News - Page 399 of 656

Former Local 1379 Chairperson Michael Ruffner dies

March 2, 2015 Retired former Local Chairperson Michael C. Ruffner, 72, of Local 1379 at Pittsburgh, died just before midnight on Friday, Feb. 27. He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Ann (Foradori) Ruffner. After graduating from Sts. Cosmas and Damian High School in 1960, Ruffner [...]

Tags Michael C. Ruffner

Bus drivers still coping with bathroom access issues

March 2, 2015 One afternoon during the summer of 2000, her first year as a bus driver in Oregon’s Portland, Hope Okazaki had a troubling episode of gastrointestinal distress while on the job. She had just finished an almost two-hour tour through the east side of town, and her bus was parke [...]

Tags bathroom breaks, bus operators

FRA campaigns to enhance grade crossing safety

March 2, 2015 WASHINGTON – As part of its ongoing effort to improve safety at railroad grade crossings, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Feb. 27 announced the first step in a new, multi-faceted campaign aimed at strengthening enforcement and safety awareness at grade crossings. Th [...]

Tags Anthony Foxx, Federal Railroad Administration, FRA, grade crossings, safety

Tens Of Thousands Turn Out For Anti-RTW March & Rally

March 1, 2015 Tens of thousands of union members and supporters turned out for a massive rally in the Wisconsin state capital of Madison on Saturday February 28th. Among them were hundreds of SMART members and family members who will be effected by the Wisconsin GOP’s attack on orga [...]

Who’s to blame for the exploding oil trains?

February 27, 2015 A week after a CSX train hauling crude oil derailed and exploded 30 miles southeast of Charleston, W. Va., on Feb. 16, its mangled, charred tank cars were still being hauled from the crash site. Of the 27 cars that derailed, 19 had been engulfed in flames. The wreckage burned [...]

Tags crude oil, Federal Railroad Administration, National Transportation Safety Board, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, tank cars

Oil train wrecks increase pressure for tougher rules

February 27, 2015 Fiery wrecks of trains hauling crude oil have intensified pressure on the Obama administration to approve tougher standards for railroads and tank cars despite industry complaints that it could cost billions and slow freight deliveries. On Feb. 5, the Transportation Departmen [...]

Tags crude oil, tank cars

Life-saving train design is rarely used

February 26, 2015 LOS ANGELES – Perhaps the most remarkable thing about the collision between a Southern California commuter train and a truck abandoned on the tracks was this: No one died and only eight people on board were admitted to hospitals. Officials with the Metrolink train system cred [...]

Tags crash energy management technology, Metrolink

Long-term disability program forthcoming

February 26, 2015 The trustees of the SMART Voluntary Short-Term Disability program are pleased to announce that they have reached a tentative agreement with Anthem Life Insurance Co. on a group long-term disability plan for our bus and rail members. The plan is intended to provide a seamless [...]

Tags Anthem, long-term disability insurance, long-term disability program, Voluntary Short-Term Disability Program

Pa. SLD seeks support for two-person crew bill

February 26, 2015 Transportation Division Pennsylvania State Legislative Director Paul Pokrowka had a meeting with Pennsylvania House of Representatives Transportation Committee Chairperson John Taylor (R-Dist. 177) Feb. 25 seeking his support of a two-person rail crew law in the state. Taylor [...]

Tags Paul Pokrowka, Pennsylvania, Rep. John Taylor, two-person crews

Southwest Chief rail bill passes first committee

February 25, 2015 DENVER – A bipartisan bill designed to help grow economic opportunity and expand transportation options in southern Colorado cleared its first hurdle Feb. 24, passing the Senate Local Government Committee by a vote of 5-2. The bill, S.B. 15-176, would continue to provide need [...]

Tags Carl Smith, Southwest Chief