Two-Track Crossing With Snowbanks Blocking the View
At 4:05 p.m., bus #8 is carrying 28 students on a rural two-lane road. The crossing has a crossbuck and a stop line but no gates or flashing lights. There are two tracks. Snowbanks about 6 feet high on the right side block the driver's view down the second track. The driver stops about 20 feet from the nearest rail, turns off the radio, opens the service door, and asks the students to be quiet. No train is visible on the near track. The driver hears a faint horn but cannot tell which direction it comes from. The route schedule is already 10 minutes late, and the next stop is a half mile past the crossing. A car behind the bus is waiting. The driver has crossed here many times and has never seen a train on the second track.
1. May the driver proceed because no train is visible on the near track and the bus is late?
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No. Michigan requires a school bus to stop at every railroad crossing, and the stop is not a formality. The driver must be able to see and hear that all tracks are clear before moving. Here the snowbank blocks the view of the second track, and a faint horn could mean an approaching train; lateness and the waiting car are not safety factors. The driver should remain stopped, keep the door open, look and listen again, and not roll forward to 'peek' if that would put the bus within the stop zone or on the crossing. If the view cannot be cleared, the driver should not cross.
2. What options does the driver have if the snowbank cannot be cleared and no flagger is present?
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The driver should contact dispatch, explain that the view of the second track is obstructed, and ask for a police officer, flagger, or maintenance crew to clear the sight line. If no safe crossing can be assured, the driver should use an alternate route or wait until conditions improve; the district should be prepared to have the stop moved or the route changed. The driver should not let students off at the crossing to act as lookouts, should not cross on the assumption that the line is unused, and should not rely on the car behind to honk or guide them. Document the condition and report it so the snowbank is removed.
3. What is the correct crossing procedure once the view is clear?
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With the bus stopped 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail, the driver should open the service door, turn off noisy equipment, and ask for silence. Look and listen in both directions, including a second look after the door is open, and check for a second train on the other track. When all tracks are clear, close the door, proceed across without stopping or shifting gears, and keep checking both directions until the bus is completely off the crossing. Then turn the radio back on and continue. If a train appears, stop before the crossing and stay put; never try to beat it.