Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings
The absolute rule
A bus carrying passengers must stop at every railroad crossing - even when the gates are raised and the lights are dark - unless the crossing is officially posted as exempt. This is the single most-tested fact in the domain, and questions are written to tempt you into rolling through when the signals look quiet.
The procedure
Stop between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail. Silence anything noisy - radio, fans, heater - open the driver's window, and look and listen in both directions. Cross only when you are certain the bus can clear the tracks completely without stopping on them; if traffic is backed up beyond the crossing, wait on the near side. Select a gear that will not require shifting while on the crossing. Never drive around a lowered gate or under a rising one.
If you stall on the tracks
Get everyone off immediately, move them well away from the tracks and upwind, then call for help. If a train is approaching, move away at an angle - never straight down the track - and run toward the train at roughly 45 degrees so you can see it and be seen.
Traps
- "You may proceed without stopping if the gate is up." False.
- "Stop within 10 feet of the rail." Too close.
- "Flashing lights just started but no train is visible, so cross." Never.
Rule of thumb: 15 to 50 feet, window open, gear locked, eyes both ways.