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CSX_logoMOUNT CARBON, W.Va. – Fires burned for hours after a train carrying more than 100 tankers of crude oil derailed in a snowstorm in West Virginia, sending a fireball into the sky and threatening the water supply of nearby residents, authorities and residents said Tuesday.

Officials evacuated hundreds of families and shut down two water treatment plant following the Monday afternoon derailment. The West Virginia National Guard was taking water samples to determine whether the oil had seeped into a tributary of the Kanawha River, state public safety division spokesman Larry Messina said.

Read the complete story at the Associated Press.

cp-logo-240Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. began operating a reduced freight schedule run by its managers on Feb. 15, after talks on a new contract broke down and more than 3,000 train engineers and conductors walked off the job.

Canada’s No. 2 railway and the Teamsters Canada Rail Conference failed to agree on terms including on scheduling and rest time. The railway reached a deal with a second union, Unifor, which represents safety and maintenance workers.

Read the complete story at Reuters.

PrintLast week, Anthem informed us that their company was the target of a sophisticated cyber attack. This resulted in unauthorized access to its members’ personal information. The investigation into the security breach is ongoing. We know many of you want information and have questions about this attack. To review what Anthem knows and share with you what they are doing at this point, please join them for a town hall meeting Feb. 17.

Anthem speakers
Ken Goulet, president of Anthem’s Commercial and Specialty Business, will address member concerns and discuss the risks to its customers. Members will  then hear from Anthem’s IT leadership, who will go over details of the incident and explain how they’re working with federal agencies, what they’re are doing internally, and who was impacted.

Mark your calendar
Anthem invites its small and large group employers to attend at the times below for their time zone:

DATE: Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2015

TIMES:
3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern time
2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Central time
1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. Mountain time
12:30 p.m. to 2 p.m. Pacific time

Register today
While Anthem’s town hall webcast will accommodate thousands of participants, registration will be first-come, first-served. They anticipate large participation, so they encourage you to register in advance to make sure you have a spot at the conference. When you register, you’ll get event details, including a password, dial-in number and a link for the meeting. You will simply click on that link with a web-enabled device (such as a desktop computer, laptop, tablet, iPad or smartphone) to participate.

When you register, you’ll also have an opportunity to submit questions that have not been covered in the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) or the communications you have received so far. They will answer as many of your questions as time permits during the hour-and-a-half timeframe.

Read our FAQ now
Before attending the conference, take a moment to read Anthem’s updated FAQ. These may help answer many of your questions beforehand. While the conference isn’t set up to allow verbal questions during the call, as mentioned, you may submit questions not covered in the FAQ when you register.

If you’re not able to attend
We will continue sending updated communications about the breach as information becomes available.

two-person_crewLINCOLN, Neb. – A union that represents railroaders says its recent survey of Nebraskans shows that more than 80 percent support requiring two-person crews on freight trains.

“Because of the potential catastrophic tragedy that would result from a train accident of any nature, having two sets of eyes is a minimum safety requirement,” said Bob Borgeson, the state legislative director of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation (SMART) Union, which commissioned the poll.

Read the complete story at the Omaha World-Herald.

Amtrak LogoThe Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Feb. 12 unanimously approved bipartisan legislation that improves the infrastructure, reduces costs, creates greater accountability and transparency, leverages private sector resources, and accelerates project delivery for Amtrak and the nation’s passenger rail transportation system.

The Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act of 2015, or PRRIA (H.R. 749), was introduced by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman Bill Shuster (R-Pa.); T&I Ranking Member Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.); Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials Subcommittee Chairman Jeff Denham (R-Calif.); and Subcommittee Ranking Member Michael Capuano (D-Mass.).

“We thank the Chairman Shuster for his leadership on moving this legislation forward and support passage of the bill in the full House. We still have concerns that the bill does not provide Amtrak with the funding levels it needs to make needed repairs and upgrades to an aging system. That being said, the introduction and markup of this legislation is an important first step in bringing long-term stability and investment to Amtrak,” said SMART Transportation Division National Legislative Director John Risch.

“This is a good reform bill that firmly moves passenger rail towards greater transparency and accountability, and forces Amtrak to operate like a true business,” Shuster said.

“In every region of the country, passenger rail investments boost local economies and create thousands of family-wage construction, engineering, and manufacturing jobs. This bill isn’t perfect – but it was a bipartisan effort that ultimately provides critical investments and system wide improvements to increase capacity and make our railways safer,” said DeFazio.

“Passage of the Passenger Rail Reform and Investment Act is an investment in our infrastructure that will make Amtrak operate more like a business – better responding to the needs of its customers and focusing on efficiency, transparency, and cost-saving,” Denham said. “I’m proud of the bipartisan unanimous support we’ve garnered for this bill and look forward to seeing PRRIA move to the House floor.”

“Making investments in passenger rail service not only creates economic benefits and employment opportunities, it also enhances the overall experience for passengers and improves safety,” said Capuano. “This legislation may not represent the level of funding I think is necessary, but most rail supporters agree that in today’s political climate it is the most that advocates can expect.”

