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WASHINGTON, D.C. – May 6-7, 2025 — What began as an ambitious project initiated by SMART Transportation Division has grown into the most impactful rail labor advocacy event in the nation. This year marks the third annual Railroad Day on the Hill, and once again, SMART-TD is proudly leading the charge! Our National Safety and Legislative Department is organizing the event, setting the agenda, and inviting every union across rail labor to stand together in unified strength and purpose. 

Last year’s Railroad Day was a landmark success. With over 100 Congressional meetings conducted by SMART-TD leaders and our partner unions, the event generated swift and measurable results, including a marked increase in bipartisan sponsorship and co-sponsorship of vital rail safety legislation. That momentum has only grown stronger in 2025. 

Bigger, Stronger, More United 

This year, SMART-TD is raising the bar. With a sharp uptick in participation, we are welcoming even more unions into the fold, including the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET), who are joining for the fight.  

Together, we are mobilizing in greater numbers and with broader reach. More than 30% more meetings have been scheduled with members of Congress, Senators, and their staff than in any previous year. Due to overwhelming interest from lawmakers and staff wanting to get engaged, the event has now expanded into a two-day format for the first time. 

Our Legislative Priorities: Safety, Security, and Solidarity 

The 2025 edition of Railroad Day on the Hill brings renewed focus to key legislative priorities for all of rail labor. SMART-TD, with input from our union partners, has coordinated a unified message around three critical rail safety bills currently in the U.S. House of Representatives. Chief among them is a comprehensive rail safety bill spearheaded by Rep. Troy Nehls (R-TX-22), featuring: 

  • A mandatory two-person crew requirement for freight trains 
  • Limits on train length to reduce fatigue and risk 
  • Protections for independent safety inspections, shielding them from interference by railroad management 

These proposals, if passed, will deliver wide-ranging improvements to safety across all rail crafts. 

Equally urgent is our push to safeguard the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), This is an obvious pillar of financial security for rail workers that is facing its most significant political and operational threat since its founding in 1937. SMART-TD and our legislative team have developed detailed materials and briefings to help lawmakers understand the importance of preserving the RRB’s independence and effectiveness. 

A Thank You to Our Members and Representatives 

We extend our deepest thanks to every SMART-TD officer, representative, and member making the journey to Washington. Your dedication, professionalism, and advocacy are the foundation of our success, not just during Railroad Day, but every day, as we fight for rail workers’ rights and safety. 

Stay tuned to SMART News for updates, photos, and reports from the Hill as we continue this vital work. Together, we’re making a difference: one meeting, one conversation, and one piece of legislation at a time. 

It’s a headline that’s becoming more and more frequent across the country: a transit agency faces funding issues or an impending fiscal cliff, which will likely result in increased fares, service cuts, or a combination or the two.  
 
From Chicago to Philadelphia to San Francisco, multiple cities face difficult decisions about the futures of their transit agencies as the impact of reduced funding, or a lack of funding becomes a reality.  
 
No matter the exact cause, one thing is clear: SMART-TD members and the riding public will ultimately suffer the consequences. 

Death by a Thousand Cuts  

In what’s arguably the most-publicized and widest-reaching out of all the funding cuts on the chopping block (but far from the only one), Regional Transportation Authority officials in Chicago are considering reducing services by as much as 40% unless lawmakers act within the month. 
 
This means that up to 20% of Chicagoans who rely on public transit for their daily commutes and other important travel needs would be left stranded.  

In Philadelphia, SEPTA is looking at a similar scenario. As reported by the Philadelphia Tribune, SEPTA has released a budget proposal featuring a 45% cut in service, fare increases, and workforce reductions.  

In San Francisco, the municipal transit agency is looking at a $322 million budget deficit. The city has a committee working to present six different plans on how the city will close this gap. No matter what combination of cost cutting and new revenue streams this committee settles on, it may be forced to reduce the services the transit authority is able to offer.

However, these proposed service reductions extend beyond just the riding public.  
 
Cutting this infrastructure also impacts SMART-TD members, many of whom operate these vital, frontline transit vehicles every day and ensure that riders reach their destinations safely and efficiently.  
 
The fact that our brothers and sisters could be forced to pay the price for management’s lack of fiscal responsibility and longstanding budget shortfalls is an insult to the dedication and professionalism that are hallmarks of the duties that they perform.

Public Deserves Access to Fully Funded Transit 

 
Regardless of where they live, SMART-TD believes that all Americans deserve access to reliable, fully funded public transit.  
 
Reducing or cutting this vital resource is a disservice to the riding public and our members, who are dedicated to ensuring that these systems operate as intended and under the safest conditions possible. 
 
