Railroad-highway grade crossings and emergency procedures
This domain tests railroad-highway crossing discipline and the first actions after a passenger-bus emergency. A passenger-carrying bus must approach crossings as a stop-or-go decision, not a rolling check.
Crossing rules
At a passive crossing, stop before the tracks, open the door or window, look and listen, and confirm the far side has room for the whole bus. Cross only when clear. Do not shift gears while crossing; keep steady power. If a gate lowers after you start across, keep moving and break the gate if necessary rather than stopping on the tracks. Never stop on tracks or follow another vehicle too closely.
Emergency at a crossing
If the bus stalls or is struck on a crossing, get passengers off immediately and move them away from the tracks and debris. Call 911, give the crossing location, and warn approaching traffic if it is safe. Do not reboard to retrieve belongings.
Worked example
A bus stalls with the rear axle on the tracks and a train horn sounds. The correct order is: evacuate through the nearest usable exit, move people diagonally away from the track, call 911, and keep everyone clear. Attempting a restart first wastes the warning time.
Traps
Relying on train schedules, crossing with a gate down, stopping on the far side because traffic is backed up, and shifting mid-crossing are mark-losers. Do not let passengers remain on a stalled bus on the tracks.