Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings
A bus carrying passengers must stop at every railroad-highway grade crossing unless the crossing is exempt. This domain tests the stop, the look-and-listen sequence, and the judgment not to commit until the far side is clear.
The rule
49 CFR 392.10 requires the stop. Stop within 50 feet of the nearest rail but never closer than 15 feet. Do not stop on the tracks, and do not change gears while crossing.
Procedure
Approach at a speed that allows a stop, with hazard flashers on. Stop, hold the brake, open the door and the driver's window, and shut off the radio and heater fan so you can hear. Look and listen both ways, then look again. Cross only when the far side has room for your entire vehicle plus a margin. Choose a gear that will not require shifting mid-crossing.
Signals and gates
A raised gate is not proof the track is clear; a second train can hide behind the first. If a gate lowers onto your vehicle, drive through it, because gates are built to break away. Never pass another bus or truck stopped at a crossing; it may be shielding a train from view.
Worked example
You stop 20 feet back with a green signal ahead and traffic backed up beyond the crossing. The far side has only 30 feet of space for a 40-foot bus. You wait before the tracks. Stopping on the crossing is prohibited, and a vehicle stalled on the rails is exactly how train collisions occur.
Traps
Stopping 5 feet from the rail; rolling through because the lights are not flashing; shifting gears mid-crossing; looking only once before accelerating.