Investing in our communities means investing in public transit, and we call on local, state, and federal leaders to fulfill their fiscal duty by funding these systems so that they can operate at their full potential and serve their riders.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tesla Inc. has requested a permit to begin shipping lithium batteries by freight rail, and SMART-TD is having none of it.  

Lithium can spontaneously combust if batteries have manufacturing defects, are punctured during an accident or overheat during shipping, potentially igniting and causing a fire or explosion. 

“If these batteries need ‘white glove’ treatment to ship safely, they don’t belong on freight trains,” said Jared Cassity, SMART-TD’s Deputy Director of Safety and Legislative Affairs. “We aren’t going to sit quietly while our members are thrown under the train literally and legally. Railroad shipping isn’t bubble wrap and hand sanitizer. It’s heavy, dirty, and dangerous. That’s the truth.” 

Representing over 100,000 transportation professionals across the country, SMART-TD is drawing a hard line in the sand: this proposal endangers rail workers, heaps new burdens on crews already stretched thin, and trusts the railroads to act responsibly, something every railroader knows is not likely to happen any time soon. 

Bulk-shipping lithium-ion creates risks without safeguards 

SMART-TD’s official comment indicates the shortcomings of the permit request: 

  • No real protection for the workers most exposed to danger. 
  • No limits on how much lithium can be shipped per train. 
  • No clear guidance on how rail crews should report derailments or incidents when lithium is involved. 
  • No defined responsibility for training or enforcing compliance. 

Read SMART-TD’s full response ► 

Rail crews face blame for problems out of their control 

The proposed permit would shift accountability for expired documents, improper packaging, and vague reporting standards onto railroaders, who don’t handle the loading or creation of the paperwork for hazmat materials. 

The fear is real: a train derails or shifts unexpectedly, and the crew could be blamed for a packaging failure they never touched. With lithium ion, that “failure” could result in an exploding freight car and a hazmat fire that cannot be extinguished. 

“Rail workers should not be the ones left holding the bag when something goes wrong,” Cassity emphasized. “We’ve seen this pattern over and over: mistakes at the top get pinned on the people on the ground.” 

Railroads historically neglect crucial training 

The permit broadly refers to training “hazmat employees” but fails to answer several critical questions: What training is needed? Who provides that training? How is it enforced? 

The industry has a troubling history, including hazardous materials training curriculum that has been rejected multiple times by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) but is still being used. 

Norfolk Southern gave new hires just four hours of hazmat instruction in 2022. That is obviously not enough to cover the basics, let alone prepare workers for high-risk scenarios involving lithium batteries.  

DeSoto, Wisconsin derailment is a wake-up call 

BNSF derailed a shipment of lithium-ion batteries in DeSoto, Wisconsin, in 2023.  

Overturned freight cars spilled into the Mississippi River. Train crews received conflicting instructions, with BNSF directing them to physically inspect damaged cars while local fire and hazmat responders warned of electrocution and fire risks from the submerged cargo. 

Clearly defined, federally mandated training and emergency protocols are a necessity.  

“You can’t just hope your workers ‘figure it out’ when lithium batteries are on fire in the water,” said Cassity. “We need rules. We need real training. And we need a plan before disaster strikes, not after.” 

The Bottom Line: Our Members Come First 

SMART-TD isn’t against progress, but advances should not come at the cost of worker safety, job complexity, and legal exposure. 

“This permit and this product with relaxed standards don’t belong anywhere near a rail yard,” Cassity concluded. “We’re speaking up because no one else will. And we’re not backing down.” 

Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) has announced $219,155 in grants to fund rail safety awareness campaigns in 11 states. Operation Lifesaver’s mission is to reduce preventable collisions, injuries, and fatalities on and around railroad tracks. Their state-level campaigns will address everything from pedestrian and driver education to youth awareness and professional driver outreach. Preventing accidents also prevents trauma for the train crews who are forced to witness them.  The grants were provided by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) and the Posner Foundation of Pittsburgh. 

Safer Crossings mean Healthier Crews

Every critical incident on the rails carries a traumatic, lived experience that leaves lasting psychological scars for the train crew. 

While class I railroads grant 72 hours off and three days of basic pay following an “incident”, the physical and emotional recovery unfolds in its own timeframe. With every tragedy averted because of Operation Lifesaver’s campaigns a railroader is spared from trauma and a family is spared from pain. 

Campaigns to address train surfing, professional drivers and troubled crossings 

Many of OLI’s new projects align with See Tracks? Think Train!® Week (September 15–21, 2025). Highlights include: 

  • New York will address the alarming rise in train surfing by teens with video-driven outreach. 
  • Texas and Florida will focus on educating professional drivers and targeting high-risk locations using geofencing and data-driven outreach. 
  • Minnesota will ensure that immigrant and multilingual communities gain access to crucial safety messages. 
  • South Carolina and Indiana will focus on high-collision areas through digital, on-the-ground, and event-based campaigns. 