Passenger rail presents one of the best transportation alternatives for relieving congestion on some of the nation’s most crowded highways and in our busy airspace. However, the rail system and Amtrak – the country’s intercity passenger rail provider – must be reformed and improved. For years, Amtrak has operated under unrealistic fiscal expectations and without a sufficient level of transparency. Profits from Amtrak’s most profitable route – the Northeast Corridor (NEC) – currently are not invested back into the corridor. And although significant ridership increases are occurring on Amtrak’s state-supported routes, its inconsistent financial structure and “black box” accounting system hamper states’ ability to help manage the routes and understand what exactly it is they’re paying Amtrak for.

In addition, rail infrastructure projects are unnecessarily delayed by unwieldy review processes that cost time and money, and current law that limits the ability to partner with the private sector holds back the development of the system.

During the legislation markup, the Committee also approved 12 General Services Administration Capital Investment and Leasing Program resolutions that will result in $111 million in taxpayer savings, and the Fiscal Year 2016 Budget Views and Estimates of the Committee.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) today announced the formation of a 26-member advisory committee that is tasked with updating classroom and new behind-the-wheel training requirements for professional truck and bus drivers.

“Over the next 30 years, we’re going to be relying on trucks – and truckers – to move more than 40 percent more freight than they currently do,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “With more people and freight crossing our country than ever before, this committee’s work will be critical to ensuring that commercial drivers are fully capable of operating their vehicles safely.”

In December, FMCSA reported that it intended to establish a committee to examine minimum training requirements, including length of classroom instruction and behind-the-wheel experience, accreditation versus certification of Commercial Driver’s License training programs and schools, curricula for passenger, property and hazardous materials carriers, instructor qualifications, as well as other areas.

The Entry-Level Driver Training Advisory Committee comprises a diverse cross-section of motor carrier interests, including training organizations, the intercity bus and trucking industries, law enforcement, labor unions, and safety advocates. The committee is tasked with negotiating the issues to be addressed in a proposed training rule, which the agency intends to issue by the fall of 2015, with a final rule expected in 2016.

“Ensuring roadway safety starts with the driver,” said FMCSA Acting Administrator Scott Darling. “Finalizing new training requirements for truck and bus operators is one of my top priorities and we have tapped a group of uniquely qualified stakeholders to help us work through the details and meet this goal.”

The first meeting of the advisory committee is scheduled for Feb. 26 and 27 at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Arlington, Va. and will be open to the public.

The MAP-21 transportation bill directed FMCSA to establish new minimum training requirements for individuals seeking to obtain an intrastate or interstate commercial driver’s license and become a professional truck or bus operator.

In August 2014, FMCSA announced that it had retained a neutral convener, and was exploring the possibility of proceeding with a negotiated rulemaking.

The convener interviewed stakeholders and recommended proceeding with a negotiated rulemaking.

For more information and updates on the Entry-Level Driver Training Advisory Committee, visit http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov/eldtac.

SEPTA_logo_150pxMembers of the SMART Transportation Division employed by Southeastern Pennsylvania Metropolitan Transportation Authority ratified Jan. 11 a 2.5-year agreement with the carrier.

The contract, which is retroactive to April 1, 2014, and extends until Nov. 18, 2016, covers bus operators, trolley operators and conductors and operators on the Norristown High Speed Line. They are members of Transportation Division Local 1594 at Upper Darby, Pa.

The deal affects more than 350 members and was ratified by 61 percent of eligible voters who participated in the balloting process, said Transportation Division Bus Vice President Calvin Studivant, who assisted with the negotiations.

Wage adjustments include a two-percent increase following ratification of the agreement and a three-percent increase effective Jan. 10, 2016.

A side letter to the agreement also calls for the authority to establish a “work zone committee” to address work safety issues as they pertain to the transportation department.

Studivant congratulates General Chairperson and Local President Waverly Harris, former Vice Local Chairperson Brian Caldwell, and Vice Local Chairpersons Curtis Fulmore, Dave Stinsman, Eric Goodwin and Anthony Petty for their arduous efforts in obtaining this agreement.

“A lot of hours were dedicated to finalizing this collective bargaining agreement. I commend the local officers for their diligence and preparation and the membership that participated in the ratification vote,” Studivant said.

ROANOKE, Va. – Members of the African American Norfolk & Western Heritage Group in Roanoke stepped behind a curtain and took their first look at how the Virginia Museum of Transportation will present their history.

“I think it’s great,” said Carroll Swain, 87, one of the group’s founding members. “Right now I think it’s something that people definitely want to see.”

Read the complete story at The Washington Post.

anthony_foxx
Foxx

A Dec. 31 deadline for railroads to equip all trains with crash-avoidance technology known as “positive train controls” won’t be extended, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said Feb. 11.

Testifying before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, Foxx said his department is “continuing to hold the industry’s feet to the fire in getting PTC done as quickly as possible” instead of allowing “a blanket extension.”

Read the complete story at lohud.com.

A railroad labor lobbyists asked the Wellington City Council to give its support to a bill in the state legislature that would require trains to have two people in the cabin while a train is running.

Ty Dragoo told the council at a worksession meeting Monday, railroad workers feel this is a safety issue.

Read the complete story at the Wellington Daily News.

Ty Dragoo is the SMART Transportation Division’s Kansas State Legislative Director.