Here are some examples:
- Headlights - Trams and other rail vehicles often have headlights on at all times and these are often just as bright even on the brightest days as at night. Note that headlights are not daytime running lights. But this applies to trams as well as trains even in countries where daytime running lights are not required on even the newest road vehicles, nor no headlights need to be on in broad daylight.
- Driver safety devices - Trams, along with other rail vehicles, have deadman's brakes* which require constant muscular effort while moving to keep off the emergency brake. Manually steered vehicles, even the largest trucks, don't have them. However, some guided buses, at least in Europe, have deadman's brakes that require such effort from the driver when in guided mode.
- Tram drivers often need to meet stricter medical standards than bus and truck drivers, let alone other road vehicle drivers, especially in the non-professional segment.
- In the U.K, passenger carrying rail vehicles, which trams are, are required by disability discrimination legislation to have colour contrasted doors but colour contrasting of bus doors is only permitted.
Can anyone explain all these?
*A deadman's brake is not just any deadman's switch. Deadman's switches of manually steered vehicles only driven slowly, like ride-on movers, are right in the seat and are operated without any muscular effort, also these are not deadman's brake.