6. Stop your bus between 15 and 50 feet beforerailroad crossings. Look and listen in both directions fortrains. You should open the door if it improves yourability to see or hear an approaching train. Beforecrossing after a train has passed be sure there is notanother train coming in either direction on other tracks.When it is safe to cross, drive the bus completely acrossthe crossing without changing gears. You do not haveto stop but must slowdown and carefully check for othervehicles at the following locations:At streetcar crossingsAt railroad tracks used only for industrialswitching within a business districtWhere a policeman or flagman is directing trafficIf a traffic signal shows greenAt crossings marked “exempt crossing”Adhere to the standards and procedures containedin the Commercial Driver License (CDL) Handbook forthe state or states you operate in.Transportation of PersonnelIn an NMCB, the daily transporting of troops isprovided not only through the use of buses but alsothrough the use of cargo trucks equipped with side racksand seats. The driver of a cargo truck is responsible forthe safety of all passengers and cargo and should adhereto the same rules as outlined for bus operations.Additional safety rules used when transportingpersonnel in cargo trucks areas follows:1. The number of passengers must not exceed thenumber that can be seated.2. Trucks used to transport personnel must beequipped with a seating arrangement securely anchored,have a rear endgate, a guardrail, and a safety strap. Stepsor ladders for loading and unloading must be providedand used.3. All tools and supplies must be stowed andsecured when transported with personnel.4. Passengers must not ride with their arms or legsoutside of the truck body, in a standing position on thebody, or on running boards, or seated on side finders,cabs, cab shields, or on top of a load.5. No explosives, flammable materials, or toxicsubstances may be transported in vehicles carryingpassengers.6. The driver must ensure that all personnel areseated, that the safety strap and rear endgates are inplace, and that the doors are closed before moving thevehicle.7. All personnel should load and unload from therear of the truck through the use of the steps or ladder.Loading and unloading by climbing on the sides of acargo truck is dangerous, because a member may slipand fall. Additionally, the weight of personnel causesdamage to the side racks.NOTE: In the NCF, a common practice whenloading and unloading passengers is to have the driverexit the cab and visually ensure that all personnel loadand unload safely through the use of steps or ladders andensure the required items are securely in place beforeproceeding.Prohibited PracticesProhibited practices, when engaged in thetransporting of personnel, are as follows:1. Avoid fueling with riders on board unlessabsolutely necessary.2. Do not talk to riders or engage in any otherdistracting activities, while driving.3. Do not tow or push a disabled bus withpassengers aboard, unless unsafe conditions exist. Inthis case, do not discharge the passengers until the bushas been towed or pushed to the nearest safe area.TAXI DRIVERThe taxi service provides a method of transportingpersonnel to medical appointments, jobsites, airports,and areas directed by the transportation supervisor. Thedispatch office is normally the base station for taxiservice, and the communication to the taxi driver isprovided through the use of a radio.When you are assigned taxi driver duties, the safetyof the passengers is your responsibility. You shouldfollow the same safety rules as outlined for haulingpersonnel in buses and cargo trucks.TIME CARDSTime cards are a labor accounting system used torecord and measure the number of man-days that anNMCB spends on various functions. In this system,labor utilization data is collected daily in sufficient detailto enable the Operations Department to compile the data6-30
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