School bus missed freight train by seconds

A school bus driver who laughed as he drove over a railway crossing, escaping an oncoming freight train by seconds, may keep his job despite being convicted of failing to stop.

Some of the 26 college passengers on board were scared, while others were possibly encouraging the driver just before the incident, a Transport Accident Investigation Commission Report has found.

The incident happened in September last year at a level crossing between Te Puke and Kawerau, The Dominion Post reported today.

"He misjudged the distance between the train and the crossing and his bus probably only cleared the crossing by two or three seconds before the train arrived," the report said.

The driver's employee, Brian Vercoe, a director of bus sub-contractor Te Karaka Motors, said the driver had been charged only with failing to stop -- a minor infringement which meant he had been unable to sack him.

"If he had got done for dangerous driving he would have been instantly dismissed," he said.

The driver would be re-employed only if no other driver could be found, he said.

- NZPA