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As a result of the continued increase in discipline assessed by the carriers, the SMART Transportation Division (TD) Discipline Income Protection Program (DIPP) Trustees have approved changes to strengthen the Plan’s long-term financial position.

Effective January 1, 2027, the monthly assessment will increase from $0.32 to $0.50 per $1 of daily benefit coverage, an increase of $0.18 per $1 of daily benefit.

Access the updated Schedule of Benefits ►

The Trustees have also approved changes to the maximum duration of DIPP benefits based on a participant’s period of continuous participation in the Plan. Under the revised benefit structure:

  • Less than 24 months: Maximum of 90 benefit days
  • 24–59 months: Maximum of 250 benefit days
  • 60 months or more: Maximum of 365 benefit days

How the New Benefit-Day Limits Apply

The maximum number of benefit days will depend on when you first began participating in DIPP and, for certain participants, your length of continuous participation:

  • Joined DIPP before October 1, 2024: There is no change to your maximum benefit period. You remain eligible for up to 365 days of benefits.
  • Joined DIPP between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2026: You remain eligible for up to 365 days for any coverage period that begins before January 1, 2027. For a coverage period beginning on or after January 1, 2027, your maximum benefit period will be based on your continuous participation: 90 days for less than 24 months, 250 days for 24–59 months, and 365 days for 60 months or more.
  • Joined DIPP on or after October 1, 2026: The new benefit-day limits apply based on your continuous participation: 90 days for less than 24 months, 250 days for 24–59 months, and 365 days for 60 months or more.

The amendment also provides that immediately preceding continuous participation in BRCF, LECMPA, or another equivalent plan approved by the Trustees may be counted when determining continuous participation for these benefit-day limits.

Participants may elect to modify their daily benefit coverage at any time by submitting the appropriate form to the Transportation Division office. SMART-TD will communicate the new assessment amounts to Local Treasurers, so the necessary changes can be made to payroll deductions. No action is required from participants at this time.

The DIPP Trustees are SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson, SMART General Secretary-Treasurer John Daniel, and TD Vice President Brent Leonard.

For the first time, SMART-TD combined Railroad Day and Bus & Transit Day into a single unified push

WASHINGTON, D.C. — September 2026

For the fourth consecutive year, SMART Transportation Division brought its members’ voices to the halls of Congress. But this gathering was different.

This year, SMART-TD took our message to the Hill solo rather than as a coordinated event with our allies in other rail labor crafts, and we combined our Railroad Day on the Hill with our Bus and Transit Day of Action into one unified event.

These decisions were not made lightly, and both were made for the same reason: our legislative plate has never been fuller.

Illinois Safety & Legislative Director Bob Guy, Congresswoman Nikki Budzinski (Illinois-District 13), and BTAPS Vice Chairperson-Rail Brian Eden

Why we went alone

In past years, SMART-TD led coalitions of as many as six rail labor unions under one banner, and we remain proud of that work. But the volume of SMART-TD-driven legislation currently in front of the House and Senate left us without the time to do justice to the issues facing our brothers and sisters in other rail crafts.

With a long list of bipartisan bills to move and limited minutes in every office, every meeting had to count. This year, the message stayed focused entirely on our union.

Why we combined rail with bus and transit

GCA 687 Vice Chairperson Woogie Wohlgemuth (right) with Missouri Senator Josh Hawley’s legislative assistant. Senator Hawley has been a strong supporter of rail safety.

Running both events simultaneously was another deliberate and strategic choice.

Our message on the rail side and our message on the bus and transit side are one in the same. Our members deserve to do their difficult, specialized work in environments where corporate cost-cutting doesn’t stand between them and their safety.

Whether that’s an operator facing violence behind the wheel with no protective barrier or a 15,000-foot train moving without a proper brake test because a real inspection would slow it down, the root cause is identical. We are not asking for special treatment for any of our crafts. We are demanding workplace safety and the dignity earned by the importance of what we do every day.  We are one union with one fight, and we put that on full display.

SMART-TD was a force to be reckoned with on Capitol Hill!

