Railroad Crossings on a School Bus
The federal rules for stopping, listening, and crossing.
Endorsement: School Bus (S) · Source: FMCSA CDL Manual (public domain)
School buses are required to stop at every public railroad crossing, regardless of warning devices, train activity, or visibility. The CDL School Bus exam tests this rule in detail. The procedure is to stop within 15 to 50 feet of the nearest rail (the exact range varies by state), open the front door and the driver-side window if equipped, turn off all noise sources (radio, fan, heater), look and listen in both directions, and proceed only when certain no train is approaching.
If the crossing has gates and they are down, do not cross. If the crossing has flashing red lights, do not cross until the lights stop and gates rise. Even at a crossing where you have a green traffic signal at an adjacent intersection, you stop at the rail. Once you decide to cross, do not shift gears while on the tracks; place the bus in a gear that will let you cross without shifting and proceed steadily across.
A few exceptions exist. Streetcar tracks and abandoned railroad tracks marked with the appropriate sign do not require the stop. Industrial or spur tracks marked exempt do not require the stop. Crossings inside a manufacturing plant or terminal that the bus operator has been authorized by the operator do not require the stop. The exam may test these exceptions, but the default expectation is that every public crossing receives the full stop-look-listen procedure. School-bus violations of railroad-crossing rules carry severe penalties for both the driver and the operator, and most states impose immediate suspension of the school-bus endorsement for any violation.
Key terms to memorize
- danger zone
- crossover mirror
- flashing red
- amber warning
- crossing arm
Other School Bus (S) topics
- The Danger Zone — The 12-foot perimeter around a school bus where students are most at risk.
- School Bus Mirrors — The full mirror set and how to use it during loading, unloading, and driving.
- Loading and Unloading Procedures — The fixed sequence that keeps students alive at every stop.
- School Bus Emergency Evacuation — When to evacuate, who leads it, and the order students leave the bus.
Test what you learned
Now that you have the Railroad Crossings on a School Bus material in your head, drill the School Bus (S) practice test. The questions are drawn from the same FMCSA source material this article paraphrases. For state-specific framing, jump to your state page and pick the School Bus (S) test for your jurisdiction.