Maine Railroad Crossing Laws

How Maine handles grade crossings

Maine makes a missed stop criminal. Passenger buses, chlorine loads, placarded vehicles, and hazmat cargo tanks stop 15 to 50 feet from the nearest rail (29-A M.R.S. § 2076); school buses do too (§ 2306). Blow a required stop and it's a Class E crime, or a Class D crime if you fail to yield to a train, not just a traffic ticket. The FMCSA CDL disqualification (49 CFR 383.51) stacks on top: 60 days, 120, then a year.

Who stops, how far, and the CDL risk

• Who must stop: Placarded + buses
• Stop distance: Not less than 15 feet and not more than 50 feet from the nearest rail (29-A M.R.S. § 2076; 49 CFR 392.10). Ascertain the track is clear before you proceed. School buses stop in the same 15-to-50-foot band (§ 2306).
• Clearance rule: Don't drive onto a crossing without room to clear it completely without stopping (49 CFR 392.10). Cross in one gear and don't shift on the tracks. In Maine a hang-up or boxed-in stop on the rails can become a criminal charge, not just a ticket (29-A M.R.S. § 2076).
• Fine & CDL disqualification: Failing to stop when required is a Class E crime (up to $1,000 and up to 6 months); failing to yield to an approaching train is a Class D crime (up to $2,000 and up to 364 days); failing to slow or obey a warning device is a traffic infraction (29-A M.R.S. § 2076). The FMCSA CDL disqualification (49 CFR 383.51) stacks on top: at least 60 days first, 120 days for a second within 3 years, and 1 year for a third.

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