How many questions are on the passenger test?

Your state sets the number of questions. Federal rules set 80 percent as the minimum passing score for each knowledge test. Check your state's CDL manual.

Is there a skills test for the passenger endorsement?

Yes. Federal rules list a knowledge test and a skills test for the passenger endorsement. You take the skills test in a passenger vehicle of the vehicle group you want to drive.

CDL Passenger Endorsement Test: What to Know

Q: Do I need the passenger endorsement for a small van?

Federal rules define a Group C commercial vehicle as one designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver. Check your state for how it applies the rule to your vehicle.

You need the CDL passenger endorsement, called the P endorsement, to drive a commercial vehicle designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver. The knowledge test covers Sections 2 and 4 of the CDL manual, and Section 4 is full of exact distances and limits.

Who needs the P endorsement?

Federal rule 49 CFR 383.93 says an operator must get a state-issued endorsement on their CDL to drive commercial motor vehicles which are "Passenger vehicles." The tests for Passenger are "a knowledge and a skills test."

The 383.5 definitions say a small vehicle (Group C) is a commercial motor vehicle if it "Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver." The driver counts in the 16. Larger buses fall under the weight rules for Group A and Group B.

A school bus driver also needs the S endorsement. See our school bus endorsement guide for that part.

What the test covers

The manual says: "To get the endorsement you must pass a knowledge test on Sections 2 and 4 of this manual." Section 2 is General Knowledge. Section 4 is Transporting Passengers Safely.

If your bus has air brakes, the manual says "you must also pass a knowledge test on Section 5." Read our air brakes test guide for those numbers.

Federal rule 383.117 lists what the knowledge test must cover:

Loading and unloading passengers.
Emergency exits, including push-out windows.
Emergencies like fires and unruly passengers.
Railroad-highway grade crossings and drawbridges.
Braking procedures.
Other operating practices.

For the skills test, 383.117 says you must take it "in a passenger vehicle" that meets the vehicle group you want to drive.

Your state sets the number of questions. The federal minimum passing score is 80 percent on each knowledge test.

The numbers and rules that trip people up

Topic	Manual	What it says
Stopping at a railroad crossing	4.3.5	"Stop your bus between 15 and 50 feet before railroad crossings."
Crossings where you need not stop	4.3.5	You slow down and check at streetcar crossings, where a police officer or flagman directs traffic, when the signal is green, and at crossings marked "exempt" or "abandoned."
After a train passes	4.3.5	"Make sure there isn't another train coming in the other direction on other tracks."
Gears at a crossing	4.3.5	"If your bus has a manual transmission, never change gears while crossing the tracks."
Drawbridges	4.3.6	"Stop at least 50 feet before the draw of the bridge." Only if there is no signal light or attendant.
Standee line	4.2.3	"No rider may stand forward of the rear of the driver's seat." The line is two inches wide.
Hazmat weight limits	4.2.2	On the "never transport" list: "More than 500 pounds total of allowed hazardous materials, and no more than 100 pounds of any one class," and "More than 100 pounds of solid Class 6 poisons."
Post-trip check	4.4	"Inspect your bus at the end of each shift."
Fueling	4.5	"Never refuel in a closed building with riders on board."
Brake-door interlock	4.6	"Do not use this safety feature in place of the parking brake."

The facts drivers miss

Two stop distances. Railroad crossings use a range, 15 to 50 feet. Drawbridges use "at least 50 feet." Do not swap them.

Open the door if it helps. At a crossing the manual says you should open your forward door if it improves your ability to see or hear a train.

The standee line is about the driver's seat. Standing riders stay behind the rear of the driver's seat. The floor line, or some other marker, shows where.

What a bus may carry. The manual says most hazardous materials cannot be carried on a bus. Buses may carry small-arms ammunition labeled ORM-D, emergency hospital supplies and drugs. Do not carry any hazardous material "unless you are sure the rules allow it."

Speed on curves. In good weather the posted speed is safe for cars, but "it may be too high for many buses." If your bus leans toward the outside on a banked curve, you are driving too fast.

Where to drop a disruptive rider. You must ensure that rider's safety as well as the safety of others. Do not discharge the rider where it would be unsafe. The manual suggests the next scheduled stop or a well-lighted area where there are other people.

Pulling out from a stop. Wait for the gap to open. Never assume other drivers will brake to give you room.

Towing. Do not tow or push a disabled bus with riders aboard, unless getting off would be unsafe.

Try 10 exam-style questions built from the official CDL manual.

How to study it

Section 4 is short. Read it once, then answer the "Test Your Knowledge" questions at the end out loud. Make a card for each row of the table above. Then read Section 2 again, since it is part of the same test.

After that, take practice tests and read why each wrong answer is wrong. If you are not sure which tests you need, see which CDL tests do I need.