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Category: News
White Pass & Yukon Railroad sold
In a joint venture, Alaska’s White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad (WP&Y) is being sold to Survey Point Holdings (majority owners) and Carnival/Holland America (minority owners). The deal is set to be final Aug. 1. “Both companies have experience operating in Southeast Alas [...]
SMART TD leaders endorse bus safety bill
Washington, D.C. (June 6, 2018) – SMART Transportation Division leaders announced today their support for the Bus Operator and Pedestrian Protection Act introduced by Congresswoman Grace F. Napolitano (D – Calif.) and Congressman John Katko (R — New York) that would enhance t [...]
SSA says trust fund depletion year remains 2034
The Social Security Board of Trustees released its annual report on the long-term financial status of the Social Security trust funds. The combined asset reserves of the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance (OASI) and Disability Insurance (DI), or OASDI, trust funds are projected [...]
RRB issues Statements of Service
Each year, the U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) prepares a “Certificate of Service Months and Compensation” (Form BA-6) for every railroad employee with creditable railroad compensation in the previous calendar year. The RRB will mail the forms to employees during the fir [...]
Senators introduce bill making it a federal crime to assault passenger rail personnel
On the one-year anniversary of the shooting of Amtrak conductor Michael Case in Naperville, Ill., U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D – Ill.) introduced S. 2861 — The Passenger Rail Crew Protection Parity Act — a bill that would make it a felony to assault or intimidate [...]RRB to mail new Medicare cards
The U.S. Railroad Retirement Board (RRB) will send out new Medicare cards that do not feature beneficiaries’ Social Security numbers in the coming weeks. The Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015 required the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to [...]
OSHA schedules meeting to request comments on whistleblower issues
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has scheduled a meeting June 12, 2018, in Washington, D.C., to solicit comments and suggestions from stakeholders in the railroad and trucking industries on whistleblower issues within the jurisdictio [...]Changes made to monthly SMART TD DIPP assessments
As a result of the continued increase in claims volume and associated costs, the SMART Transportation Division Discipline Income Protection Program (DIPP) is increasing its monthly assessments from 81 cents to 96 cents per $1 of daily benefits, effective July 1, 2018. Members [...]