One message, three conversations

Build America Act 250 (Surface Transportation Reauthorization)

Our first conversation centered on the Railway Safety Act, now folded into the Surface Transportation Reauthorization Bill and passed out of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee by an overwhelming bipartisan majority earlier this year.

From left to right: Kurt Schwamberger Assistant Ohio SLD, Ohio State Safety & Legislative Director Clyde Whitaker, Ohio Senator John Husted, Stuart Gardner Retired Ohio SLD, SMART-TD Auxiliary President Kathryn Seegmiller, LR of Local 002, SMART-TD Government Affairs Representative Dan Banks

The bill has the support of the White House, Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), and much of its language was drafted by former Ohio Senator and current Vice President JD Vance. It mandates two-person crews (2-PC), sets standards for wayside defect detectors and minimum inspections, establishes C3RS as the only FRA-endorsed labor-management safety program in the industry, and addresses train length, tank car standards, and blocked crossings.

On the transit side, it initiates requirements for operator barriers and shields, security cameras, deescalation training, threat reporting and emergency communications, and keeps trained human operators on all mass transit vehicles instead of letting autonomous vehicles take over the industry.

Transit and passenger rail safety

Front row, left to right: BTAPS member Sandra Pineda, BTAPS Vice Chairperson Pedro “Pete” Lara, Jr., BTAPS Chairperson Cole Czub. Back row, left to right: BTAPS member Rashonda McCray, Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval, Bus Department Senior Vice President Alvy Hughes, BTAPS Vice Chairperson-Rail Brian Eden

Our Bus & Transit Assault Prevention & Safety (BTAPS) Committee carried the second conversation. The Passenger Rail Crew Protection Act (S. 3665 / H.R. 8894) establishes a clear federal offense for assaulting or intimidating covered passenger rail crew members, including commuter rail. The Bus Operator Safety and Security Act (H.R. 6635 and its Senate companion) creates operator-barrier requirements and critically funds retrofits, so operators working today don’t have to wait for an entire fleet replacement to be protected. BTAPS also pressed the case against removing the trained human operator from passenger transportation and real, frontline labor involvement in federal automation policy.

RRB Stability

The third conversation was about what our members have earned. The bipartisan Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) Stability Act (S. 4965), sponsored by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and co-sponsored by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Sen. Jim Banks (R-I), and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), creates a permanent RRB administrative account, funds long-overdue technology modernization, and strengthens oversight.

From left to right: LCA 049A Local Chairperson Matt Pietrzak, New England Safety & Legislative Director Dave Stevenson, Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Bus Department Senior Vice President Alvy Hughes, New York SLD Luke Deleskiewicz, Local 318 LR Will Stivala,

Railroaders pay for RRB benefits. We pay for the administration of it, but somehow Congress is responsible for telling us how much of our money we can spend and when.

That translates into the waiting times we have on the phone when we call about our retirement, our disability payments, or our unemployment payments. It manifests itself in the 18-20 weeks our members are having to wait to see the first dollar of benefits they qualify for when they are hurt, sick, furloughed, or when they pull the pin and retire. That is unacceptable. We made it clear to Congress: step aside and allow the railroaders who paid into RRB to take care of our brothers and sisters as WE see fit, without their inability to act getting in the way.

Local Connections Matter

BTAPS member and Alternate L.R. Pedro (Pete) Lara, Assistant CA. SLD Scott Brent, L.R. Local 84 Michael Convey, L.R. Local 1608 Pablo Murillo, California SLD Louie Costa, Representative Dave Min (CA-47th) BTAPS member and L.R. Local 1563 Sandra Pineda, President of Bay Union Auxiliary Lodge 849 Monica Sandoval, Bus Dept. Vice President James Sandoval, L.R. Local 1565 Seaver Lavender

“I want to thank every officer and member who traveled to Washington on their own time to do this work,” said National Safety and Legislative Director Jared Cassity. “We had people from 20 states covering meetings all over the Capitol. When a local officer walks into an office and tells a lawmaker what’s actually happening back home in their district, it lands in a way nothing we send from headquarters ever could. That’s not a talking point. That’s the whole reason this works.”

