10.4 School Buses, Trucks, Buses & Trolleys
Key Takeaways
You must stop for a school bus or school pupil transport vehicle with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign, whichever side of the road you are on.
The only exception is when the school bus is stopped on the other side of a divided highway with a barrier between the directions.
A first violation of the school bus law brings a $250 fine and can cause a license suspension; second and later convictions bring higher fines and license revocation.
If you cannot see a truck's rearview mirrors you are tailgating, and a fully loaded tractor-trailer may need twice the stopping distance of a car.
Do not drive within eight feet of a trolley's passenger step while passengers are getting on or off.
Some of the worst sharing-the-road problems happen between large vehicles, such as trucks and buses, and small ones, such as cars and motorcycles. School buses add a special legal duty to protect children.
School Buses
Yellow school buses have flashing red lights and a stop sign that swings out from the driver's side. School pupil transport vehicles, such as vans, station wagons or family sedans, have flashing red lights and a SCHOOL BUS sign on top. Drivers turn these signals on while children get on or off.
When You Must Stop
- If a school bus or pupil transport vehicle has its lights flashing and stop sign extended, you must stop.
- It does not matter which side of the road you are on. Obey the signals from either side.
- Stay stopped until the lights stop flashing or the stop sign folds back.
- After the signals stop, go slowly and keep watching for children.
The only exception: if the bus is stopped on the other side of a divided highway with a barrier between the two directions, you do not have to stop. A painted median or double yellow line is not a barrier.
Penalties
| Conviction | Penalty under M.G.L. c. 90, s. 14 |
|---|---|
| First | Fine of at least $250; the manual warns it can also cause a license suspension |
| Second | Fine of $500 to $1,000 and license revocation, with no new license for six months |
| Third or later | Fine of $1,000 to $2,000 and revocation, with no new license for one year |
Keep Back 100 Feet
The same statute prohibits driving within 100 feet behind a school bus, which is why buses display "keep back 100 feet." That is a following-distance rule while the bus is moving. It does not set a stopping point: when red lights flash, simply stop before reaching the bus.
Trucks and Other Large Vehicles
| Topic | What to do |
|---|---|
| Blind spots | Trucks and buses have blind spots on the right, left, front and behind. Do not linger beside one or follow closely |
| Tailgating | If you cannot see the truck's rearview mirrors, you are tailgating. You lose the safety cushion you need if the truck stops short |
| Cutting in front | A large truck may need twice the stopping distance of a car or motorcycle, especially on wet or icy roads. Never pull in front and slow down or stop suddenly, since the driver may crash into you or jackknife |
| Driving too slowly | On multi-lane highways, trucks and buses may use only the two right-hand lanes: the far right for normal travel, the second for passing. If you are in the second lane, keep up with traffic, never go below the minimum, and let large vehicles pass |
| Passing on the left | It takes longer to pass a tractor-trailer or bus. Large vehicles go slower uphill and faster downhill, and a tractor may pull more than one trailer |
| Passing on the right | Avoid it. Large vehicles make wide right turns and may swing left first. If you are beside one, you are probably in a blind spot |
| Oncoming truck or bus | On an undivided road, stay to the right to avoid being sideswiped or buffeted by air turbulence. At intersections, never cut in front of one to turn |
Studies by the National Safety Council and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that a fully loaded tractor-trailer may take twice as far to stop as a passenger vehicle.
Public Buses and Trolleys
- Be courteous: let signaling buses pull away from stops.
- Watch for pedestrians getting on or off buses and trolleys.
- Do not drive within eight feet of a trolley's passenger step while passengers are getting on or off.
- Look for oncoming trolleys before crossing tracks, and never turn in front of an approaching trolley.
- Keep a safe distance from trolleys that share the road. A trolley cannot swerve because it is limited to its tracks.
Slow-Moving Vehicles
Farm vehicles, construction rigs and other slow vehicles usually carry an orange warning sign on the back. Reduce speed, treat them as you would bicyclists and pedestrians, and leave plenty of room if you pass (Section 10.5).
Scenarios
- A school bus stops with red lights flashing on a four-lane road divided only by painted lines: traffic in both directions must stop.
- A school bus stops on the other side of a highway with a concrete median barrier: you may continue carefully.
- Following a truck closely enough that you cannot see its mirrors: back off, because you are in its rear blind spot and tailgating.
A school bus with flashing red lights and an extended stop sign is stopped across a two-lane road from you. What must you do?
Slow to 20 mph and pass carefully while watching for children crossing
Stop only if you can actually see children near the bus
Continue normally, because the bus is on the opposite side
Stop and stay stopped until the lights stop and the sign folds back
How close may you drive to a trolley's passenger step while passengers are getting on or off?
No closer than two feet
No closer than 100 feet
No closer than eight feet
No closer than 15 feet
On a multi-lane highway, which lanes may trucks and buses use?
Any lane, but only below 55 mph
Only the center lane
Only the two right-hand lanes
Only the far-left lane
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