Your Truck is No Match for a Train!

Have you ever thought about how many times a day you cross a train track on your route? Most of the time, we take for granted that there isn’t a train coming and proceed to cross the track

. Take the time to download the driver’s guide and complete the safety quiz for professional drivers.

Five ProDriver Steps to Safely Cross Railroad Tracks

1. Eliminate Distractions: Turn off noisy fans and radios. Look and listen for a train.

2. Stop at the Crossing: Stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the crossing.

3. Look Carefully: Before crossing, look carefully in both directions for approaching trains. If necessary, check around visual obstructions. If your view is obstructed, do not attempt to cross. Look both ways twice before proceeding.

   

4. Know the Law: Trucks carrying hazardous materials are required to STOP at all crossings unless there is an exempt sign posted.

5. Cross Safely: Once you begin crossing the tracks, do not hesitate. Cross without stopping. If you become stuck or stalled on the tracks, evacuate immediately and call the number on the blue and white sign. Provide the crossing identification number so the railroad knows your location.

Note: Refer to state and local laws and company policies for additional information.

Know Your Railroad Crossing Signs and Signals

Additional Recommendations for Safely Approaching Railroad Crossings:

• Trains and Trucks Don’t Mix: Never race a train to the crossing—if you tie, you lose.

• Perception of Speed: The train you see is closer and moving faster than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to pass before proceeding across the tracks.

• Stopping Distance: Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a freight train traveling at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied—that's 18 football fields!

• Obey Crossing Signals: Never drive around lowered gates—it’s illegal and dangerous. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call the 1-800 number posted on or near the crossing signal or your local law enforcement agency.

• Clear the Tracks: Do not get trapped on the tracks; only proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing if you are sure you can completely clear it without stopping. Remember, the train is three feet wider than the tracks on both sides.

• Stalling on Tracks: If your vehicle stalls on a track with a train approaching, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction from which the train is coming. Running in the same direction as the train could result in injury from flying debris. Call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.

• Multiple Track Crossings: At a multiple track crossing, while waiting for a train to pass, be alert for a second train on adjacent tracks approaching from either direction.

• Designated Crossings: When crossing train tracks, use a designated crossing, look both ways, and cross quickly without stopping. Remember, it isn’t safe to stop closer than 15 feet from a rail.

• Always Expect a Train: Freight trains do not follow set schedules.

• If Stuck at a Crossing: If you get stuck, get out, call the 800 number posted at the crossing, or contact local police to alert them of your position.

Information provided by Operation Lifesaver.

About Operation Lifesaver, Inc.: Operation Lifesaver is a national, non-profit safety education organization dedicated to eliminating deaths and injuries at railroad crossings and along railroad rights of way. With programs in all 50 states, trained and certified presenters provide free safety talks to community groups, school bus drivers, truck drivers, and student drivers to raise awareness around railroad tracks and trains. For more information and to request a free safety presentation, visit www.oli.org.

New Operation Lifesaver Video Warns: Filming on Train Tracks is Illegal and Deadly!

With the growing popularity of social media, it’s no surprise that there have been several deadly incidents involving people filming videos near railroad tracks. The national nonprofit rail safety education group Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) has released a new animated video to alert amateur filmmakers and smartphone users about the dangers and illegality of using train tracks for videos. This new video is part of a series aimed at raising awareness of illegal and dangerous activities involving train tracks.

For more information, visit: Operation Lifesaver.

Daylight Saving Time will "fall back" at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 3rd. Please ensure that all drivers are aware of this change. Caution route drivers that the amount of daylight will vary with their stops due to the time change. An intersection or street can present different challenges with a one-hour shift in the position of the sun. This one-hour difference can significantly impact a driver’s route.

How Do Electronic Logging Devices (ELDs) Handle Daylight Saving Time?

Since ELDs became federally mandated in 2017, most providers automatically manage Daylight Saving Time calculations for drivers. Regardless of whether clocks spring forward or fall back, drivers must still adhere to the Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Hours of Service (HOS) regulations regarding driving hours.

E-log DST Examples:

• If you work from 1 a.m. to 10 a.m., your log should show you worked nine hours instead of eight, due to falling back one hour during that timeframe.

• If you start your 10-hour break at 10 p.m. on Saturday, your break would typically end at 8 a.m. on Sunday. However, because of Daylight Saving Time, you will complete your 10 hours at 7 a.m. You must still take a full 10-hour break and follow all HOS rules.

• The same applies for the 34-hour restart. If the restart crosses over into Daylight Saving Time on Sunday, you will reach your 34 hours an hour earlier than it appears. You must still take a full 34-hour reset and follow all HOS rules.

Impact of Daylight Saving Time on ELDs:

Before Daylight Saving Time ends, duty statuses will show a Daylight Time designation (e.g., EDT, CDT). After the time change, statuses will appear under Standard Time designation (e.g., EST, CST). As this is not a standard day, your log for November 3rd will total 25 hours, regardless of the device used.

For tablets with HOS functionality, your device will automatically fall back one hour at 2 a.m. according to your regulatory home terminal time. If you are using paper logs, you must flag your log in the remarks section with the words “Fall Time Change.”

Got Chains?

If you are operating in a state that requires chains, ensure they are the correct size, properly secured, clean, and unbroken for easy application when necessary. Not sure what your state’s chain laws are? Visit: Tire Chains Required Laws.

Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) Overview

The Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP) was designed to assist the motor carrier industry in assessing individual operators’ crash and serious safety violation histories as a pre-employment condition.

• Cost: Carriers will pay $10 for each requested driver history. An annual subscription fee of $100 applies, but carriers with fewer than 100 power units qualify for a discounted fee of $25 per year.

• Individual Requests: Individuals can request their personal driving history for a fee of $10, with no subscription necessary.

The program is voluntary and is not part of the Compliance, Safety, Accountability (CSA) system. Motor carriers may request driver information through a third-party provider, NIC Technologies, for the purpose of pre-employment screening. The driver must provide written consent. Individual drivers can request their own driver information record at any time.

Information will be retrieved from the Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS). MCMIS electronic profiles will include five years of crash data and three years of inspection data; however, conviction data will not be included.

To enroll in the PSP, visit: www.psp.fmcsa.dot.gov

To view a video on the benefits of using PSP, visit: PSP Video.