FRA Suspends Safety Reports due to Government Shutdown

As the government shutdown enters its fourth week with no signs of reopening anytime soon, the gridlock is starting to threaten the safety of our members and the accountability of the railroads who employ them.  

FRA Closed for Business 

Less than 24 hours after the shutdown began on October 1, we outlined which offices and services were still operating as usual.  
 
One of the agencies affected is the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), which furloughed 23% of its staff but announced that its Office of Railroad Safety, which investigates accidents and inspects railroad equipment, would stay open.    
 
However, the devil is in the details. We now know that that statement is only partially true.  
 
While staff from the Office of Railroad Safety will continue managing accident investigations, the same cannot be said for their counterparts who review the FRA’s Alleged Violation Reporting Form. 
 
A simple but blunt message on the form’s landing page reads as follows: “Due to a lapse in funding, submissions of the FRA Alleged Violation and Inquiry Form will not be reviewed or processed. Upon reinstatement of funding, forms will be processed in the order of receipt.” 
 
Translation? Don’t expect the FRA to investigate any alleged violations or complaints until the government reopens, and even then, you’ll likely encounter a lengthy response time as they work through their backlog.  

We’re Investigating…As Long as It’s Nothing New 

The blatant hypocrisy on full display in this one statement is astounding.  
 
While the FRA supposedly has staff on hand to address accidents and investigations, it’s refusing to accept any new reports until the shutdown is over.  
 
What exactly does the agency plan on investigating during this time? If that statement is any indication, the only activity that may get some attention are major accidents and incidents—those that are virtually impossible to ignore. Meanwhile, equally important tips are swept under the rug for another time.

According to the FRA’s Fiscal Year 2024 Enforcement Report, their office received over 58,000 railroad inspection reports, with 3,000 of them including recommended violation defects.  
 
A lapse in reviewing this critical information is a gross disservice to rail safety and the American people.  

Sacrificing Safety Once Again

No matter whether the government is open for business or amid another record-setting shutdown, safety should be non-negotiable.  
 
Rail workers, the American people, and the communities through which our country’s vast railroad network traverses deserve nothing less.