Category: News
Take a moment to learn about Labor Day
Labor Day, the first Monday in September, is a creation of the labor movement and is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-be [...]SLD Bates accepts spot on FRA panel
District of Columbia State Legislative Director and SMART Transportation Safety Team member Willie Bates has been invited by Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo to serve on the Stakeholder Review Panel for the agency’s new Clear Signal for Action safety program. The C [...]
RSAC holds emergency meeting
WASHINGTON – The Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) Railroad Safety Advisory Committee (RSAC) met today in an emergency session to begin consideration of additional regulatory or other safety measures following the derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec, Canada earlier this [...]Inspections target fracked crude shipped by rail
U.S. rail-safety regulators began a “Bakken blitz” of inspections of crude oil tank cars this week as they seek to prevent a railroad disaster in the U.S. similar to July’s fatal inferno in Quebec. Inspectors from the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration and Pipeline and Haza [...]Safety group urges revamping of rail tank cars
The head of a rail safety group compared a widely used train tank car to the recalled Ford Pinto in urging U.S. regulators to require upgrades that would prevent accidents like a Quebec derailment that killed 47 people. Karen Darch, the co-chairman of a coalition of communiti [...]Federal panel hears concerns on railroad safety
WASHINGTON – A federal panel heard comments Wednesday on the adequacy of safety regulations for railroads, during the first of two meetings that will focus on last month’s deadly train derailment in Lac-Megantic, Quebec. Fatigue is the top safety concern among train cre [...]Labor rules to boost employment for vets, disabled
WASHINGTON – Veterans and disabled workers who often struggle to find work could have an easier time landing a job under new federal regulations. The rules, announced Aug. 27 by the Labor Department, will require most government contractors to set a goal of having disabled wo [...]
RRB issues financial report
The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) is required by law to submit annual financial reports to Congress on the financial condition of the railroad retirement system and the railroad unemployment insurance system. These reports must also include recommendations for any financing [...]