Deputy National Safety & Legislative Director Donald Roach pointed to the discipline of the delegation.

“What struck me was how consistent we were,” Roach said. “20 states, dozens of teams, three priorities, and everybody singing from the same hymnal. That doesn’t happen by accident. When a member of Congress hears the same message from a conductor and a bus operator, they start to understand this isn’t one craft’s complaint. It’s an industry-wide problem with an industry-wide solution.”

Rafael Becerra, Local 1558 Local President and Legislative Rep., Rashonda McCray, Local 60 Local Chairperson, Victor Amo-Krah, Local 1413 L.R., Tracy Hamilton Local 1589 and Alternate Safety and Legislative Director for New Jersey and Delaware, Richard Finley General Chairperson Local 1558,  Phil Summers LR for Local 1390,  Joe Williams Assistant SLD for New Jersey and Delaware, Ron Sabol SLD of New Jersey and Delaware, David Velez, LR, Local 1445

Behind the scenes

None of the week’s progress would have happened without SMART-TD’s Safety and Legislative Department’s Chief of Staff Jenny Miller.

In her role, Sister Miller built the schedule, coordinated teams from nearly two dozen states, and kept everyone on time, on target, and on message.

“Jenny is the reason this operation runs,” Cassity said. “She kept 20 states’ worth of moving parts pointed in the same direction, and she makes it look easy when it’s the complete opposite. She deserves an enormous amount of credit for what we accomplished this week.”

Looking ahead

These events have produced results before. The Rail Employee Equity and Fairness (REEF) Act became law in December 2024, and its passage was widely credited to SMART-TD’s Railroad Day on the Hill efforts that year.

Thank you to all of the folks from across our union who came out this year. It was an impressive effort and will have a positive impact on the safety of our members for generations to come!

From websites that promise items that never arrive to a legitimate-looking text from your bank with an urgent alert, scams of all kinds are unfortunately a common part of daily life.

Now, the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is warning railroad employees, retirees, and their family members to be extra vigilant.

With AI making it easier than ever for scammers to personalize their impersonations of government agencies and other organizations, it’s getting more difficult for all of us to identify what’s real and what’s not.

When sensitive personal data like your social security number is involved, the stakes can be even higher.

That’s why the RRB is reminding its customers of its typical communication practices in a proactive move to avoid scams before they happen.

What the RRB Does and Doesn’t Do

As railroad employees and retirees know, the RRB typically sends official benefit-related information through the U.S. Postal Service. Certain personal information may be requested over the phone to verify a caller’s identity.

However, government agencies like the RRB, Social Security Administration, and Internal Revenue Service will not solicit personal information over the phone or via e-mail or request payment in the form of wire transfers or gift cards.

If you do receive any kind of communication that seems “urgent” or causes you to feel rushed, hang up or ignore the message and do not click on any links or attachments if they’re included. Call the RRB toll-free at (877) 772-5772 for verification or if you’re unsure about the legitimacy of any message.

Steps That You Can Take to Protect Your Information

You can take steps to protect your personal information and stay vigilant, including:

  • Safeguard and store your personal information, including your social security card, in a secure place;
  • Shred documents with your social security number and bank accounts;
  • Consider third-party software that offers anti-virus protection, credit and identity monitoring, and password management;
  • Keep an eye out for links to websites that do not end in “.gov” That is a major warning sign that it is fake.
  • Visit websites like www.consumer.ftc.gov/scams or www.identitytheft.gov

If you receive communication from someone impersonating the RRB or an individual employee, call the agency’s Office of Inspector General at (800) 772-4258 or e-mail hotline@oig.rrb.gov.

Together, we can work to prevent these scams and their devastating consequences before they happen.

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is an editorial from SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson.

Brothers and Sisters:

I write this editorial to lay out the facts about the Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger and the impact it will have on the future of rail labor.

Rail labor is approaching a defining moment like none other we have seen in the last century. Automation is advancing. Railroads are testing systems designed to operate trains with less human involvement. Autonomous freight equipment is moving through federally authorized testing. Carriers are pursuing technology that can take over more of the work performed by trained engineers and conductors.

