NTSB Number: HAR-85/02 NTIS Number: PB85-916202SYNOPSIS
The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of this accident was the schoolbus driver's failure to stop before driving onto the railroad crossing to determine that it was safe to proceed.
RECOMMENDATIONS
As a result of its investigation of this accident, the National Transportation Safety Board made the following recommendations:
--to the State Directors of Pupil Transportation of the 50 States and the District of Columbia-.
Encourage local school jurisdictions to establish and enforce procedures to systematically monitor schoolbus driver compliance with railroad crossing stop requirements and routing requirements which Include on-scene observations of driver performance. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-85-4)
Encourage local school jurisdictions to issue an announcement to parents and students at or near the start of each school year which (1) states the jurisdiction's rules regarding schoolbuses stopping at railroad crossings, (2) requests that schoolbus drivers who fail to comply be reported to a designated school official, and (3) provides the name and telephone number of the official. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-85-5)
Encourage local school jurisdictions to:
discuss with driver applicants during the selection process the physical
and mental demands placed upon schoolbus drivers, encourage in-service
drivers to discuss their problems and their satisfaction with the present
job assignment with their supervisors during routine contacts and during
performance evaluations, and encourage supervisors to have frequent contact
with their schoolbus drivers to discuss and resolve
behavior problems concerning schoolbus
passengers. (Class II, Priority Action) (H-85-6)
--to the Virginia Department of Education:
Consult without delay with the Virginia
Medical Society to promulgate objective minimum physical standards for
schoolbus drivers as specified by Section 2201-178 of the Code of, Virginia,
as amended in 1979. Incorporate the standards in the prescribed physical
examination forms and specify the health history that medical examiners
shall obtain when examining schoolbus driver applicants. (Class II, Priority
Action) (H-85-7)