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CDL · Railroad Crossings

What must a school bus driver do at every railroad crossing?

Reviewed by Jordan Morley, Editorial Lead at 247SimpleTests. Written by the 247SimpleTests Editorial Team from the official source material cited on every question.

Correct answer

Stop within the required distance of the nearest rail, open the service door and driver's window to look and listen, and cross only when sure no train is approaching and the bus can clear the tracks completely

  1. A Stop within the required distance of the nearest rail, open the service door and driver's window to look and listen, and cross only when sure no train is approaching and the bus can clear the tracks completely
  2. B Stop only if a train is in sight
  3. C Slow but never stop
  4. D Cross at normal speed if no train is visible

Why this is the answer

School buses must stop at every railroad crossing, generally between 15 and 50 feet from the nearest rail, even when no train is visible and there are no gates or lights. The driver opens the service door and the driver's window to look and listen carefully in both directions, because a train can be hard to see or hear through a closed bus. The bus crosses only after confirming no train is coming and that there is enough room to clear all tracks on the far side without stopping. The driver does not shift gears while on the tracks. These rules apply because a loaded bus caught on a crossing is catastrophic.
Source: FMCSA CDL Manual 10.4.1 Railroad Crossings

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About this topic: Railroad Crossings

School buses must stop at every railroad crossing, open the door and window, look and listen, and cross in a low gear without shifting. These questions cover the full procedure and the exceptions. This is one of 7 School Bus questions on railroad crossings, each with a full explanation on a single study page.

New to this exam? Our CDL exam guide explains the format, scoring, and how to prepare.

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