The future is on the horizon, and nowhere is that more evident than the proposed Union Pacific-Norfolk Southern merger that’s currently before the Surface Transportation Board for review.

If approved and implemented, employees represented by SMART-TD in the crafts covered by our Jobs for Life agreement immediately before the merger’s effective date will be protected by the lifetime job guarantee that we secured.

Unfortunately, not all unions impacted by the merger can say the same.

SMART-TD and the BLE leadership have had our differences over representation, jurisdiction, and membership. But this is not another argument over whose logo appears on a union card. Defining moments such as these are about much more than old rivalries or petty disagreements. At times such as these, leading the way in protecting railroaders and their families is what matters.

At times like these, leadership, not fear mongering matters. At times like these, rumors and misinformation can derail your future. At times like these, you need to have the facts to make an informed decision about your future.  I hope I can provide that.

The UP-NS Merger: What is the SMART-TD Difference?

Misinformation about the impact of the merger has been swirling. Here is the bottom line. When the merger is approved and implemented, employees represented by SMART-TD will be covered by our Jobs for Life agreement. What does that mean?

SMART-TD members will be protected:

  • Under their Collective Bargaining Agreement and seniority district;
  • With a written guarantee of employment protection for life in their craft; and
  • Will not be furloughed for their working lifetime

Employees outside of our agreement will not have these protections. That’s the SMART-TD difference.

In other words, railroaders outside of SMART-TD’s lifetime protection will be at the mercy of the railroad, the Surface Transportation Board (STB), and the U.S. Congress. Not a combination that should inspire confidence in any railroad professional.

SMART-TD and I, as its President, do not want to see our fellow railroaders left in that position.

We do not want BLE members we have worked beside and befriended left without protection. We do not want their jobs, families, and retirement left dependent on empty promises unsecured by a formal legal agreement.

Another union’s criticism does not erase the guarantee SMART-TD secured. It does not extend the agreement to BLE-represented employees. And it surely does not create a signed lifetime protection for any BLE member.

SMART-TD’s Protection is Cemented in a CBA and Guaranteed in Writing

SMART-TD went on the offensive to secure our written guarantee. We went directly to the table. We did the work, and the results prove it. We secured a written commitment before the decision was made.

Just as with all of our agreements on working conditions, our SMART-TD guarantees are cemented in our CBA. At SMART-TD, we believe that our fight is for our current membership, not roster spots in UP’s Excel spreadsheet or a fictitious business model that will never be agreed to.

Having members of Congress send letters to the STB asking for protection does nothing to guarantee a single railroader a job. The Congress the BLE is relying on is the same Congress that has done nothing with the Rail Safety Bill; yet the BLE is banking on them being your family’s saving grace when you are staring down automation and the loss of your pension, pay, and benefits. That should scare the hell out of every railroader.

It does not place a lifetime employment agreement in that railroader’s hands. It simply asks a federal agency to examine the issues and determine what protections may be necessary. The STB will generally not impose more protections than what the law already allows, which is known as “New York Dock Protection” under a major transaction like this.

Our covered members know what will be waiting for them on day 1 and for the rest of their careers. The only other group of people I know of with this kind of job protection are U.S. Federal judges and the Supreme Court.

SMART-TD’s Agreement Has Been Tested

UP’s CEO Jim Vena came from the Canadian National Railroad. SMART TD had virtually the same job protection (no furlough) language in our SMART-TD /CN-IC Agreement. This language was put to the test in 2020 when COVID hit. The other Class I railroads furloughed Conductors and Trainmen; but at CN/IC the agreement would not allow it. This language was tested and proven then, and going forward will prevent a furlough for every current member of ours on the UP and NS for the rest of their careers.

The End-to-End UP-NS Merger Will NOT Create Less Competition Among The Carriers

It will create more competition with the trucking industry.

Despite the fact that the UP and the NS do not compete against each other for freight, the BLE claims the merger will create less competition among the carriers. This claim is not only geographically impossible; it is a self-serving fairy tale. Ask yourself why are the BLE/Teamsters spreading this falsehood when the map clearly tells us they are wrong? Most likely because the maps they’re relying on include coast to coast U.S. Interstates where a large percentage of their members operate-in trucks. In other words- the BLE/Teamsters have a conflict of interest- do they support their railroaders- or do they support their truckers?

