Category: News

SMART TD to Washington state: DEIS will set "troubling precedent"

June 10, 2016 John Risch, National Legislative Director with SMART TD, submitted comments to Cowlitz County and the Washington State Department of Ecology, in concern over the state’s possible efforts to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from major construction projects, and the neg [...]

FRA clarifies "Smartwatch" Rule – Fitbits restricted

June 8, 2016 The question? May an employee wear a device like a “Garmin Vivofit” or “Fitbit” wristband that acts like a watch, and counts the steps that an individual takes each day? The devices are not searching for the internet, or Wifi, to do this and must be s [...]

Tags Federal Railroad Administration, Fitbit, fitness tracking device, FRA, personal electronic devices

NARP urges FRA, NJ Transit to expedite tunnel project

June 2, 2016 Progressive Railroading reported that the president of the National Association of Railroad Passengers (NARP) recently urged federal leaders to fast-track the requisite approvals for replacing the Hudson River rail tunnels. Read the entire story here.

Tags Amtrak, Hudson River tunnel, NARP, National Association of Railroad Passengers

Legislation would make Amtrak spend NEC profits on corridor

May 24, 2016 Progressive Railroading reported that a bill passed by the Senate last week includes provisions requiring Amtrak to spend its profits from Acela and Northeast Regional service on projects in the Northeast Corridor (NEC). Read the entire story here.

Tags Acela, Amtrak, legislation, NEC, Northeast Corridor, profits

Momentum shifting in state battles

May 23, 2016 It’s not just federal elections that have an impact on working families. As we were reminded all too well in places like Wisconsin and Michigan, state and local elections can have far reaching consequences. For the past six years, working families have been placed on the defe [...]

SMART TD Legislative Director urges unity and action in speech to NARVRE

May 17, 2016 “The greatest threat to Railroad Retirement and Social Security is if Congress tries to mess with either one, which would automatically affect our pensions,” said John Risch, National Legislative Director of SMART TD. He made his remarks to the biannual convention of the Na [...]

Tags John Risch, NARVRE

FRA, FMCSA to host listening sessions on Obstructive Sleep Apnea

May 3, 2016 The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) will host three public listening sessions to solicit information on the prevalence of moderate-to-severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among individuals occupying safety sens [...]

Tags FMCSA, FRA, Obstructive Sleep Apnea, OSA, Sleep Apnea

Unions reject NJT tentative agreement

May 2, 2016 SMART Transportation Division membership rejected a tentative agreement with New Jersey Transit from March that prevented a strike. BLET also rejected the agreement. Read more from NJ.com.

Tags BLET, New Jersey Transit, NJT, tentative agreement

Republicans seek to protect union busters from transparency rule

May 2, 2016 The GOP has announced that it will fight a Department of Labor (DOL) rule requiring employers to report having hired third parties to draft and deliver anti-union messages to workers. The measure was announced by the DOL in the Federal Register March 24 and went into effect l [...]

Tags DOL, GOP, transparency rule

Amtrak's 'Trails and Rails' adding NYC to D.C. route

April 26, 2016 Railway Age reported that The National Park Service, in partnership with Amtrak, added to its Saturday morning Trails and Rails program a New York to Washington, D.C. route. Read the entire story here.

Tags Amtrak, Trails and Rails