.5, §4.3, §4.3.4, §4.4.1, §4.4.2, §4.4.4, §4.4.3, §1.3.8
• NY CDL-10 §1.3.10 +: §1.4.2