“ASK A TROOPER” by Sgt. Troy Christianson of the Minnesota State Patrol

Do all buses need to stop at railroad crossings?
Question: I have noticed that some of the local express shuttle buses do not stop at railroad crossings. I thought all buses were supposed to stop before crossing railroad tracks. Can you talk about this?
Answer: If it is a school bus or Head Start (early childhood programs, etc.) bus then they are required to stop whether loaded or not. For other buses, the law requires loaded buses to stop for railroad crossings. If there are no passengers then they do not need to stop.
You can avoid a ticket — and a crash — if you simply buckle up, drive at safe speeds, pay attention and always drive sober.  Help us drive Minnesota Toward Zero Deaths.
If you have any questions concerning traffic related laws or issues in Minnesota send your questions to Sgt. Troy Christianson – Minnesota State Patrol at 2900 48th Street NW, Rochester MN 55901-5848.  (Or reach him at, Troy.Christianson@state.mn.us)