OLYMPIA, Wash. – State lawmakers gave final approval April 24 to a bill meant to increase oil train safety. The bill was taken up in response to the uptick in oil train traffic in the region. It directs oil taxes to help pay for oil-train spill response. It also imposes publi [...]
Union officials say tougher inspection and maintenance standards for railroad tracks could help prevent dangerous derailments of trains carrying crude oil. While lawmakers and regulators focus on the strength of oil tank carsand volatility of crude oil, officials of the rail [...]
The MTA is close to securing final federal approval of a nearly $1 billion loan to install technology on its commuter trains that could have prevented the 2013 Metro-North derailment in the Bronx in which four people died. Positive train control technology provides a new laye [...]
The campus shuttle operators for the University of Tennessee’s transportation service unanimously ratified their first agreement with their employer after choosing SMART representation last year, Alternate Vice President – Bus Alvy Hughes reports. The members of newly formed [...]
BNSF Railway Co. won back market share for grain and agriculture commodities that it lost to Union Pacific Corp. in 2014 when the railroad owned by Warren Buffett struggled to keep up with customer demand. In last year’s first quarter, BNSF lost about 4 percentage points of m [...]
Metra’s board on Wednesday approved two large contracts, including one for $80 million to help implement a high-tech safety system that federal officials said would have prevented two Chicago derailments that killed two people and injured scores of passengers. The other [...]
SMART Transportation Division’s General Committee of Adjustment GO 610 representing conductors and trainmen, General Committee of Adjustment GO 340 representing yardmasters and SMART Sheet Metal Mechanical and Engineering Local 396 representing mechanical workers have [...]
Alternate to the Transportation Division’s Executive Board Jeremy Don Brooks has joined the Executive Board following the retirement of former board member Steve Dawson March 1. Brooks has been employed by Union Pacific Railroad since 2004 and received promotion to engi [...]
It’s a bird – It’s a plane – It’s an insanely fast Japanese bullet train. A Japan Railway maglev train hit 603 kilometers per hour (374 miles per hour) on an experimental track in Yamanashi Tuesday, setting a decisive new world record. Read the complete stor [...]
As an organization, we are known for digging deep into our pockets and reaching out to those less fortunate and in need when a tragedy strikes. Michigan State Legislative Director Jerry L. Gibson and his family have been dealing with a tough issue of their own and Assistant S [...]