These projects join others in Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Washington, and California. 

Spread the word 

Operation Lifesaver understands the multifaceted nature of rail safety. Every railroader is invited to support OLI’s mission, share their message, and spread awareness of the campaign in their communities.  

Learn more about Operation Lifesaver’s grants ►  

A collection of new crew room posters and flyers are available to help keep local members informed and engaged. Printed flyers can be requested at no charge in various sizes—up to 11″x17″. Posters are laminated for use with dry-erase markers, making them easy to update and reuse. You also have the option to download and print them yourself.  

For more information, please reach out to your Local Officers.

If you’d like to request printed flyers or have an idea for a new addition, please reach out to SMART-TD Vice President James Sandoval at jsandoval@smart-union.org. You can also place an order yourself by completing this form.

The E-3 Committee Responds to Member Requests 

Members came to SMART-TD President Jeremy Ferguson with the idea of creating new flyers for union bulletin boards in crew rooms to share important information, and President Ferguson tasked the E-3 Committee with making that happen.

Launched in 2024, the E-3 Committee (which stands for empowerment, education, and engagement) focuses on ways to help locals and keep members updated on important events, benefits, and solidarity-building activities.

E3 Committee Members

  • James Sandoval
  • Nicholas Greficz 
  • Justin Schrock 
  • Charles (Buddy) Piland 
  • Hilary (Bill) Manoski 
  • William (WW) Jackson 
  • Matt Pietrzak 

Knowledge is Power, on or offline

Not all members are tech-savvy or avid social media users and those who are among those groups made it clear that they prefer notices that are posted on bulletin boards.  

VP Sandoval points out how this is proof that members’ ideas are incredibly valuable, since the idea is now being put into action.
 
“We found that a lot of our members weren’t aware of events and the value-added aspects that SMART-TD provides, including the Discipline Income Protection Plan (DIPP) and voluntary short and long-term disability insurance,” said VP Sandoval. “Some of the bulletin boards in the crew rooms hadn’t been updated in [over 20] years, and we were committed to fixing that.”

Flyers Fill the Gaps 

 Focused on important educational material, such as union “just cause” protections, the flyers also feature QR codes that take users directly to various SMART-TD-provided benefits. 
 
“These QR codes encourage engagement amongst all of our brothers and sisters,” explained VP Sandoval. “With a simple tap on their smart phone, tablet, or other device, our members have access to valuable information about, and benefits provided by their union at their fingertips.”  
 
Many members also voiced concerns that they did not know where or when their local meetings took place, or who their local officers were if they had a problem.  
 
The new flyers ensure that all members have access to these details, even if they don’t carry a smartphone or follow their local on social media.

Empowerment, Education, Engagement 

“This committee is dedicated to strengthening our union by equipping our members with the tools to advocate for their rights,” said VP Sandoval. “Through fostering continuous learning and development and promoting active participation, we can forge a stronger union family capable of driving positive change.” 
 
The three-pronged approach of empowerment, education, and engagement is crucial in the quest to achieve that goal.

Committee Seeks Member Feedback

To continue gathering ideas on how to build an engaged, active union, the E-3 Committee invites all members to participate in a Member Feedback Survey. 
 
VP Sandoval explains how the responses will play an important role in the group’s future work. 
 
“The true power of a union comes from how many members are engaged,” noted VP Sandoval. “We’re looking forward to reading our members’ responses and putting their thoughts into action!”  
 
Click here to take the feedback survey and share your thoughts. ► 



Frontline transit workers in Colorado are one step closer to securing on-the-job protections after a critical piece of legislation passed the Senate earlier today. 
 
Led by Colorado State Safety & Legislative Director Carl Smith and the SMART-TD Colorado State Legislative Board, “Transit Worker Assault and Training Requirements” widens the definition of a transit worker and imposes harsher penalties for transit assaults. 
 
After Tuesday’s vote, the bill continues its journey to the Governor’s desk. The House of Representatives will review and vote on Senate-added amendments. With only 15 legislative days remaining in the session, supporters know that the clock is ticking.  

Assaulting a transit worker to be a Class I misdemeanor 

As introduced, HB25-1290 creates a specific criminal offense related to assault of a transit worker. Assaults would be classified as a Class I misdemeanor, punishable by up to a year in jail and/or a $1,000 fine. 
 
The bill also updates the definition of “transit worker” to include bus operators, train operators, ticket inspectors, conductors, and several other categories including Amtrak workers.  
 
Colorado Safety & Legislative Director Carl Smith says this legislation boils down to one major issue: safety.  

Every state that protects their transit workers brings our union closer to the goal of creating worker protection across the entire nation.  
 
