Carrying Passengers & Accessibility

You are driving a bus and a passenger is still moving towards a seat. What should you do before pulling away?

• AWait until you can see the passenger is seated or holding on securely✓
• BPull away gently so that the passenger learns to find a seat more quickly
• CSound the horn to warn the passenger that you are about to move
• DAsk other seated passengers to guide them to the nearest free seat as you go

Answer: A smooth, safe start means waiting until a passenger is seated or has a secure handhold, because sudden movement can throw an unsteady passenger off balance. Pulling away early risks a fall, and the horn is a warning of danger to others, not a signal to your own passengers.

A wheelchair user boards your accessible bus using the ramp. Where should the wheelchair normally be positioned in the designated space?

• ABacked against the padded backrest, facing the rear of the bus, with the brakes applied✓
• BFacing forward beside the driver so you can keep an eye on the passenger
• CTurned sideways across the gangway so other passengers can pass easily
• DParked over the rear axle facing forward with the wheelchair brakes off

Answer: In the designated wheelchair space the wheelchair is positioned rear-facing against the padded backrest with its brakes on, so that braking forces push the user safely back into the support. Forward or sideways positions do not provide that protection during braking.

Your coach is fitted with seat belts. What is your responsibility regarding their use?

• APhysically check that every passenger has fastened their belt correctly
• BMake sure passengers are told that seat belts are fitted and must be worn✓
• COnly mention the belts to passengers who are travelling on the motorway
• DLeave it to the passengers, as wearing a coach seat belt is only advisory for adults

Answer: Where seat belts are fitted to a coach they must be worn, and the driver or operator must ensure passengers are informed of this, usually by an announcement or signs. It is the passenger's legal duty to wear the belt, so you inform rather than fasten each one yourself.

Several passengers are standing on your bus as you approach a roundabout. How should you drive?

• AKeep your speed up so you spend the least possible time on the roundabout
• BSlow down early and take the roundabout gently to avoid throwing them off balance✓
• CBrake hard on entry so standing passengers have time to grab a handrail
• DAccelerate through the roundabout to keep the bus stable while turning

Answer: Standing passengers are easily unbalanced, so you reduce speed in good time and take bends and roundabouts smoothly and gently. Hard braking or higher speed increases the sideways and forward forces that cause falls.

An elderly passenger is slowly making their way to the exit as you approach the bus stop. What is the safest action?

• AEncourage them to wait by the doors while the bus is still moving towards the stop
• BOpen the doors a little early so that they can step straight down as you pull in slowly
• CWait until the bus is stopped and the doors are open before they reach the step✓
• DAsk them to stay seated and catch the next stop on the route

Answer: Passengers should not be at the top of the steps or the doorway while the bus is still moving, and doors should only open once you have stopped. Letting someone stand at a moving doorway, or opening doors early, risks a serious fall.

You are running a service that carries schoolchildren. What is a sensible extra precaution when they are getting off?

• AMove off promptly so following traffic is not held up at the stop
• BLet children stand on the platform before you reach the stop to save time
• COpen both the front and rear doors on a busy road to speed up alighting
• DWatch that children do not step out or cross in front of the bus into traffic✓

Answer: Children can act unpredictably and may step off or try to cross in front of the bus, so you watch them until they are clear and only move off when it is safe. Rushing away or letting them stand at a moving doorway increases the danger.

On a coach fitted with seat belts, who is legally responsible for making sure a passenger aged 14 or over wears one?

• AThe driver of the coach
• BThe group leader on the trip
• CThe coach operator's manager
• DThe passenger themselves✓

Answer: GOV.UK seat belt guidance says passengers aged 14 and over must use a seat belt where one is available and are personally responsible for doing so. The operator must take reasonable steps to tell them.

How can a bus or coach operator meet its duty to tell passengers that seat belts must be worn?

• ABy printing the rule on the back of each passenger's ticket or receipt
• BBy an announcement, a video or signs at every seat✓
• CBy displaying one notice at the entrance door, beside the fare table
• DBy telling the passengers who book the trip, but not those who board

Answer: Operators must take reasonable steps to notify passengers, for example by an announcement from the driver, courier or group leader, an audio-visual presentation, or signs displayed at every seating position.

A coach passenger aged 16 is not wearing an available seat belt. What on-the-spot fine can they face?

• A£1,000
• B£200
• C£100✓
• D£50

Answer: A passenger aged 14 or over who fails to wear an available seat belt can get an on-the-spot fine of £100, rising to a maximum of £500 if the case goes to court.

Under the PSV conduct regulations, what must a bus driver take all reasonable precautions to ensure?

• AThe safety of passengers on, entering or leaving the vehicle✓
• BThat passengers sit in the seats nearest to the front door
• CThat the timetable is kept to, even when traffic is heavy
• DThat every passenger has paid the correct fare before sitting

Answer: The Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990 require drivers and conductors to take all reasonable precautions to ensure the safety of passengers on, entering or leaving the vehicle.

A wheelchair user is waiting at a stop, but a passenger with an unfolded buggy is in the wheelchair space. What should you do?

• AAsk the buggy user to fold the buggy or move it✓
• BTell the wheelchair user to board and park in the gangway instead
• CDrive on, and tell the wheelchair user to wait for the next bus
• DAsk the wheelchair user to fold their wheelchair and take a seat

Answer: The wheelchair space is designed for wheelchair users. Following the Supreme Court's 2017 Paulley judgment, drivers should do more than simply ask once: they should actively seek to free the space, for example by asking the buggy user to fold the buggy or move.

