Railroad crossing decisions and evacuation priorities
A school bus crossing a railway must be able to enter and clear the crossing without becoming trapped. Use current Colorado rules and the authorized crossing procedure, including the applicable stopping, signaling, quiet, observation and door requirements. A road traffic signal or a train that has just passed does not independently establish that every track is clear.
Before committing to the crossing
Identify all tracks and the available space beyond them. A bus that fits in the visible gap only by leaving its rear across a rail does not have a safe storage area. Consider the complete vehicle and the applicable clearance allowance rather than estimate from the driver's seat alone. Obstructed views require the prescribed assistance or an alternative arrangement, not an assumption that silence proves no train is approaching.
A passive crossing lacks an active warning device. An active crossing can have lights or gates, but those devices do not replace the required school-bus procedure. If a gate remains down or warnings remain active after a train passes, wait and follow the appropriate instructions; a second train may be approaching. Do not shift into a situation where a missed gear change can leave the bus on the tracks.
A bus on the tracks
A stalled or trapped bus on the tracks presents an immediate high-consequence hazard. Getting students clear of the tracks and the train's path takes priority over repeated attempts to save the vehicle. Use the actual trained evacuation method and appropriate emergency notifications. A minor mechanical failure in a safe parking area is a different scenario and does not justify applying every railway-emergency action automatically.
Evacuation is a comparison of risks
Fire, a threat of fire and other immediate hazards can require evacuation. In other situations the bus may provide more protection than an unsafe roadside. Evaluate the actual hazard, exits, traffic, terrain and student needs using the emergency plan. An exit nearest the driver is not automatically the safest exit relative to a fire or other obstruction.
After movement to an appropriate safe place, account for every student and maintain supervision. Leave belongings behind when they would delay a necessary evacuation. Injury assistance must stay within training and the actual emergency need. This chapter does not invent a universal evacuation distance, a tornado shelter instruction or a medical procedure for every condition.