Halton school bus gets caught under barrier at train crossing

A GTA school bus company is blaming poor visibility after one of its vehicles got caught under a barrier at a railway crossing in Halton Hills on Thursday morning.

Kerry Marin posted a video of the incident, near Main Street South and Maple Avenue, which shows the barrier arm after it came down on the roof of a school bus. The warning lights are clearly flashing as a CN freight train passes by.

First Student, which operates school buses in the area, said its driver followed protocol and the five students on the bus were “safe at all times.”

“The safety of the students on the school bus is our first priority,” said spokesman Jay Brock. “For a railroad intersection with an odd angle and obstructed view due to brush overgrowth, our driver strictly adhered to our protocols and those of the school bus laws in Ontario for a school bus to stop at all railroad crossings.

“The driver approached the railroad crossing and came to a complete stop. Given the distance between the white line and railroad track and our drivers continued vigilance for safety, he moved very slowly toward the railroad crossing and noticed that a train was in the distance, stopping before crossing the railroad tracks. At that point, the railroad crossing arm came down and rested on top of the bus.”

Brock said CN Railway would be clearing away brush in the area to make it easier for drivers to see. Also, First Student has retrained the driver.