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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.

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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. 

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Each day, parents place their trust in school-bus drivers to get their kids to and from school safely. States take this responsibility seriously and have taken steps like installing black rub rails on school buses to reinforce the bus’s sides and protect passengers if there’s a collision. However, before safety features like rub rails became standard on school buses, a deadly school-bus accident at a railroad crossing led to sweeping changes in how passenger buses approach and cross train tracks nationwide.

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On Dec. 1, 1938, during a blizzard in Sandy, Utah, a train struck a school bus, killing 25 children and the driver. Visibility was low that day, and the bus driver didn’t see or hear the approaching train as he attempted to cross the railroad tracks. Believing they would be clear, he proceeded, only to be by an oncoming 51-car train that split the school bus in half. 

It was the deadliest traffic accident in the nation’s history up to that time. Out of that tragedy, laws were enacted at the federal and state levels, making it mandatory for passenger buses to stop at all rail crossings. The requirement for buses to stop at railroad crossings remains in force today to help ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.

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While things like school buses being yellow are not mandated by law, federal law does require all passenger buses to stop at railroad crossings. The law says they must stop 15 to 50 feet from the railroad crossing to maintain a safe distance from the tracks. After the bus has stopped, the driver must listen and look in both directions along the track to make sure there’s no train approaching. When they’ve confirmed it’s safe to proceed, they can cross the tracks. However, to avoid stalling they must not shift gears while on the tracks.

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Some states require buses to follow additional procedures that go beyond what’s required at the federal level. For example, in Michigan, in addition to federal requirements, bus drivers are required to turn on their hazard warning lights, turn off all interior switches, including fans, heaters, and radios, and open the passenger door and driver-side window to listen for the honk or other sounds of an approaching train. 

Texas law, meanwhile, clarifies that bus drivers don’t have to stop if they see the sign “tracks out of service,” indicating a railroad crossing has been abandoned; similarly, if there’s a sign with the words “exempt,” they’re not required to stop. Washington State law outlines specific rules for school buses, including mandating drivers turn off all noise-making devices like fans and radios, and do what’s possible to ensure passengers are quiet so they can hear a train coming. 

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