Category: Washington
Rail career jeopardized with one gummy bear
A man’s rail career was jeopardized after eating a gummy bear, and SMART Transportation Division cautions members of the risks of a positive drug test after consuming “hemp products,” which are unregulated by the federal government and considered illegal by federa [...]
Arizona conductors tell newspaper why automated trains are a bad idea
A pair of BNSF conductors out of Winslow, Ariz., were recently featured in an article by the Arizona Daily Sun talking about their concerns about automating trains. Legislative Representative Ellis Laird and Wade Carlisle, both of Local 113, talked to reporter Corina Vanek ab [...]
Amtrak, transportation benefit from omnibus spending bill
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congress passed and President Trump signed into law Friday a bipartisan spending agreement also known as the “omnibus” spending bill that provides a massive boost toward several of our union’s priorities, including transportation infrastructure projects, th [...]FRA takes proactive approach to help railroads meet Congressional PTC requirement
Railroads’ progress on Positive Train Control remains uneven WASHINGTON—The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (US DOT’s) Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) today released a status update on its efforts to assist railroads in implementing positive train control syst [...]
FRA declines SMART TD request to limit long trains
The Trump administration’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has declined a request made by SMART Transportation Division to address the safety concerns of excessively long trains. In an April 25, 2017, letter from National Legislative Director John Risch to Robert Lauby, [...]
Batory sworn in as FRA administrator; Martinez takes helm of FMCSA
After months of waiting, Ronald L. Batory was sworn in on Feb. 28 as the new administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). “This day could not have happened soon enough,” Batory said in remarks delivered during the ceremony administered by Department [...]
NTSB issues urgent safety recommendations
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued three urgent safety recommendations to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), acting upon the agency’s findings in two ongoing railroad accident investigations. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) received one u [...]Batory confirmed as FRA administrator
After months of having his nomination on hold in the U.S. Senate, Ronald L. Batory was confirmed Tuesday evening as administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration by unanimous voice vote. Batory’s ascension to the position came after U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Senate [...]