A coast-to-coast railroad will actually increase competition against the trucking industry. Why is the BLE more worried about the trucking industry losing current advantages than they are about ensuring job security for all railroaders on the two properties in question?  

SMART-TD Has No Conflict-We Are Looking Out for Railroaders and Their Families

Unlike the BLE/TEAMSTERS, SMART-TD is focused solely on railroaders and their families- NOT the majority of the Teamsters roster. We are not concerned about truckers and the trucking industry and their success or failure. By virtue of its membership the BLE must consider the Teamsters and their interests. SMART-TD does not.

We Welcome Our BLE Brothers and Sisters to Join Us Under Our Agreement

Our fight is not with the BLET’s rank-and-file engineers and conductors.

We share the cab with them. We sit across from them in the crew room. We trust them with our lives every day and night. Many started their careers as SMART-TD members, and every one of them has earned our professional respect.

We do not want to see them furloughed, displaced, or replaced by technology.

We want them protected.

That is why I am speaking directly to every BLET-represented railroader on the Union Pacific and Norfolk Southern. Take a serious look at the choice in front of you while there is still time to protect what you have fought for.

Ask your leadership to show you the signed agreement guaranteeing your employment for your working lifetime.

Ask what will protect you when automation begins eliminating assignments.

Ask what happens if Congress does not act, if the STB does not impose the protections being requested, or when years of litigation follow.

After doing your research (and I don’t mean having AI do it for you) and thinking about the lack of security that BLE and Teamsters Rail is offering you, read SMART-TD’s agreement. Ask yourself what protection the engineers have ever had. The NS Last man standing agreement? That doesn’t guarantee a job for the rest of your career; it only means the engineer might get to work until technology replaces his or her job then you are out on the street.

Do not rely on slogans from either union. Read the language. Talk with the people responsible for enforcing it. Find out what is required for you to obtain SMART-TD representation and come under the protections SMART-TD negotiated before the date the merger is implemented.

Once the merger is set- on one side will be the employees covered by SMART-TD’s Jobs for Life guarantee. On the other will be railroaders depending on protections that just don’t exist.

We want every engineer and conductor to enjoy the protections our members are guaranteed.

The time to make the decision is not after the merger.

The time is now.

Nearly a year after officially joining SMART-TD, GTrans bus operators have ratified their first union contract!

Approved by an overwhelming majority, the two-year agreement includes…

  • Significant retroactive and future wage increases
  • Stronger Just Cause job protections
  • Improved overtime pay for all workers
    • Once an employee works beyond their scheduled shift, those additional hours are paid at the overtime rate, even if the scheduled shift is less than eight hours
  • Improved bereavement leave
  • The ability to trade shifts or days off with another operator
  • Dedicated time to meet with new hires to educate them about our union

This win comes after our brothers and sisters overwhelmingly rejected their first tentative agreement, refusing to settle for anything less than what they deserved.

New SMART-TD member and GTrans Bus Operator Nora Ferrell explained the significance of the moment.

“We felt like we hadn’t been truly represented in a long time,” she said. “We are so grateful to have a union for the first time in Gardena’s history. We broke ground.”

August Action Sends a Message to City Council Leaders

After members voted down the last contract, the Gardena City Council planned to discuss how the City’s bargaining team would move forward with the union on August 25.

At issue was the fact that the workers’ compensation benefit offered to GTrans operators was less than the same benefit provided to other City of Gardena employees.

SMART-TD did what we do best: organize and mobilize.

The message was simple: GTrans operators should not be treated differently when they are injured on the job while serving this community and deserve a contract that they can support.

A call-to-action e-mail sent out to members and supporters encouraging them to attend the August 25 City Council meeting in a show of solidarity and contact city leaders ahead of time to make their voices heard resulted in an impressive turnout.

In the end, workers’ compensation was protected at 85% for all current operators, reinforcing our union’s commitment to fight for a fair contract when members’ futures are on the line.

