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An automobile driver was killed and dozens of students riding a school bus were injured after a car slammed into the rear of the bus in Los Angeles Oct. 25, causing the bus to overturn, reports the Los Angeles Times.

The Los Angeles Times said 54 teenage students were aboard the school bus.

Meanwhile, in Amityville, N.Y., an empty school bus was involved in an accident Oct. 25 with a tanker truck carrying waste oil, reports the Associated Press.

There were no students aboard the bus at the time, but the school bus driver was hospitalized in critical condition, reports the Associated Press.

Newsweek magazine has given CSX the highest “Green Ranking” among Class I freight railroads – and named CSX 10th in environmental responsibility among all transport and aerospace companies.

The Newsweek rankings are based on input from three environmental organizations.

In a press release, CSX said it was the first transportation company voluntarily to set a goal to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions; and for 2011, CSX has set a goal of reducing its carbon dioxide emissions by 8 percent.

To reach this goal, CSX said it has “deployed significant numbers of fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly “GenSet” locomotives in rail yards across its network. Over the past decade, CSX has invested more than $1.5 billion to upgrade its locomotive fleet with technology that reduces fuel consumption and air emissions. Through these efforts, the company has improved its fuel efficiency by more than 90 percent since 1980,” said CSX in its press release.

CSX said it also has “launched an online carbon calculator for customers to calculate the emissions associated with various transportation options.”

Railroads are ordering considerably more freight cars than in previous months, according to the Railway Supply Institute – another indication of the strength of rail carloadings and the rails’ economic optimism going forward.

The number of new freight cars on order for delivery has climbed to more than 19,000 – an 85 percent increase in orders for new freight cars since Dec. 31, 2009, according to Railway Supply Institute data.

During the third quarter 2010, according to the Railway Supply Institute, railroads ordered more than 9,000 new freight cars — almost the total ordered during the first six months of 2010.

Children of railroaders have available to them numerous computer games simulating operation and dispatch of trains.

Now there is a computer game that allows children – and adults – to experience the challenge of being a bus operator: operating city buses, school buses, sight-seeing buses or even buses transporting prisoners.

The game, Bus Driver, is all about transporting passengers over 30 different routes, following a timetable and dealing with road rules, unpredictable traffic, weather, day and night conditions, and other events.

More information on the game is available at:

http://www.brothersoft.com/games/bus-driver.html

During November and December, UnitedHealthcare will hold an open enrollment under railroad plans GA-23111.

During this open enrollment period, any individual eligible for coverage under one of the GA-23111 plans may enroll and be accepted for coverage without medical underwriting or requirement of good health.

There are no limitations for pre-existing conditions.

Enrollment in November and December is for coverage effective Jan. 1, 2011.

Only those applicants who mail their completed enrollment forms in November or December will be considered for open enrollment.

The next opportunity to enroll during an open enrollment period will not be until November 2012, consistent with the plan’s two-year open enrollment cycle.

This open enrollment is:

  • For those covered under any railroad health plan and represented by a railroad labor union.
  • For those who are members in accordance with the constitution or bylaws of one of the participating railroad labor unions when coverage under the employer group health plan applying to them ends.

If you, or someone you know, meets the GA-23111 eligibility provisions, open enrollment provides an opportunity to become covered.

You may also enroll your spouse or eligible children if they are not currently covered. In addition, enrollment under Plan F is available for your parent or parent-in-law. Anyone interested in enrolling should call one of the following phone numbers to obtain an enrollment form or additional information:

  • For persons eligible for Medicare, call (800) 809-0453.
  • For persons NOT eligible for Medicare, call (800) 842-5252.  Note: Enrollment during November and December of the open enrollment period provides for coverage effective the following calendar year, Jan. 1 through Dec. 31. Each June 1 of that calendar year, and only at that time, adjustments to the premium for all plans under GA-23111 may occur. Additionally, if you are enrolled in either Plan A, B or C under GA-23111, and a change in the premium amount you pay does occur, you will be allowed, at that time, to switch your plan to a different plan (A, B, or C) with a lower premium, if available.

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Surface Transportation Board says it will hold a hearing Dec. 9 to review certain exemptions from economic regulation afforded railroads – specifically, commodity exemptions, boxcar exemptions and intermodal trailer and container exemptions.