“Transit professionals operate under uniquely dangerous conditions: outnumbered, unarmed, and responsible for the safety of large and ever-changing groups of passengers,” emphasized SLD Smith. “Their main priority is to get riders safely from one place to another, but that job comes with the risk of being punched, kicked, stabbed, or even shot and the perpetrators often walk away with minimal consequences. This is unacceptable, and we’re committed to changing that.” 

Conservatives support increased penalties 

In the House, the bill passed with strong Republican support and cleared the Senate with only five opposing votes.  
 
A handful of Democrats joined their counterparts in supporting the legislation, despite opposition from many within the Caucus citing concerns over increased criminal penalties. 
 
SMART-TD is grateful for the support this bill received from the Republican side of the aisle and from those Democrats who chose to stand up for worker safety.  

The clock is ticking 

With adjournment scheduled for May 7, SLD Smith and the legislation’s supporters are watching lawmakers’ moves closely, especially given what happened in 2024. 
 
With only 10 days left in last year’s legislative session, corporate railroad lobbyists used a pending rail safety bill to threaten passenger rail in the state. Political maneuvering resulted in the new Office of Rail Safety. SLD Smith notes that this bill is just as important and is staying vigilant for any last-minute surprises.

“Safety on the job is not some obscure, abstract policy issue. It’s about life or death for many of our brothers and sisters,” said SLD Smith. “Every SMART-TD member is entitled to go to work without fearing they’ll be assaulted on the job.” 
 
From freight to passenger to bus operations, SLD Smith and his Board have consistently pushed meaningful legislation to protect SMART-TD members and to hold employers, agencies, and now lawmakers accountable for the safety of our workforce. 
 

Smithville, Texas—It is with heavy hearts and profound respect that SMART honors the life and legacy of Brother John A. Saunders, who passed away on January 28, 2025, at the age of 84. 
 
Known to those closest to him as Dad, Rocko, or PawPaw, Brother Saunders was the uncle of SMART-TD’s current Texas Safety & Legislative Director Kamron Saunders and played a major role in his upbringing.  
 
After attending college on a scholarship as a pitcher at Allen Academy in Bryan, TX and the University of Texas School of Draftsman, he settled in Smithville.  
 
A member of Local 508 who worked for the Katy and MKT railroads, Brother Saunders ultimately retired as a conductor from Union Pacific after becoming a union member in 1975.  
 
As a United Transportation Union (UTU) General Chairman and the first chairman of the Union Pacific Caucus, he worked hard to ensure that future railroaders and their families would be well taken care of for years to come.  
 
Brother Saunders could usually be found spending time with his family and friends, enjoying a coffee, or watching his beloved Houston Astros.  
 
He is survived by his sons, Nathan and Scott, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his many nieces and nephews.   
 
We extend our deepest and most heartfelt sympathies to Brother Saunders’s family and his Union family at Local 508. Most importantly, we want to express our gratitude for the powerful impression that Brother Saunders left on our union and his nephew, Kamron, who continues to carry on the Saunders family legacy.

An official, dedicated funding mechanism for Amtrak and intercity passenger rail service is now a reality in Kansas thanks to SMART-TD led legislative efforts. 

“This is an historic milestone that was years in the making,” Kansas Safety & Legislative Director Ty Dragoo said. “Our shared vision of a more connected, accessible Kansas is on step closer to reality.” 

Getting passenger rail included in the budget was a hard-fought victory for the state’s labor community and allies. Getting results requires a coalition of organizations and continuous pressure for years at a time. Each step completed is a victory. 

Breakthrough for Midwest passenger rail

Signed into law by Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, the state’s budget for the 2026 fiscal year creates a “passenger rail service revolving fund.” The budget, which takes effect in July 2025, provides funds for infrastructure and operational needs at a time when federal rail funding across the country is on the chopping block. 
 
Some of those needs include connections to the Heartland Flyer expansion and additional Midwest and national routes.  
 
“The inclusion of a passenger rail service revolving fund [in the budget] marks a breakthrough for expanding rail service across the state,” Dragoo said. “I’m very proud of the labor community and our supporters for getting this across the finish line and never backing down, especially in the face of so many line-item vetoes to the budget.

Union advocacy also protects two-person crew laws and rail safety regulations

In addition to the Passenger Rail Service Revolving Fund, SMART-TD and its legislative allies achieved several other wins during the session, including protecting two-person crew laws and stopping harmful deregulation efforts.  
 
“Whether it’s preserving rail safety laws, winning new funding for passenger rail service, or pushing back against deregulation, there’s nothing that we can’t accomplish when we work together to get things done,” Dragoo said. “We scored an historic victory for Kansas rail and are more motivated than ever to add to our legislative accomplishments.  
 
In statehouses across the country, SMART-TD members demonstrate what it means to fight for their brothers and sisters. SLD Dragoo provides an excellent example of what we can accomplish by staying focused and working together to get things done.