Securing a Contract Was Similar to Quest for New Representation

Much like GTrans operators’ journey to secure new representation last year, the process of ratifying their first contract was a marathon rather than a sprint.

They didn’t just settle for the first offer that was put in front of them. They knew their value, stood firm, and eventually approved an agreement that recognized the value that they bring to the City of Gardena and the public who relies on their services every day.

“When we depended on the [Gardena Municipal Employees Association], we had no voice,” explained Sister Ferrell. “We finally have a voice.”

She also thanked SMART-TD Bus Department Vice President James Sandoval for his guidance throughout the bargaining process and faith in our new members, even when things were looking bleak.

“James is our go-getter and a fighter,” she said. “We stood by his side as he stood by our side. We’re thankful, because James never gave up on us.”

“For nearly two years, I’ve gotten to know these brothers and sisters well and continue to be impressed by their determination and dedication,” said VP Sandoval. “They refused to settle for something that was just ‘good enough’ and fought for what they deserved. That drive makes our SMART-TD union what it is, and I could not be prouder of these members for their journey to reach and ratify a strong first union contract!”

Sister Ferrell underscored what those of us who are members already know to be true: belonging to SMART-TD really does matter.

“We are so proud and grateful to be a part of SMART-TD,” she said. “It’s well overdue.”

Congratulations to our GTrans brothers and sisters!

With just over three months left in 2026, SMART-TD is announcing the schedule for our 2027 Regional Training Seminars (RTS).

Introduced in 2020, these seminars provide local officers with essential tools and skills to serve our members effectively.

Just like last year, 2026’s regional trainings in St. Paul, Minn. and Baltimore, Md. broke attendance records and highlighted our union’s ongoing commitment to educating our membership for the challenges that lie ahead.

Some of the accomplishments from members who have attended an RTS include:

  • Continued increase in the win rate of appeals, a direct result of thoroughly prepared Local Chairpersons who are now better equipped to stand up for their members.   
  • Reporting has become timelier and more accurate as our Presidents, Legislative Representatives (LRs), and Secretaries & Treasurers (S&Ts) perform their duties at a higher level than ever.  
  • A significant increase in the volume and quality of legislation SMART-TD drives at the state and local level.  

2027 RTS Dates and Locations  

  • Portland, Ore.: May 24-May 27 (S&T: May 24-May 28)  
    Holiday Inn Portland—Columbia Riverfront  
  • Pittsburgh, Pa.: August 30-September 2 (S&T: August 30-September 3)  
    The Westin Pittsburgh   
  • New Orleans, La.: November 1-November 4 (S&T: November 1-November 5)  
    Caesars New Orleans   

Who Should Attend?  

All local officers are encouraged to participate. Sessions are tailored for Local Presidents, Local Chairpersons, Secretary and Treasurers, Safety and Legislative Representatives, and others. Officers from all crafts, including Bus, Passenger Rail, and Freight Rail, will benefit from this training.  

Prepare To Register  

Registration for the Portland RTS will open first. Check our website, emails, and social media for updates. More information can also be found in the SMART Union Mobile App.

If you were on the fence about attending an RTS this year and didn’t make it to one, don’t miss out on this opportunity. 

If it’s been a while since the last time you browsed through the SMART Union website, we encourage you to spend at least a few minutes doing so.

Since the beginning of the year, several major changes have gone into effect that directly impact you and how you access important information and resources.

Whether it’s discovering a new benefit that’s available to you as a member or a new hire reading through their welcome kit, we’ve put the most valuable tools and documents at your fingertips.

Which View Are You Using?

The SMART Union website now has three “views” that are available: one geared towards Sheet Metal members, one for Transportation Division members, and one all-encompassing option that includes everything that’s on the Sheet Metal and Transportation Division pages.

To access the Transportation Division information, click on the “Transportation View” button at the top of the page. The button will turn red once you do that.

This will ensure that you’re starting off in the correct location before you even start browsing.

