WASHINGTON Motorcoach drivers, who must eyeball railroad crossings more closely than just about anyone, soon will begin finding new reading material at the stops.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced new regulations last month, requiring railroads to install signs at highway-rail grade and pathway crossings with telephone numbers that can be used to alert rail companies to unsafe conditions.

"The sooner railroads can be made aware of potentially unsafe conditions, the faster they can respond to ensure the safety of everyone driving over or walking across highway-rail crossings," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Under the final rule published in the Federal Register, railroads must establish an "emergency notification" by installing clear and readable signs with toll-free telephone numbers at crossings so the public can report unsafe situations and for railroads to respond to malfunctioning warning signals, vehicles stalled on the tracks or other emergency situations.

Depending on a railroads operating characteristics, calls may be received through a 24-hour call center, or for smaller railroads, through an automated answering system or third-party telephone service.

"The signs will help reduce the risk of certain highway-rail crossing collisions," says Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo. "They will tell the public who to contact if they come upon a vehicle stalled on the tracks, or see problems involving flashing lights and gates."

Upon receiving a call, the dispatching railroad is required to contact all trains authorized to operate through the crossing, inform local law enforcement to assist in directing traffic, investigate the report or request that the railroad with maintenance responsibility for the crossing to investigate the report. If the report is substantiated, the railroad is required to take certain actions to remedy the unsafe condition.

Generally, railroads will be replacing the signs between and July 2017.