Railroad-Highway Grade Crossings
Railroad-highway grade crossings
The exam tests the mandatory school bus stop, sight and hearing checks, clearance, and stalled-bus response. A school bus must stop at every railroad crossing unless the crossing is officially exempt.
Core rules
- Stop not less than 15 feet and not more than 50 feet from the nearest rail.
- Open the service door, turn off noisy devices, and listen. Look both ways and check that the tracks are clear beyond the crossing.
- Close the door and proceed without stopping or shifting gears on the tracks. Do not stop on tracks for traffic.
- Do not rely on gates or lights alone; a gate can be up while a train approaches.
- If the bus stalls on a track, evacuate students immediately and move them away from the tracks, then call 911 and the railroad.
A crossing has the gate up but red lights flashing. Reasoning: flashing lights mean stop. The driver stops 15 to 50 feet back, opens the door, listens and looks, and waits until the lights stop and the gate is fully raised. Only then does the driver cross without stopping.
Traps that cost marks
Rolling through a crossing, stopping closer than 15 feet, stopping on the tracks, and treating a raised gate as proof that crossing is safe. Another trap is failing to open the door and listen. The exam expects a complete stop and a visual and auditory check every time.