New Organizing Resources, Member Information Now Readily Available

One of the newest additions to the Transportation section of the SMART Union website is the “Learn More About SMART-TD” section, which can be found under several sections, including Who We Are, Why Join, Resources, and Get Involved.

Whether you’re a new hire, prospective member, or current member, this page is your one-stop-shop for the information that directly applies to you.

What users will see after clicking on “Learn More about SMART-TD”

Once you’ve clicked on “Learn More About SMART-TD,” you’ll be prompted to choose one of three options: I’m a New Hire, I’d Like to Organize my Property, or I’m Already a Member.

After making your selection, you’ll be taken to a new page.

Which Option Best Describes You?

The “I’m a New Hire” landing page

Users who select “I’m a New Hire” will be taken to a page that includes PDF and digital versions of the SMART-TD membership application and dues authorization forms, as well as new hire toolkits for both prospective rail and bus members.

Part of the prospective rail member toolkit

Part of the prospective bus member toolkit

Blending both digital pamphlets and QR codes, these toolkits are valuable resources that help potential members learn more about our union, see some of the benefits that are available to them, and understand why belonging to SMART-TD really does matter.

Current members may also find some of the benefit information useful, especially if there is a particular one that they weren’t aware of previously.

Those who click on “I’d Like to Organize” my property will be taken to a page that contains a form that can be used to reach the Organizing Department.

Our new form for contacting SMART-TD’s Organizing Department

Designed for transportation workers who are interested in learning more about forming a union at their property and being represented by SMART-TD as future members, users are put directly in touch with the Organizing Department as soon as they submit their information.

In fact, some of our newest members connected with our union through a simple Google search.

This addition has essentially eliminated that need. Now, prospective members can reach our Organizing Department quickly instead of digging around for a phone number or individual contact.

Current members who click on “I’m Already a Member” will be taken to a page where they can perform several important actions, including logging into or setting up their Member Portal account, signing up for the Transportation Division’s Daily Newswire e-mail, or downloading the SMART Union Mobile App.

The “I’m Already a Member” landing page

We’re Not Done Yet…And We Want to Hear from You

These are only some of the changes that now appear on the SMART Union website.

We’ll be rolling out additional ones over the coming weeks and months with one goal: to streamline and simply how members interact with our website and the information that lives there.

But we don’t have all of the answers, nor do we expect that these changes are perfect.

That’s where you come in.

If you have an idea for an addition to the website or a suggestion for how we can improve on the current changes, reach out to news_TD@smart-union.org. We’re always open to feedback and want to ensure that our website is a vital tool for new hires, prospective, and current members.

Together, we’ll ensure that these tools are able to effectively reach and grow our membership.

The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has issued Safety Advisory 2026-01, and every SMART-TD member operating a train needs to read it, understand it, and take it seriously. This isn’t a bureaucratic formality. It’s a direct response to seven collisions and derailments over the past two and a half years, all tied to restricted speed violations — incidents that hurt crews, damaged equipment, and in at least one case injured passengers.

We’re not going to sugarcoat it: this advisory is a warning shot, and we intend to make sure our members hear it loud and clear, on our terms, before the carriers use it against us.

What the FRA Is Actually Saying

Strip away the regulatory language and the message is simple. Restricted speed has never been a number. It is the ability to stop your train within one-half the range of vision you can see the track to be clear, full stop. 20 miles per hour is a ceiling, not a target, and it is subordinate to whatever your actual stopping distance requires given your tonnage, your train length, your braking, the grade, the curvature, and what you can physically see in front of you.

The FRA is calling out a dangerous pattern: crews leaning on Positive Train Control’s (PTC) enforcement in Restricted Mode as if it satisfies the rule. It doesn’t, and it never has. PTC will not detect a misaligned switch. It will not see standing equipment around a curve. It will not adjust for wet leaves, frost, or a loaded train that needs more room to stop than the system’s speed cap assumes. PTC is an overlay, not a substitute for a crew that is actively evaluating conditions and controlling speed accordingly. Seven collisions in under three years happened, at least in part, because that distinction got lost.

