Amtrak officials said the carrier has partnered with operators of Waze, the GPS navigation software app, to provide alerts to users approaching railroad crossings.
“Being able to warn motorists that train tracks are ahead is a great contribution to public safety that will positively impact the rail industry nationwide,” Amtrak Police Chief Sam Dotson said. “We applaud Waze for helping drivers identify railroad tracks, further encouraging them to follow state laws at grade crossings, especially where no active warning devices exist like gates, bells, or flashing lights. Most importantly, we believe that these audible and visual alerts will start saving lives immediately.”
Drivers using the latest version of Waze on Android or iOS would immediately receive an alert indicating they are approaching a railroad crossing. A banner would appear on the Waze app highlighting the crossing while encouraging the driver to proceed with caution.
“The Railroad Crossing feature is a result of a cross-industry, cross-sector collaboration, both internally within Waze and the community, working together to help fellow drivers map out all highway-railroad intersections,” Dani Simons, head of Public Sector Partnerships, Waze, said. “This feature exemplifies Waze’s commitment to building for its Driving app, being the first to implement features and emphasizes our focus on safety.”
The railroad crossing alerts addition stems from Senate and National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommendations. The Federal Railroad Administration also favored the feature.