Orange County school bus nearly hit by train, school district investigating

WINTER PARK, Fla. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) - A school bus came a little too close to a passing train for comfort at the Fairbanks Ave. railroad crossing in Winter Park.

It's a photograph that's hard to believe: a school bus stopped just feet short of a roaring train. The crossing arm is seen resting on the bus.

"That's crazy, that's alarming," said Eve Carmona, a parent. "Oh wow! I didn't even see the train, that's the train right there."

"That's ridiculous! They're supposed to be way behind the line, oh my gosh," said parent Cynthia Rivera.

Orange County Public Schools confirmed that the bus is one of their own and was transporting six students.

"That's exactly why I don't put my kids on the bus, anyway because of stuff like that," said Rivera. "We don't have our kids on the bus."

Fortunately, no one was hurt and no damage was done, according to the disrict.

"What we're they thinking and why did they even have a license period because you should know that, that's common sense," said Rivera.

"I wanna know as far as the bus driver, what's going on?" said Carmona.

OCPS release the following statement:

"OCPS takes all situations involving the safety of our students very seriously. We are continuing to investigate this isolated incident. After any incident or safety concern, whether isolated or not, OCPS' Safe Driver Plan in the OESPA contract includes retraining for a driver. Protocol is also that we provide reminders to all bus operators of safety procedures as part of regular and ongoing learning opportunities. Any discipline that is warranted in any case is determined according to the Safe Driver Plan. Since this incident is still under investigation, we cannot comment on this employee matter."

SunRail tells The News Station that, because this crossing is at an angle and so many roads come together there, extra measures had to be taken to increase crossing visibility.  For example, painted warning lines lead up to the track and large signs remind drivers not to stop on the tracks.