Why do TTC buses stop at railroad tracks?

May 1, 2019 Off By idswater

Why do TTC buses stop at railroad tracks?

Stopping the bus and looking for trains works great when the visibility is good, but it’s useless in snow and fog. Opening the bus door (and driver’s window), allows the driver to hear trains.

Do you always have to stop at a railroad crossing?

When there’s a ‘Give way’ sign at a level crossing, you must slow down, look both ways and stop if a train is coming. You must not drive through a level crossing until the signals have stopped flashing and the gates or boom gates are fully open.

Why do buses not have seat belts?

NHTSA decided the best way to provide crash protection to passengers of large school buses is through a concept called “compartmentalization.” This requires that the interior of large buses protect children without them needing to buckle up. …

Which vehicle is not required to stop at a railroad crossing?

commercial motor vehicles
Exempt signs are intended to inform drivers of commercial motor vehicles transporting passengers or hazardous materials that a stop is not required at certain designated railroad crossings, except when rail traffic is approaching or occupying the crossing or the driver’s view is blocked.

What should you never do at a railroad crossing?

Wait until you can see clearly around the first train in both directions. Never walk around or behind lowered gates at a crossing. Do not cross the tracks until the lights have stopped flashing and it is safe to do so. You can be fined for failure to obey these signals.

Are buses safer without seatbelts?

Today, the United States government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), does not require seat belts on school buses weighing over 10,000 pounds. Modern school buses are large and heavy, and their passengers sit high off the ground. This means they are remarkably safe.

Can the bus driver kick a bad kid off his bus?

Yes it’s legally to do so for the safety of the bus driver and the other kids on the bus. When there’s a kid on a bus being obnoxious and being mean or rude to the kids.

How far back from a railroad crossing should you stop?

–Except as provided in subsection (c), the driver of any vehicle described in subsection (b), before crossing at grade any track or tracks of a railroad, shall stop the vehicle within 50 feet but not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of the railroad crossing and while so stopped shall listen and look in both …

What does it mean when a railroad crossing is exempt?

Exempt signs are intended to inform drivers of commercial motor vehicles transporting passengers or hazardous materials that a stop is not required at certain designated railroad crossings, except when rail traffic is approaching or occupying the crossing or the driver’s view is blocked.

What are two reasons you should never walk on railroad tracks?

Railroad tracks, trestles, yards and equipment are private property and trespassers are subject to arrest and fine. If you are in a rail yard uninvited by a railroad official you are trespassing and subject to criminal prosecution; you could be injured or killed in a busy rail yard.

What is the safest part of a bus?

To find the safest seat on a bus, head for the middle. Choose a row as centrally located as possible and sit on the aisle, choosing the side of the bus farthest from opposing traffic. In America, this means sitting on an aisle seat on the right-hand side of the bus.

Why seatbelts should not be on school buses?

The simple answer is that they don’t need them. In a cost/benefit analysis, the cost of adding seat belts to school buses outweighs any potential benefits, according to NHTSA studies. Modern school buses are large and heavy, and their passengers sit high off the ground. School buses are designed to be safe.

How long does a school bus have to stop before crossing a railroad track?

Bring the bus to a full and complete stop before crossing any track, whether or not the bus is carrying passengers. Stop the bus within not less than 15 feet or more than 50 feet from the rails nearest the front of the bus.

Why do school buses open their door at railroads?

The Incident – Why Buses Open Their Door at Railroads. Although it was required by law for school bus drivers to stop at railway crossings in 1938, drivers were not required to open their door. On December 1st of that year a gruesome accident changed that.

Is it legal to open a bus door to hear trains?

Opening the bus door (and driver’s window), allows the driver to hear trains. Today, opening the door and/or driver side window is law in many parts of the United States and Canada. The same law is also extended to trucks that carry hazardous materials. Some crossings do not require these vehicles to stop and they are marked with an “Exempt” sign.

What should you do at a railroad crossing?

If a train passes from one direction, make sure that another train, possibly hidden by the first train, is not approaching on an adjacent track. For railroad crossings equipped with warning devices such as lights, bells, and/or gates, always obey the signals. Never ignore railroad crossing signals.

Why did the bus driver stop at a railroad crossing?

It was a blizzard in Salt Lake City, Utah and a school bus driver stopped his bus at a railway crossing. Because of the snow, the visibility was terrible and the driver was not able to see an approaching freight train. 24 of the 40 passengers died, including the driver. According to surviving passengers, the train was broadsided without notice.

The Incident – Why Buses Open Their Door at Railroads. Although it was required by law for school bus drivers to stop at railway crossings in 1938, drivers were not required to open their door. On December 1st of that year a gruesome accident changed that.

How long does a bus have to stop before crossing the tracks?

The front of the bus must stop between 15 and 50 feet before the crossing. Maybe the photo threw you off since the bus is in the process of crossing the tracks. Reply 3. Victoria | April 8, 2011 at 7:33 am I don’t get it either. They should clear the crossing before stopping, or wait until they can cross.

Do you have to stop at railroad grade crossings?

Railroad Stopping Requirement Law – RCW 46.61.350 By law, all commercial motor vehicles transporting passengers or hazardous materials must stop at all highway-railroad grade crossings, with few exceptions (listed below). RCW 46.61.350