The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) ripped into President Trump’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for its prolonged failure to implement proper safety rules and guidelines regarding worker fatigue and sleep apnea. The NTSB’s special investigative report details its findings on two accidents: New Jersey Transit’s accident in Hoboken, NJ, in September, 2016, and the Long
As America awaits a long-overdue infrastructure plan from President Trump, one opinion writer highlighted a few of America’s greatest infrastructure needs on CNN. Kate Ascher, a principal at BuroHappold Engineering, listed a number of items on which our country should focus, but first on her list was providing adequate funding for Amtrak’s interstate and long-distance rail.
On Wednesday, labor unions joined together to host a reception in honor of newly-elected Senator Doug Jones of Alabama. Sen. Jones won a hotly contested special election in December over controversial candidate Roy Moore. He now takes over the seat once held by current Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Rail labor – including TCU – invested
On January 1, 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will update its drug testing regulations for all transportation workers, including railroads, aviation and transit.
The 2017 AFL-CIO Convention wrapped up yesterday, and with it the adoption of a number of resolutions meant to guide the organization – and the labor movement – as it continues to fight for working families. Click HERE to see all the resolutions passed. Some of the highlights: Resolution #1 – A Worker’s Bill of
President Trump has nominated former Congressman Lynn Westmoreland (R-GA) to serve a five-year term on Amtrak’s Board of Directors. This is very concerning to anyone that supports, rides, or works on Amtrak as Mr. Westmoreland has a long history of voting against the nation’s passenger rail carrier: On March 4th, 2015, he voted for the McClintock
The National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) released a report this week detailing the complex nature of Amtrak’s national network while highlighting the necessity of long-distance trains. The report includes a section on jobs (see screenshot below) as well as a table (see appendix) outlining the various stations across the country that would close if
On Wednesday evening, the House of Representatives voted on various amendments to the Transportation Appropriations bill, including one from Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) to defund Amtrak. Thankfully, the amendment failed with 128 voting in favor versus 293 voting against. This vote serves as a litmus test to who is really on our side. Voting to defund
A couple days after letters from the Rail Customers and the STB were made public, CSX CEO Hunter Harrison responded in force. He didn’t mince words when he called the Customers’ accusations “unfounded and grossly exaggerated.” He then accused the coalition of using the issue to further their own goals of getting rate-setting and access
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has released its preliminary report regarding the August 2nd accident of a CSX train in Pennsylvania, which included the derailment of 33 cars. The accident ignited 3 hazardous materials tank cars carrying propane and molten sulfur, and resulted in the evacuation of approximately 1000 residents in a nearby town,