What does the 'kneeling' feature on a low-floor bus do?

• AIt locks the doors until the bus has come to a complete stop
• BIt lowers the entrance side of the bus to reduce the step height✓
• CIt tilts the bus towards the kerb to empty rainwater from the roof
• DIt raises the whole bus to clear speed humps on the route ahead

Answer: Kneeling lowers the suspension on the entrance side so the step is closer to kerb height, making it easier for older and disabled passengers to board and for the ramp to be used.

Why do many buses give audible and visible announcements of the next stop?

• ATo help passengers with sight or hearing loss✓
• BTo remind the driver which way to turn at the next junction
• CTo record the time of each stop for the tachograph
• DTo tell other road users that the bus is about to pull in

Answer: Next-stop announcements, both spoken and on screen, help passengers who are blind, partially sighted, deaf or unfamiliar with the route to know when to get off.

Who are the priority seats on a bus intended for?

• APassengers who have paid for a weekly or monthly season ticket
• BDisabled, older and pregnant passengers✓
• CStaff of the bus company travelling to or from their shift
• DPassengers travelling the furthest distance on the route

Answer: Priority seats, required on buses under the accessibility regulations, are for people who most need to sit near the door, including disabled people, older people, pregnant people and anyone less able to stand.

A passenger with a visual impairment asks you to tell them when the bus reaches their stop. What should you do?

• ATell them to count the stops for themselves as they go
• BTell them to sit at the back, away from the driver's cab
• CSuggest they ask another passenger to watch for the stop
• DAgree, and tell them clearly when the stop is reached✓

Answer: Helping passengers with a disability is part of good customer care and supports the operator's equality duties. Make a clear note of the stop and tell them when you arrive.

How can you tell how many standing passengers your bus is allowed to carry?

• AFrom the number of seats on the lower deck, doubled
• BFrom the capacity notice displayed inside the vehicle✓
• CFrom the number of handrails fitted along the gangway
• DFrom the size of the fuel tank shown on the plate

Answer: A bus's maximum seating and standing capacity is marked on a notice in the vehicle. Carrying more standing passengers than it allows is an offence and makes the vehicle less safe.

Before setting off on a coach trip, what safety information should passengers be given?

• AWhere the exits are and that belts must be worn✓
• BThe route the coach will take and where it will refuel
• CThe name of the company's insurer and its policy number
• DHow the tachograph works and what the symbols mean

Answer: Passengers should know where the emergency exits and equipment are and that they must wear seat belts where fitted. This helps them get out quickly and safely in an emergency.

Passengers have left bags in the gangway of your coach. What should you do?

• AAsk for them to be moved so gangways and exits are clear✓
• BStack them in front of the emergency door to keep them safe
• CMove off, and ask for them to be moved at the next stop
• DLeave them, as passengers are responsible for their own bags

Answer: Luggage in the gangway or near exits is a trip hazard and could block an escape route in an emergency. Make sure bags are stowed safely before moving off.

A passenger who appears drunk becomes abusive towards you. What is the best approach?

• AShout back so the other passengers can see you are in charge
• BStop the bus in a live lane and make the passenger get off
• CStay calm, avoid arguing and follow your company's procedure✓
• DIgnore it and drive faster so the journey ends sooner

Answer: Staying calm and not escalating the situation keeps you and your passengers safer. Follow your operator's procedures, which may include contacting control or the police.

What should you check before moving off from a bus stop?

• AThat the heating is set to low
• BThat the destination display is lit
• CThat the radio is switched off
• DThat all the doors are fully closed✓

Answer: Moving off with a door open can cause passengers to fall from the vehicle. Check that the doors are fully closed and that passengers are seated or holding on before moving off.

Why should you stop close to and parallel with the kerb at a bus stop?

• ASo passengers can board safely and the ramp can be used✓
• BSo other traffic can pass on the nearside of the bus more easily
• CSo the bus uses less fuel when it pulls away from the stop again
• DSo you can see the timetable displayed on the bus shelter better

Answer: Stopping close to and parallel with the kerb reduces the gap and step height for passengers and allows the ramp to be deployed properly for wheelchair users and people with buggies.

A coach is fitted with wheelchair restraints. How should a wheelchair user travel?

• AWith the wheelchair folded and the user seated on the gangway floor
• BWith the wheelchair facing sideways so the user can see out
• CWith the wheelchair's own brakes on, which is enough on a coach
• DSecured by the restraints, with the user's belt fastened✓

Answer: Where restraints are provided, the wheelchair must be secured with them and the occupant should wear the restraint belt, so neither the chair nor the passenger moves in heavy braking or a crash.

Where should a passenger's pushchair be kept while travelling on a bus?

• ABy the front door, so the passenger can get off more quickly
• BIn the designated space, with its brakes on✓
• CIn the gangway beside the passenger's seat, so it is kept close
• DOn the stairs of a double-deck bus, where it is out of the way

Answer: Pushchairs should be kept in the space provided with the brakes on, so they cannot roll and do not block the gangway or exits.

A passenger asks to be let off between stops on a busy main road. What should you do?

• AOpen the doors while moving slowly so they can step off
• BStop in the middle of the road so they can reach the kerb
• CStop only at a safe, permitted place✓
• DStop straight away, as the passenger's wishes come first

Answer: Stopping in an unsafe or unauthorised place puts passengers and other road users at risk. Explain politely and let the passenger off at the next safe, permitted stop.