The Carriers Helped Create This Danger

That warning does not let the carriers off the hook. Years of shortened training, reduced opportunities to learn the territory, and a growing dependence on technology have created a perfect storm for incidents like these. The carriers cannot keep deskilling our crafts, take away the experience our members need, and then act surprised when technology fails to do what a trained railroader can.

People can see, question, and respond to conditions that technology cannot. But our members can only do that effectively when the railroads provide meaningful training, adequate territory familiarization, and the tools needed to perform the job safely. PTC and other systems should support skilled railroaders, not serve as an excuse to train less or replace human judgment.

When safety-critical technology fails, malfunctions, or gives you information that does not match what you see on the ground, document it and report it through the SMART-TD app. Those reports help our union identify patterns, hold carriers accountable, and push for corrective action before the next tech failure becomes a life-altering incident.

Our Responsibility to Each Other 

We are not writing this to lecture anybody. We are writing this because our brothers and sisters have been hurt in these kinds of incidents, and we do not want to read about the eighth one.

Every member operating at restricted speed needs to rededicate themselves right now to keeping their train in their pocket. That means constantly reassessing your actual range of vision. It means factoring in your tonnage and your brake performance honestly, not optimistically. It means treating any uncertainty about what’s ahead as a reason to slow down or stop. Maybe the biggest thing we can do is to recommit ourselves to the idea that being looked at as the “slow” or “overly cautious” guy in the crew room is not a bad thing.

It means that you are the brother or sister who cares more about your crew’s safety and ability to stay out of the jackpot than your ego or how people talk about you.

It means that you are your brother and your sister’s keeper. It is a badge of honor. It means you have the guts to look out for yourself and your crew more than you look out for the trainmaster’s velocity metric on his next conference call.

Look out for yourself. Look out for the brother or sister next to you. This job too often doesn’t give you a second chance to get it wrong.

Secondary Reason to Keep Our Heads on a Swivel

Here’s the part of this you need to hear just as clearly. When the FRA puts out a Safety Advisory like this one, it isn’t just a helpful reminder to those of us doing the work. History tells us exactly what happens next: it becomes the new obsession of Trainmasters, Road Foremen, and Terminal Superintendents across this industry.

Expect a big spike in banner testing on restricted speed in the weeks ahead. Carriers will treat this advisory as a green light to flood the territory with operational tests, and they will be looking for exactly the kind of violation this advisory just handed them a talking point about.

That means this is a moment to be not just safer but sharper. Run your train the way the rule requires, but do it with the purpose of protecting yourself, your crew and the income your family counts on.

It is true that clean, by-the-book restricted speed moves are the only thing that will keep management from turning this advisory into a stack of Level S charges across the country. But first and foremost, let’s keep each other alive with our incomes intact.

Protect yourself. Protect your crew. Don’t hand the carriers an easy win. That’s not being paranoid. That’s how this industry actually works, and none of us can afford to pretend otherwise.

Brother Dwight Davis (Local 911, Minneapolis, Minn.) faces a challenging road to recovery after sustaining serious injuries in a motorcycle accident on August 8, 2026.

A fund has been set up to help Brother Davis with various expenses related to his treatment in the coming weeks and months. ►

Currently, he’s in serious condition at Saint Mary’s Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.

A conductor off CPKC, Brother Davis is making significant progress in his recovery, including being able to get out of bed with some help and sit up.

However, the severity of the injuries to his legs will require special housing that can better accommodate his recovery needs.

That’s just part of how this fund will help him and his family ensure that he’s in the best possible setting to help his healing move forward as smoothly as possible. ►

“The support that Brother Davis has received from our local has been inspiring, and now we’re hoping to take that even further,” said Local 911 Legislative Representative Eric Brandt. “We want to do whatever we can to help make his recovery just a little bit easier, and this is just one way that way can do that.”

As SMART-TD members, we never hesitate when one of our own needs help, and we’re asking you to answer the call once again if you’re financially able to do so.

If you’re not able to donate, simply sharing Brother Davis’s story can help us reach more people and work towards the goal of ensuring that his recovery needs are taken care of, relieving him and his loved ones of a heavy burden during a difficult time.

Please consider helping Brother Dwight Davis today ►