(1) The driver of any bus carrying passengers for hire or of any school bus, before crossing at grade any track of a railroad, shall stop such vehicle within fifty feet but not less than fifteen feet from the nearest rail of such railroad and while so stopped shall listen and look in both directions along such track for any approaching railroad train or on-track equipment and for signals indicating the approach of a railroad train or on-track equipment, except as otherwise provided in the Nebraska Rules of the Road. The driver shall not proceed until he or she can do so safely. After stopping as required by this section and upon proceeding when it is safe to do so, the driver of any such vehicle shall cross only in such gear of the vehicle that there will be no necessity for changing gears while traversing such track and the driver shall not shift gears while crossing such track.

(2) No stop shall be made at any such crossing when a peace officer or a flagperson directs traffic to proceed or at an abandoned or exempted grade crossing which is clearly marked as such by or with the consent of competent authority when such markings can be read from the driver’s position.