Category: Amtrak/Commuter
RRB: Dual benefit payments Q&A
The payment of a Railroad Retirement annuity can be affected by entitlement to Social Security benefits, as well as certain other government benefits. Such dual entitlement, if not reported to the Railroad Retirement Board (RRB), can result in benefit overpayments that have t [...]
AFL-CIO TTD issues blueprint for restoring intercity passenger transportation
As the COVID-19 pandemic raged across the nation, nearly all intercity passenger transportation ceased almost overnight. In 2020, air carriers ferried their fewest passengers in three decades, registering months with as much as 96% fewer boardings compared to the prior year. [...]
Nevada gov. honors railroaders with proclamation
Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak has issued a proclamation praising America’s railroaders, declaring Wednesday, April 28, 2021, as “A Day In Honor of Railroad Workers.” A portion of the proclamation reads: “The safe and efficient movement of the trains transporting… freight an [...]
Amit Bose nominated to be FRA administrator
Amit Bose, who has been serving the Biden administration as acting administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) since February, was formally nominated to become administrator of that body April 22. Bose has years of experience serving in the public sector. He ha [...]
VSTD waiver of elimination period extended through June 2021
Dear Member: As many of you may recall, the SMART Voluntary Short Term Disability Plan temporarily suspended the Elimination Period for COVID-19 (Coronavirus) disabilities. In an announcement to you dated April 15, 2020, we communicated that the Elimination Period was being w [...]
Signing of COVID aid bill enables SMART-TD bus, transit members to get rolling
President Joe Biden today signed his $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan intended to stabilize the nation’s economy as it continues the task of rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic that has killed more than 525,000 people in the United States. The plan has $30.5 billion in em [...]
Unions: With service cuts, LIRR leaders risk COVID spread and exhibit ‘lack of good faith’
Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) implemented planned service cuts the morning of Monday, March 8, in spite of objections made weeks ago by union leadership and echoed by New York state senators just before the cuts went into effect. The result? Crowded cars and the potential for [...]
SMART-TD officer, New York senators object to LIRR service reductions
SMART Transportation Division Alternate Vice President and General Chairperson Anthony Simon and eight New York state senators took the CEO and chairman of the New York Metropolitan Transit Agency to task for planned service reductions for the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR). Th [...]