Have you ever stopped to think about how many times you cross a train track during your daily travels? It’s something most of us do without a second thought, often assuming the coast is clear. But let’s pause for a moment—safety should always come first! Here are some essential tips to ensure you stay safe while navigating those tracks. Your journey can be smooth and secure with just a little extra awareness! In this blog post, we’ll explore essential safety tips for truck drivers and all motorists to ensure that every crossing is a safe one. By boosting our awareness and following a few simple guidelines, we can all contribute to safer travels around train tracks. Let’s dive in!

In this issue:

Safety Tips for Truck Drivers
Time to Fall Back... Daylight Savings Time Change on Sunday!
Are you using the Pre-Employment Screening Program (PSP)
Do You Have Other Employees That You Want to Receive the Idealease Weekly Safety Bulletin?

Safety Tips for Truck Drivers

Five ProDriver Steps to Safely Cross Railroad Tracks

Eliminate Distractions: Turn off noisy fans and radios. Look and listen for a train.
Stop at the Crossing: Stop no closer than 15 feet and no farther than 50 feet from the crossing.
Look Carefully: Before you cross, ensure you carefully check both directions for oncoming trains. If there are any visual obstructions, take a moment to check around them. If your view is blocked, do not attempt to cross. Always look both ways twice before proceeding.
Know the Law: Trucks carrying hazardous materials MUST STOP at all crossings unless an exempt sign is posted.
Cross Safely: When you start to cross the tracks, do so quickly and don’t stop. If your vehicle gets stuck or stalled on the tracks, evacuate right away and contact the number listed on the blue and white sign. Be sure to give the crossing identification number so the railroad can locate you.

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

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 in sight is nearer and traveling faster than it appears. If you spot a train coming, wait for it to completely pass before crossing the tracks.
Stopping Distance: Remember that trains cannot come to a quick stop. Even if the engineer spots you, a freight train moving at 55 miles per hour may require a mile or more to come to a halt after the emergency brakes are engaged—that’s equivalent to 18 football fields!
Obey Crossing Signals: Avoid driving around lowered gates, as it’s both illegal and unsafe. If you think a signal is not working properly, please contact the 1-800 number displayed near the crossing signal or reach out to your local law enforcement.
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: When you’re at a crossing with multiple tracks and waiting for a train to go by, stay vigilant for a second train on nearby tracks coming from either direction.
Designated Crossings: When you cross train tracks, always use a designated crossing point, look in both directions and cross quickly without pausing. Keep in mind that it’s unsafe to stop within 15 feet of the rails.
Always Expect a Train: Freight trains do not follow set schedules.
If Stuck at a Crossing: If you get stuck, don’t hesitate to exit your vehicle, call the 800 number displayed at the crossing, or reach out to local law enforcement to inform them of your location.

Operation Lifesaver, Inc.: Operation Lifesaver is a dynamic national nonprofit organization that aims to prevent accidents and save lives at railroad crossings and along tracks. With impactful programs across all 50 states, our passionate and certified presenters are dedicated to sharing vital safety information with community groups, including school bus drivers, truck drivers, and student drivers. Through engaging talks, we aim to raise awareness about the importance of staying safe around railroad tracks and trains. Want to learn more or request a free safety presentation? Join us in making our communities safer! 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.

Time to Fall Back...Daylight Savings Time Changes on Sunday!

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 typically ends at 8 a.m. on Sunday. However, because of daylight saving time, you can 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.

Your device will automatically fall back one hour at 2 a.m. for tablets with HOS functionality, 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.