Though cars can drive over railroad tracks without stopping, buses of all kinds have had to stop there for over eight decades. Here’s the reason.
Most of us have experienced the frustration of being stuck at a railroad crossing waiting for a train to pass. We know when we see the crossing arms go down and the red lights flash that a train is approaching. While some people try to beat the train, most have seen the sometimes tragic consequences of trying to do so in the news or on social media and respect the warning signals. However, most of the time when we approach a railroad crossing, no train is coming, so we’re able to drive through it without a second thought.
But if you’ve ever been behind a bus at a railroad crossing, you’ve likely noticed they stop even if there’s no approaching train. Bus drivers don’t stop at railroad crossings because they’re more cautious than the rest of us; they do so because it’s the law. Any bus that’s carrying passengers is required to stop before crossing railroad tracks so the driver can confirm no train is coming. Once that’s done, they can continue their route. The federal law that requires buses to stop at railroad crossings was born out of tragedy and is meant to save lives. Why are buses required to stop at railroad crossings?
Each day, parents place their trust in school-bus drivers to get their kids to and from school safely.
