Passenger Trains > MBTA Train smashes truck in Canton MA on video - One patron hurt

WCVB (ch 5 in Boston) posted a news article on its website of a train meets truck incident at 1:45pm on clear and sunny Wednesday afternoon 4/9/25 in Canton MA that included video footage from a motorist who was behind the trailer truck.

Summary: MBTA train 941 outbound from Boston to Stoughton hit a stopped trailer truck at the oblique Pine St grade crossing in suburban Canton, MA. The train was about 2 miles from its Stoughton terminus and was moving at ~30 mph (?) given the Stoughton line is a 4 mile long spur off the NE Corridor at Canton Jct. The witness who recorded the video said the truck stopped on the crossing when the gates came down and driver got out of the cab apparently not knowing what to do. Apparently the truck driver was not aware of FRA "Truck Driver Safety Alert" that says, "If the gate comes down after you have started across, drive through the gate even if it means breaking the gate—the gate is designed to break." You would think this guidance is also part of the rules for attaining a CDL but I don't know.

One passenger went to the hospital with minor injuries. Given MBTA 941 was outbound, in standard T commuter rail practice, the coaches were pulled rather than shoved by the locomotive which afforded a measure of protection for engineer and passengers. Note that on lightly patronized non-rush hour trains, the T has passengers board the first 2 cars behind the locomotive at the mini-high station platforms so there were likely several patrons riding behind 941's MPI-built HSP-46 locomotive.


MBTA train hits trailer truck in Canton MA

FRA Truck Driver Safety Alert



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/10/25 02:26 by JPB.

---

---

---

Another no common sense idiot driving a truck and causing an accident.  I'm just so glad that no one was seriously injured.  They will never learn.
John in White Marsh, Maryland

Don't the flashing red "crossing" lights come on well prior to the crossing gates come down? Maybe the stupid driver payed no attention to those flashing red lights.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't the flashing red "crossing" lights come on
> well prior to the crossing gates come down? Maybe
> the stupid driver payed no attention to those
> flashing red lights.
I’m sure he paid attention. They mean gun it. /s

Posted from iPhone

If truck drivers who do this, got five years in prison, it might get someone's attention.  

Also, I don't think most companies are doing drug testing anymore as a condition of being hired.  If they did, they wouldn't have any employees.  Sad, but true.

I just don't understand why ANYONE would purposely stop on the tracks like that!!! The road ahead of him was clear!!! But no, he evidently thought, oh gee, the gates are coming down...I had better stop and get out of my truck!! 

According to the witness, the driver asked, "what was I supposed to do?" DRIVE THROUGH THE GATE!!!🤬

Sent to el Salvador instead.

MEKoch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If truck drivers who do this, got five years in
> prison, it might get someone's attention.  

Topfuel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Also, I don't think most companies are doing drug
> testing anymore as a condition of being hired. 
> If they did, they wouldn't have any employees. 
> Sad, but true.

Drugs aren't the problem. People bribing their way into a CDL is the problem. https://www.oig.dot.gov/library-item/36459

Posted from Android

Drug testing still required to get a CLP (learners permit), and pre-employment test at every company, then random selection drug and/or alcohol testing while employed. ALL results are stored in the federal "clearing house" database, and a company must check it before hiring someone.

Running through the trailing gate is covered in most CDL manuals and textbooks during ELDT.

There are a lot of badly designed and confusing crossings out there combined with the limited visibility a truck driver has can cause accidents. An additional factor is trains unable to stop in a reasonable distance, as well as obscured vision at crossings.

Michael

emd_mrs1 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There are a lot of badly designed and confusing
> crossings out there combined with the limited
> visibility a truck driver has can cause accidents.
> An additional factor is trains unable to stop in
> a reasonable distance, as well as obscured vision
> at crossings.
>
> Michael

The road was probably there long before the railroad came upon the scene.

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Don't the flashing red "crossing" lights come on
> well prior to the crossing gates come down? Maybe
> the stupid driver payed no attention to those
> flashing red lights.

Or thinks flashing red means the same thing as a stop sign at an intersection, which is a traffic reg, but not applicable here, and there are gates. 

Once again, everyone is bashing the truck driver, but no one is touching the root of the problem: The environment and attitudes that taught that truck driver how to operate a vehicle. 

Yes, absolutely, he is 100% at fault. But then again, isn't what he did, what is being taught to society?

As a Class A CDL holder I can say confidently, without a doubt, we are taught about railroad crossing safety and how breaking the gate to clear the crossing is always the best option. And how if we can't do that, how to identify which emergency numbers to call. At the very least, call 911. The bashing of the truck driver is warranted. WAY to many truck "drivers" on the road nowadays who have absolutely no business behind the wheel of a commercial vehicle who likely couldn't obtained their CDL legally so they find some kind of loophole into getting one illegally. This type of accident is often the result when you put completely unqualified people into the seat. Being able to speak fluent English, as well as write it, is also a mandatory federal DOT law in order to get a CDL and not understanding English also often results in these kinds of accidents. I'm not saying that any of this is necessarily the situation here but there's a much higher likelihood it is than isn't. The state of Arkansas is now administering English tests to CDL holders during DOT inspections and those who do not pass it are being pulled out of service. This should be happening in ALL 50 states. 

longliveSP Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once again, everyone is bashing the truck driver,
> but no one is touching the root of the problem:
> The environment and attitudes that taught that
> truck driver how to operate a vehicle. 
>
> Yes, absolutely, he is 100% at fault. But then
> again, isn't what he did, what is being taught to
> society?

Hogwash! Ignorance of the law is no excuse.