Transportation News

Visit the digital archive of the SMART-TD News (PDFs)

Fundraiser established for injured Local 1545 member

An online fundraiser has been established for Eddie Dotson, a member of SMART-TD Local 1545 (Monroe, La.), who was injured June 23, 2021, while on duty in Tioga, La. Brother Dotson, 52, a trustee for his local and a member of our union for 17 years, lost limbs in the accident [...]

Biden-Harris administration offers two paths to the Rule of 2

The paths to the Rule of 2 are open. Path 1: The INVEST ACT (H.R. 3684, the House Infrastructure Bill) and Path 2: a regulatory priority of the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to revisit freight crew size. U.S House Transportat [...]

RRB: Unemployment and sickness benefits for railroad employees

The Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) administers the Railroad Unemployment Insurance Act (RUIA), which provides two kinds of benefits for qualified railroaders: unemployment benefits for those who become unemployed but are ready, willing and able to work; and sickness benefits [...]

DIPP offering new daily benefit level beginning in September!

SMART Transportation Division and the Trustees of the Discipline Income Protection Program (DIPP) are pleased to announce a new maximum daily benefit level for program participants beginning Sept. 1, 2021. Participants will now have the option to elect a $250 daily benefit at [...]

‘End of an era’ at RRB: Geri Clark retires

Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) Labor Member John Bragg announced June 17 that Assistant to the Labor Member Geraldine “Geri” Clark will be retiring July 2 after 51 years with the agency. “Geri’s retirement is a great loss to my office and the RRB. Her 51 ye [...]

Palmetto GBA: Performing a cognitive assessment

Do you or a loved one have any of the following symptoms? It’s easy to forget where you put your car keys once in a while. But if you or a loved one have any of the following problems, please read further: Trouble remembering Difficulty learning new things Feeling overwhelmed [...]

Sporting clay shoots planned in Colo., N.J.

Members are invited to compete in a pair of team clay shoots this autumn in conjunction with the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance. The first shoot is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. Sept. 25 at Colorado Clays, 13600 Lanewood St., Brighton, CO 80603. The second is scheduled at 9:30 a.m. Oct. [...]

Nuria Fernandez confirmed by Senate to lead FTA

By voice vote June 10, the U.S. Senate confirmed Nuria Fernandez as the 15th administrator of the Federal Transit Administration (FTA). Fernandez joined the Biden administration as deputy administrator of the agency on Jan. 21 and had served as the senior FTA official until h [...]

The INVEST in America Act and how it protects TD members

A surface transportation reauthorization bill introduced June 4 by chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Peter DeFazio (D-Ore.) has a wide-reaching positive impact for members of the SMART Transportation Division. Mostly mirroring the identically n [...]