Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings
The Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings domain tests a non-negotiable CDL rule: school buses stop at every crossing unless the crossing is officially exempt and posted.
Required stop
Stop within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail. Turn off the radio and fans, open the driver's window, and listen. Look both ways and check that the bus can clear the tracks completely. Cross without shifting gears or stopping.
Signals and gates
Never drive around a lowered gate or around a train. If lights flash, stop. Do not follow another bus too closely; wait until the bus ahead clears the crossing.
Stuck or stalled
If the bus stalls or is stuck, evacuate students immediately to at least 100 feet from the tracks and away from the bus. Call 911 and the railroad emergency number on the blue sign. Do not try to restart while students remain aboard.
Worked example: The bus stalls on the tracks. The driver evacuates students away from the tracks, counts them, calls 911, and gives the railroad location information. Reasoning: a train cannot stop quickly; distance from the tracks is the only reliable protection.
Traps: rolling stops; relying on gates; stopping on the tracks; keeping the window closed; evacuating toward the tracks.