The exemptions from STB rate and service oversight were first imposed in 1976, and modified in 1980 following substantial deregulation of the rail industry by the Staggers Rail Act.

Creating those exemptions, said the STB, “fundamentally changed the economic regulation of the railroad industry. Prior to 1976, [the STB’s predecessor, the Interstate Commerce Commission] heavily regulated the industry. The ICC focused its regulation on ensuring equal treatment of shippers, which in some instances, led to railroad pricing decisions based on factors other than market considerations.

“These agency exemption decisions were instrumental in the U.S. rail system’s transition from a heavily regulated, financially weak component of the economy into a mature, relatively healthy industry that operates with only minimal oversight,” said the STB in announcing the hearing.

“The transition, however, was not without challenges, sometimes because an exemption … excuses carriers from virtually all aspects of regulation, even though the STB’s continuing jurisdiction over exempted movements also extinguishes any common law cause of action regarding common carrier duties,” said the STB.

“In recent years, the STB has received informal inquiries questioning the relevance and/or necessity of some of the existing commodity exemptions, given the changes in the competitive landscape and the railroad industry that have occurred over the past few decades,” said the STB.

“The STB will, therefore, hold a hearing to explore the continuing utility of and the issues surrounding the categorical exemptions.”

The Journal of Commerce reported Oct. 21 that the decision to hold the hearing followed a September promise to the Senate Commerce Committee by STB Chairman Dan Elliott that the STB would begin an examination of past regulatory practices.

Rail freight loadings continue to show improvement, reports the AAR in releasing carloading data for the week ending Oct. 16.

Total U.S. carloadings increased by more than 10 percent over the same week in 2009.

Intermodal loadings were up by more than 15 percent over the comparable week in 2009.

Fourteen of the 19 carload commodity groups increased from the comparable week in 2009.

For the first 41 weeks of 2010, U.S. railroads carloadings are up more than 7 percent over the first 41 weeks in 2009; and intermodal loadings are up almost 15 percent.

Amtrak reported Oct. 21 that Chief Operating Officer Bill Crosbie is leaving Amtrak immediately, and the position of chief operating officer is being abolished.

 Amtrak President Joseph Boardman, in an employee advisory, said the vice presidents of the operating departments will begin reporting directly to him.

“Bill has made important contributions to Amtrak in the seven years he’s been here, and his oversight of the many facets of the operation has supported Amtrak through a period of strong ridership and demand for our services,” Boardman said in the employee advisory.

Take note of the CORRECT toll-free telephone number for the Railroad Retirement Board’s Information Line:

(877) 772-5772

This number replaces a previous toll-free number to reach the Railroad Retirement Board.

The old number no longer reaches the Railroad Retirement Board’s information line. That number was reassigned by the phone company.

In fact, some callers report they have called that number and reached a recording seeking payment from them.

Older copies of RRB publications still carry the old and no longer valid toll free phone number for the Railroad Retirement Board, and some UTU members may be in possession of those publications.

Again, the ONLY valid toll-free telephone number for the Railroad Retirement Board’s Information Line – toll free from all areas of the United States – is:

(877) 772-5772

Union Pacific earnings for the third quarter 2010 soared by 51 percent from the third quarter 2009, the railroad told investors Oct. 21.

UP told Wall Street analysts it was the company’s most profitable quarter ever.

In reporting the record earnings, UP Chairman Jim Young told Wall Street analysts that the railroad had put some 1,100 furloughed employees back to work during the third quarter 2010, and that all furloughed workers likely would be back on the job in coming months.Young also told analysts that UP likely will hire additional employees in 2011, assuming the economy remains strong.

UP credited increased rail traffic (up 14 percent for the third quarter versus third quarter 2009), the ability to extract higher freight rates from shippers, and improved productivity as the reasons for the record profits.

Per share earnings for UP jumped from 1.01 in the third quarter 2009 to 1.56 per share in the third quarter 2010. This exceeded estimates of Wall Street firms.

UP reported a record operating ratio of 68.2 percent. Operating ratio is the railroad’s operating expenses expressed as a percentage of operating revenue, and is considered by economists as a basic measure of carrier profitability.

CSX earlier reported that its third quarter earnings soared by 43 percent.

Kansas City Southern reports third quarter earnings Oct. 26, and Norfolk Southern reports Oct. 27. As BNSF is now privately held, it does not report earnings separately.