Category: Washington
FRA just reduced the prospects of a safer railroad industry
By John Previsich, SMART TD President, and Dennis Pierce, BLET National President On Thursday, May 23, 2019, we were informed that the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) had released a notice, withdrawing a 2016 notice of proposed rulemaking establishing a minimum train cr [...]
John Risch: FRA, Trump administration halt all crew safety efforts
Dear SMART TD, Today the Trump administration did everything it could to stop all railroad crew safety issues. In a Federal Register posting published at 4 p.m. today, the FRA formally withdrew the pending proposed rulemaking dating from 2016 that would have set a mandatory c [...]
Two-person crew bill passes Nevada Senate
The Nevada State Legislative Board reports that A.B. 337, legislation requiring two people in the cab of freight trains in the state, passed in the state Senate on Tuesday by a 13-8 party-line vote. The bill is in the process of enrollment — receiving signatures from both the [...]Kansas senator delays Amtrak board nominations, wants SW Chief commitment
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R) of Kansas is putting a delay on the consideration by the U.S. Senate of three nominees to the Amtrak Board of Directors and wants a solid commitment from the carrier that the long-distance Southwest Chief route will be preserved. Amtrak President and [...]
Police get suspect in assault on Montebello bus rider
Update: Police now have a suspect in custody after members of the community identified the man in the video. “On May 3rd, 2019, Montebello Detectives received information from several citizens who recognized the suspect from the video. Detectives were able to contact wi [...]
STB’s rail energy committee to hold meeting May 15
A notice of a meeting of the Surface Transportation Board’s (STB) Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee (RETAC) appeared in the Federal Register April 30. The meeting, which is open to the public, is scheduled for 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 15, at STB headquarters, 395 E. [...]
FMCSA releases information about drug-test database
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has launched a web page that provides information about the Commercial Driver’s License Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, a database to be launched in early January 2020. The database’s purpose is to track and identi [...]
Social Security combined trust funds gain one year says SSA board of trustees
Disability Fund Shows Strong Improvement—Twenty Years The Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report on the long-term financial status of the Social Security trust funds. The combined asset reserves of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insur [...]