(1) General.

(a) All passenger carrying motor vehicles must be operated in compliance with state law no matter where the vehicle is operated.

(b) Drivers must operate vehicles in a careful and prudent manner and at reasonable and proper speeds, with due regard to circumstances and to the use of highways by others.

(2) Minimum age, skill, and physical condition of drivers.

(a) Drivers of passenger carrying vehicles must be at least 18 years old.

(b) Before being allowed to drive or operate a passenger carrying vehicle, drivers must have demonstrated the physical capability of handling the controls of the vehicle with ease.

(c) Before driving a vehicle, drivers or operators must obtain either a valid Washington state driver's license or a valid license from the state of the driver's residence. The driver must carry the license at all times while operating a vehicle. If the passenger carrying vehicle is a type for which the state of Washington requires an extraordinary license or endorsement, the driver must have such license or endorsement.

(3) Driver's daily hours of service. No driver of any passenger carrying vehicle may drive for more than 10 hours without resting afterward for a minimum of eight consecutive hours.

(4) Refueling. No driver or any employee of a railroad company operating within the state may:

(a) Fuel a passenger carrying vehicle with the engine running;

(b) Smoke or expose any flame in the vicinity of a vehicle being fueled;

(c) Fuel a passenger carrying vehicle unless the nozzle of the fuel hose is continuously in contact with the intake pipe of the fuel tank;

(d) Insofar as practicable, permit any other person to engage in activities that might result in a fire or explosion;

(e) Except on buses, all occupants of the vehicle, except the driver and those within the operating cab, must dismount and stand clear while the vehicle is being refueled.

(5) Driving rules.

(a) Drivers must bring vehicles to a complete stop not less than 15 feet from the nearest rail of any at-grade crossing before crossing the track except:

(i) Where traffic is controlled by a police officer or a duly authorized flagger;

(ii) Where traffic is regulated by a traffic control signal;

(iii) Where traffic is controlled by crossing gate arms or an alternately flashing light signal intended to give warning of the approach of a train; or

(iv) Where an official traffic control device as designated by the commission pursuant to RCW 81.53.060 (i.e., an "exempt" sign, specified as R15-3P by the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices) gives notice that the stopping requirement imposed by this section does not apply. Information about the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices regarding the version adopted and where to obtain it is set out in WAC 480-62-999.

(b) Drivers must not change gears while crossing any railroad tracks.

(c) No driver may consume alcohol or ingest any controlled substance while on duty, or drive while affected by the use of intoxicating liquor or other substance that might impair the ability to drive.

(d) No driver may proceed down a grade with the gears in neutral or the clutch disengaged.

(e) At the beginning of his or her use of a vehicle, the driver must perform a brake test immediately before, and immediately after, the vehicle begins moving to ensure that the brakes are functioning properly.

(6) Loading and carrying of passengers.

(a) Drivers are in charge of the vehicle and must require passengers to observe vehicle rules.

(b) Passengers may not enter or exit from the vehicle while it is in motion, or ride on running boards, fenders, bumpers, tops of cabs, or with any part of their body projecting beyond the sides or the ends of the vehicle.

(7) Carrying equipment or tools.

(a) When equipment or tools are carried inside the vehicle, they must be stored in enclosed racks or boxes that are secured to the vehicle in a manner that prevents employees from being struck in the event of sudden starts, stops, or turns.

(b) All tools and equipment, including cylinders, containers, or drums must be properly secured so they will not interfere with the use of any exit.

(c) The driver must ensure that equipment and tools are properly secured before moving the vehicle.

(8) Limitation on transportation of explosives, gasoline, and other hazardous materials on passenger carrying vehicles.

(a) Explosives other than track torpedoes and fusees may not be carried in or on any vehicle while the vehicle is being used to transport crew members in a passenger compartment.

(b) If track torpedoes or fusees are carried in a passenger carrying vehicle, they must be carried in a separate compartment or container provided for that purpose.

(c) Gasoline, or other hazardous materials, must not be carried in either the cab or in the passenger compartment; however, oxygen or acetylene cylinders may be carried if gauges and regulators have been removed with caps in place before loading.

(d) Passenger carrying vehicles may be used to carry flammable materials when they are located outside of and isolated from the passenger carrying area, and are stored in containers approved by the Underwriters Laboratories, Inc. Containers for fuel must be vented in a manner that prevents the hazardous concentration of fumes.

(e) A passenger carrying vehicle containing hazardous materials must not be parked within 300 feet of an open fire.

(f) Smoking is prohibited within 50 feet of a vehicle carrying explosive or flammable materials.